A novel narrated by a version of Maugham himself, who observes a circle of Americans and Europeans between the wars. Larry Darrell, a young pilot marked by his wartime experiences, turns away from an easy career and a conventional marriage to look for answers about life and the spiritual. His quest takes him from Paris to mines and to India, while his friends and his fiancée pursue wealth and status. It is a thoughtful story about goodness, ambition and what makes a life worthwhile.
Quotes
It's very easy to love someone like you.
It's easy to be a holy man on top of a mountain.
I never lend books to coal miners. They've got dirty hands.
[after Sophie's murder] When Piedmont died, I had to pay him back for my life. I found out there's another debt to pay — for the privilege of being alive. I thought Sophie was my reward for trying to live a good life. Uh uh. There is no payoff — not now.