Ashenden: Or the British Agent is a 1927 collection of loosely linked stories by W. Somerset Maugham. It is partly based on the author's experience as a member of British Intelligence in Europe during the First World War. The incidents described in the stories are modelled on Maugham's experiences as a secret agent, and "the central character, Ashenden, is very much an autobiographical character." He is supposed to have modelled Chandra Lal after Virendranath Chattopadhyaya, an Indian Nationalist in Germany during the ...
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Ashenden: Or the British Agent is a 1927 collection of loosely linked stories by W. Somerset Maugham. It is partly based on the author's experience as a member of British Intelligence in Europe during the First World War. The incidents described in the stories are modelled on Maugham's experiences as a secret agent, and "the central character, Ashenden, is very much an autobiographical character." He is supposed to have modelled Chandra Lal after Virendranath Chattopadhyaya, an Indian Nationalist in Germany during the war. Maugham, who was in the British Secret Service in Europe during the war, based a number of his stories on his own experiences. Among other enterprises, Britain's European intelligence network attempted to eliminate a number of Indian nationalists in Europe, notably members of the Berlin Committee. Donald Gullick, a British agent, was dispatched to assassinate Chattopadhaya while the latter was on his way to Geneva to meet another Indian nationalist, Mahendra Pratap and forward the Kaiser's invitation to Berlin. The short story of Giulia Lazzari is a blend of Gullick's attempts to assassinate Chattopadhyaya and Mata Hari's story. Winston Churchill reportedly advised Maugham to burn 14 other stories. (wikipedia.org)
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Add this copy of Ashenden: Or the British Agent to cart. $25.11, new condition, Sold by Ingram Customer Returns Center rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from NV, USA, published 2023 by Bibliotech Press.
A good espionage thriller, perhaps one of the earliest, by a master of elegant writing and based on his own experiences.
BEAAMPERSAND
Jul 2, 2009
VERY DISAPPOINTED IN BOOK CONDITION
ALLEGEDLY THIS BOOK HAD A "SLIGHTLY WORN DUST JACKET IN GOOD CONDITION". IT WAS FALLING APART. LITERALLY. I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED BY THE CONDITION. BROKER SHOULD HAVE BEEN HONEST. I WOULD HAVE PAID MORE FOR A DUST JACKET THAT WAS ACTUALLY IN GOOD CONDITION. THE CONTENT OF THE BOOK IS EXCELLENT--ANOTHER GREAT MAUGHAM TALE. VERY MIFFED ABOUT THE BROKER.
psoc
Feb 7, 2008
Ashenden
Historically this is an interesting book, being one of the first spy novels, and based in some measure on Maugham's own World War I experiences. He also was involved in an interesting but failed attempt to shore up the Kerensky republic before the rise of the Soviets. Maugham used much of this book in various short stories, and the book is more of a collection of stories than a coherent novel. The writing is superior, and the characters while not plausible, are at least interesting. The book reads quickly and gives an historical perspective of the life and times.
JBronson
Jun 5, 2007
Excellent if you like good writing
Fans of James Bond probably will not like this, as there are no hot women, fast cars, bombs, or gunfire. But it is much more realistic than Bond, and the writing is outstanding. My husband and I were particularly charmed by bits such as "These men were even stupider than he thought; but Ashenden had always a soft corner of his heart for the stupid and now he looked upo them a feeling of unexpected kindliness."
