MIRAGE, a Short Story by Somerset Maugham

In W. Somerset Maugham's "Mirage," a weary traveler reaches Haiphong and spends his days in cafes, avoiding the tourist attractions. He meets Grosely, an old acquaintance turned disreputable tide-waiter, who invites him to his squalid home. Grosely reveals his past, filled with shady dealings in China and a failed return to London. His disillusionment with England led him back to the East, where he ........

[@martin.ballard]

I read a fair bit of Maughm when I was younger. 'Razor's Edge' was a really formative book for me. I dipped into one story a few weeks ago, thinking I'd find him just ever so quaint, at this stage in my life. I couldn't have been more wrong. He may be more vital than ever because the class identifications his characters get hung up in are all the more vivid for their archaity as the self-blinding ego structures that they are. There are analogues in every time and place and we meet them daily. Maughm strikes me as literature's counterpart to Jung. Thanks for the great recitation.

[@arthuroldale-ki2ev]

I wish I had taken more notice of S.M`s story`s as a young man, I think I could of saved myself from making a lot of mistakes, Still, I got through and now pushing 80 years old, I can sit back, light my pipe ( tobacco English mixture ) and enjoy his wonderful works. Thank you!!!

[@gregburma]

I'm age 73 and this is my first hearing of this story- which I found to be immensely enjoyable- perhaps because I had lived in the far east for 22 years and I too felt "lost" when I came back to what I now feel is a ruined and corrupted country; it's not only that- the fact is that no-one is interested in hearing about the far east- it's an unknown experience to people here, and I in turn had lost touch with friends and struggled to cope with what I feel is now worse than a third world banana republic in its lack of morality, and of cohesive community and shared values whereby cheating, lying and petty crime- even violent crime is simply accepted as a way of life and our justice system is well and truly broken and the acceptance of the ethos which Bunter Boris loves so much- the world of "greed is Go(o)d"- trash the infrastructure, trash the environment, lets go for a quick grab of the goodies and avoid all taxation for the rich- -for residents here, it has been a gradual degradation but it really hit me after my long absence! Culture shock UK! (and Brits think the far east is corrupt!!) I've read all of Maugham's books, but none of his short stories apart from the very famous ones, so this really was a treat!

[@sharimeyers292]

What a beautiful comment. Thanks for sharing. Enjoy!!

[@sleethmitchell]

it's my wonderful mistakes that shine and keep me warm now that i have passed three score and ten.

[@gerrybailey447]

The man that never made a mistake never made anything!

[@1stDoNoPharma]

Listening to Maugm is like a magic carpet ride to the past. Absolutely wonderful. Thank you. ❤

[@helendynes2891]

Thank you. I'm' completely hooked on Somerset Maugham's stories... a child of the 70's, I never came across him before. I'm so glad I've discovered him now. Such wisdom, and exquisite writing. He's left a wonderful legacy 🙏

[@oleandergarden]

What a story! Mirage is such a good title! Life itself is a mirage. The story makes me melancholic

[@carolwaugh5466]

I’ve loved WSM’s stories since my teens. Now I am 80 and still enjoy them so much. It’s great that they are being narrated, and the little paintings are quite delightful. Thank you……

[@novascheller5957]

Wonderful story…. The details thrust me into a world that is truly no longer. SM is a great writer.

[@wendybryan6071]

I disagree. Opioid addiction is still a reality and very difficult to kick. It's now thought that any addiction is the result of trauma.

[@Bronte866]

I subscribe to that thinking.

[@fredflintstone9151]

@@wendybryan6071 Life becomes a dream, dreams become reality. Then we all die.

[@GreenTeaViewer]

That world is no longer...? There are those like the character in this story living in South East Asia, let me assure you...

[@ejjohnstone1984]

As usual, SM conjures an atmosphere and scenario to immerse oneself in on a wet Sunday afternoon. Thank you!

[@CSchaeken]

Thank you, and I love the music too! 👍❤️

[@jillianstokoe4697]

Excellent! There's no going back home, even if it's just a different coast. Cheers

[@bonniephelps9481]

My father’s second favourite author…now I know why. Listening to Maugham in the dark is like consuming a meal, a very satisfying one. By the way, dad’s favourite author was Hemmingway. Thank you for uploading these stories for us ❤️🙏

[@AudreyEmett]

Great story! Love the music at the end too! It gives you time to reflect.

[@kunnakunna1508]

People say that Penang island known as the "Pearl of the Orient " then ,has not changed much .Many chinese ,mainly hokkeins live in Penang .Heard quite sometime ago that Somerset Maugham had stayed at E&O ,a famous hotel in Penang ,the lndian ocean at the back of the hotel with its palm trees and the water ,emerald green Lovely story ,as usual by the writer.

[@arabelladenine8566]

Excellent ❤ I can really relate to this story; having spent 9 years in the philippines and having to come back to Colorado without my wife and 4 children 4 years ago.

[@1stDoNoPharma]

😢♥️

[@sunfish542]

I really enjoy Maugham"s stories. Good AI rendering. Many thanks for posting. May you be blessed with a healthy, happy, peaceful and prosperous 2025.🎉

[@adriennebeecker5000]

Thank you so very much for Somerset Maugham’s awesome short stories.

[@thesaltycrone9237]

Thank you for working through the Maugham canon

[@tashuys]

Agreed, this is such a treat

[@djpokeeffe8019]

@@tashuyscanon

[@riverbend100]

Delete the second 'n' and I believe you :-)

[@snowyowl6892]

AMEN. 🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@stevec2993]

Change E to A.

[@Bronte866]

To me the sadness of this story is not that people may be prone to addiction so much as troubled people may be prone to leaving their homeland for other shores seeking haven from trauma. The description of the surroundings visited are disturbing, seedy and “sordid,” as SM described. I can’t imagine leaving London to set up house in such a place, and then to become an opium slave. I wonder if some seek out such a place so they *can* become an opium slave. Oh dear, very depressing. What a treasure books are that can show us places and situations we would otherwise never experience. A person named Somerset is destined to write such interesting stories, I do think.

[@Formo127]

Thanks dear for your work of recording in your enchanting and alluring voice.

[@khoslar1]

Great collection- thanks for this treasure trove of beautiful stories

[@honesty3440]

A great writer. British literature as the russian - my big favorites! ❤

[@MariaLopez-xg2eu]

Very so appreciated

[@Grace.allovertheplace]

Thank you 🙏

[@Formo127]

What a nice writer Somerset was !

[@anotherblonde]

You can almost hear the creak of the malacced bench as the opium raddled expat reclines to reprise his life, one smoke ring at a time.

[@LulasSong]

Love the English language, Maugham's Literacy!♥️

[@Brainteaser5639]

He used as a tool to reach most those who speak it and not just those who feel they own it. No one owns a language. It's like religion. It belongs to anyone who seeks it, and the more one dwells in it, the more they may feel as if they belong.Genius!

[@Brainteaser5639]

"The Letter"by this guy is a gem when it comes to emmoliency of using English as a tool to engage another in the mind.

[@harbinger2838]

The master of the short story seconded by Guy de Montpassant.

[@Bronte866]

I’m sure you’re right about no one owning a language. Still, as an American, the more I learn of English the more I feel that English belongs to the English. No one speaks and uses the English language as the English do. I feel only 1/2 fluent of English compared to the English, especially the better educated English. This is saying something considering that languages such as French and Spanish have only 25% the total vocabulary of the English language. It’s no wonder that English is the touchstone language of the world. I sometimes point out to my fellow Americans that *we* are the ones with the accent as English belongs to the English. I don’t think this is as obvious as it might seem as it’s quite revelatory to many native speakers of English in countries like America and Australia.

[@user-ku6rk5jn7r]

@@harbinger2838Thanks! I will check him out.

[@Liz-rw9qw]

Thank you all for your comments. They keep the spirit of the story going.

[@MariaLopez-xg2eu]

All the comments are so inspiring....

[@अस्मिरीति]

Superb story by a master story teller and beautifully read by the AI. Hopefully some human played the music!

[@mbbenfield]

I love these stories and the narrator. Lovely.

[@DianeCarroll111]

A very important lesson here, for those who are ready to receive it.

[@maureenball6733]

Be nice to know what the music is!

[@phyllislovelace8151]

Thank you kind Sir

[@susanpetropoulos1039]

Home is only a state of mind.

[@kauffrau6764]

The old places were gone, the people were different, perhaps it would be a good thing to go back to China…. It reminds me of the quote. When a man travels too much he becomes a straining his own country,

[@JanisJanus25]

Loving these

[@ulfegonwiahl2063]

I also love this part of the world, I will never go back to Europe again.

[@Shineon83]

Really?….I spent 4 years there-but could never adjust to the overcrowding, the daily humidity, the general unhygenic surroundings--and the constant, fishy smells 😂

[@brunovanhove1832]

"Never" , is a long time, even for mortals! And Europe is dying a slow dead anyway, terminal and no way back, but as always ,the patient will be the last one to know !

[@rheinhartsilvento2576]

​@brunovanhove1832 Oh don't worry. We know😊🙃😆

[@Edo9River]

Ismt this what the image of the words "lotus eaters" has conveyed? a dream that is visited in the same reliable way every night? And the best part, according to the character in the story, is that despite all the myrad thoughts that come into his mind every night, it is essentially unchanged from the night before. And he begins again to think/dream. He has enough saved away to continue as a lotus eater until the very end...but what is this time period, the time before WW1? There was very little change that would have an effect on his life, right? He could continue on....gradually, a few more years.....

[@maureenball6733]

What a hopeless life, from start to finish. I wonder why?

[@Brainteaser5639]

There needs not to be an explanation why. What will be will be otherwise, there will be no story such as this I have personally come to accept. Why are you the way you are. Every reason you may give may be cooked or reserved in the subconscious mind Who knows?

[@anotherblonde]

If he had set sail in a true calling at the start he mightn't have got side tracked so easily into "trade"?

[@harbinger2838]

A mirage in the hand is worth two in the bush.

[@natalinaconidi6313]

Soooo lavishly British😊❤

[@harbinger2838]

Totally agree.

[@PiNkSpRinkLe1]

What the heck was that about?

[@florencemoran2746]

It’s a hopeless life because he destroyed his integrity.

[@jeanplunkett5580]

What integrity?

[@ginagabriel2613]

🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏👏💕

[@thresagraham8181]

😁👍🌻

[@melindadurchholz3738]

He seemed content to spend time with his girl and child. He was addicted to smoking opium. It made him feel call. I guess people take antidepressants for the same reason.

[@melindadurchholz3738]

calm

[@davidhorn6008]

Hi will not listen to some authors - I've concluded that it is not the author but the reader to blame - This reader is wizard - His reading style suits My preference - Thank You.

[@sandyblue8082]

These stories open up other worlds long gone but its a shame its AI narrated.

[@philfluther2713]

Bully.