THE FALL OF EDWARD BARNARD, a Story by Somerset Maugham

In "The Fall of Edward Barnard" by W. Somerset Maugham, Bateman Hunter returns from Tahiti to Chicago, troubled by the story he must tell Isabel Longstaffe about Edward Barnard. Edward, once a promising young man, has chosen a simple and contented life in Tahiti, abandoning his previous ambitions and responsibilities. Bateman's recounting reveals Edward's transformation and his decision to stay in Tahiti with Arnold Jackson, a disgraced relative of Isabel's.

[@lauralaladarling3775]

Thank you so much for another of S.M's insightful stories. Another fine example into the nature of happiness within each individual and their outlook on a life well spent. ❤❤

[@sagrammyfour]

I can't get enough of Somerset Maugham's stories. My favorite: Winter Cruise.

[@granthurlburt4062]

A very good one, showing more of his humour than usual, and also humanity

[@jeffreyromoff4982]

M 21:34

[@gabriellaspencer8954]

Oh my goodness, yet another beautiful story! Thank you!

[@sharonla8071]

Thanks for this one. I love this story. ❤

[@MRJERRYCURTIN]

Excellent

[@patriciamay6396]

Exceptional

[@almabatchelor8619]

Who fell? I think Edward was the real winner here.

[@carmelsileo6520]

I've always thought the title was ironic. Edward may have fallen in the eyes of his former associates, but he found his own happiness, as did his friends.

[@__-1234]

A very philosophical story, beautiful.

[@JudeNance]

Very interesting, elegant, and refined. 🎉

[@kauffrau6764]

Brilliant! Lovely story in rich language. A pleasure of an experience. ❤

[@kathywillson7491]

Wonderful lovely story.

[@oghamstone5964]

"The antique furniture and concerts......"

[@user-pm9rx5sy2k]

Superb listening pleasure. Thank you

Good literature is so rare today. Save if you read the memoirs of Lady Gaga 😂😂

[@user-iw8mg4sg4l]

S.M's characters are always unexpectedly intricate about whom you' ve never known if it's not for S.M.

[@selenerainey8406]

I absolutely loved this story. SM is a master of the human psyche, as well as a wonderful storyteller!

[@SophieBird07]

Loved this story. Edward surely dodged a bullet!

[@Riklott1111]

Good one I can usually figure out somersets plot lines, this one was surprising

[@wendybryan6071]

What a wonderful and oh so human story!

[@clairespace3371]

🎉thank you!

[@kathleensutton-vf9bb]

Excellent. Can't wait for the next one!

[@chriswu9247]

Wonderful story that is so human,not one for all and all for one!

[@user-wc6rm3gf3l]

So happy to have found neuralsurfer! Captivating stories, quality literature and so well presented. Love the evocative pictures too which are always worthy of study. Thank you very much.x

[@Grace.allovertheplace]

Thank you 🙏

[@Kiaorafranz]

Very nice story.

[@rhonaharker6358]

Well this hasn’t aged well and it’s so snobbish

[@novascheller5957]

Definitely qualities of the Razor’s Edge… lovely! Thank you again

[@janetbaker1945]

Maugham's sympathies are with Edward, of course. But this is not our real choice. Presented here is the choice between protestantism, with its emphasis on monetary gain and comfort and complacency, contrasted to naturalism--oh, the lovely portrait of the sun and sky and rain and beautiful native girl with no more complications than the loin cloth. But the actual contrasting life is the sacramental life of Christianity--Catholicism, of course, with the deep donation of self each to the other, the depth of virtue leading to the unspeakable breadth of eternity. Bateman doesn't even know of this life, nor does Isabel. The "Reformation" was a much greater source of cancel culture and misinformation than we suffer even now.

[@lyndaproper1313]

"Two roads diverged in a tulgey wood, ...... And that has made all the difference."

[@tuyetpham8239]

Another beautiful and meaningful story!

[@glenrich-uu9zr]

This brilliant early novelette of Mr. Maugham seems to be the simplified version of 'The Moon and Sixpence', or the 0.5 version of 'The Lotus Eater'. Maugham's writing is impeccable and gorgeous. But the age setting of Edward might be too young, 30-35 is my ideal. 2-3 years of alternative experience might be too rapid to a big change. If a man have a decade of hardships and fickleness of human relationships , he would want to find the real life meaning in a lesiure style. He would gave up the vanity and spend the rest lifetime in an beautiful South Sea island with his love ones.

[@JavierBonillaC]

There was a time when I wanted to conquer the world. Show others that I was smart and hardworking. I climbed the ladder pretty fast and at 32 I lost all appetite for the admiration of my peers. I did not loose the ambition to be good at what I did, I just didn't do it for others because I felt contempt for most of the people I had to deal with. I cannot conceive life without the pursuit of perfection in some way. For myself. I could not enjoy your life like Edward's unless I was improving something; fixing something. What a great story.

[@CherriClark]

❤

[@SunnySmile-fr5yg]

Is Tahiti still so great as described here? Would it be worth to move there?

[@davidhahamgadol8669]

Too neat and simplistic and and pretending to be evenhanded

[@writenow6990]

Can that guy really sirround himself with Bannon, Flynn, Stone, et al? I was hoping part of his sentencing forr 34 felonies would prohibit him from legally associating with other convicted felons.

[@AriaSuperBass]

I think you posted in the wrong place!

[@fiddlersthree8463]

You need to go down the hall to the Trump news. This room is a literary gathering. 🤣🤣🤣

[@danetteperez3863]

Poor Edward indeed! I have to go with Mr. Barnard on this, I would have made his choice. I admit to be a romanticist!

[@emmahardesty4330]

Well, I'm on Edward's team. He's got the right idea for the meaning of accomplishment. Terrible ending, I thought. Prince Charming, lovely wife, get rich, get bored...ugh.

[@shellchenonceau6987]

I pray that san Fran will eventually be restored to its former glory for folks of all color after today's corrupt leaders are finally removed.

[@anotherblonde]

Do any of these tales have a happy ending?

[@sheilamartin1577]

This was the happiest of endings. They all got to lead the lives their natures were suited..a gift so rarely obtained

[@lindariccardohenderson1656]

That is a happy ending. Everyone earned the happiness they desired.

[@fiddlersthree8463]

I don’t think anyone was unhappy in the end, unless I missed something.

[@sagrammyfour]

Edward went native. And he was happy happy happy making many happy babies and eating the coconut with his island girl. Haven't you seen South Pacific?

[@bluechurch776]

This one did.

[@Edo9River]

I must add that he lays it on. Too thick. at the end, as though he’s afraid the readers won’t get it.😊😊

[@fiddlersthree8463]

I don’t mean this as a criticism, just a comment. Your sentences have the same “flow” as the AI narrator’s reading, that is, inappropriate stops and starts.

[@JavierBonillaC]

​. That also happens when you dictate. If you make a pause it will insert a period. I think it's a very interesting comment. It was too thick at the end.

[@rhonaharker6358]

Like Mills and Boone with snobbery and racism

[@milenaB23]

33:13 pag 59

[@Edo9River]

With all due respect, I wish to say one crude word to express the value system which this journal is is reporting, I. Suppose we have to consider that if. The message were so repulsive, the messenger would be rejected, and this is the opposite of what The authors intended.😊

[@sagrammyfour]

WTH are you saying?