William Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) studied medicine, but the quick success of his first novel, Liza of Lambeth (1897), started him on his lifelong literary career, during which he would become one of the most popular English authors since Dickens. His own life, however, was more tragic, shocking, and fascinating than any novel. After his adored parents died, he grew up in a miserable vicarage and suffered from an embarrassing handicap. During his lifetime, Maugham would marry and divorce, be sent to Russia as a spy, and entertain such celebrities as Jean Cocteau, Winston Churchill, Noel Coward, the Aga Khan, and Ian Fleming at his Riviera mansion. Among his masterpieces are Of Human Bondage, The Painted Veil, The Razor’s Edge, and The Moon and Sixpence. In addition, such works as “The Letter” and “Rain” established Maugham as a gifted short story writer.

Maeve Binchy is the author of Quentins, Scarlet Feather, Tara Road (an Oprah’s Book Club Selection), Circle of Friends, Light a Penny Candle, and many other bestselling novels. She lives in Dalkey, Ireland, and London with her husband, writer Gordon Snell.