Thank you for finding this book and welcome to bookcrossing! Bookcrossing is a wonderful place to share your love of reading with people all over the world.

Please journal this book, describing where you found it, and then what you thought of it. You can remain anonymous if you want to, but if you do you won't be able to get notification each time someone else journals this book.

When you have finished please release the book and let it continue its journey. Following this books travels can be very fun.

The Painted Veil is a 1925 novel by W. Somerset Maugham. The title is taken from Percy Bysshe Shelley's sonnet which begins "Lift not the painted veil which those who live / Call Life".

Shallow and lost, Kitty marries the intellectual and passionate Walter Fane, a bacteriologist on leave from the Far East who is madly in love with her. She does this purely so that she can be married before her younger sister, Doris, and to get away from her mother. They move to Hong Kong where, bored by the stifling climate and social mores, Kitty quickly starts an affair with the "perfect" Charles Townsend, the handsome assistant colonial secretary. When Walter finds out about their affair, he gives Kitty an ultimatum. She must either accompany him to the Chinese interior to deal with a cholera epidemic, risking death, or he will divorce her, causing a scandal. First published to a storm of protest, "The Painted Veil" is a classic story of a woman's spiritual awakening.

William Somerset Maugham, famous as novelist, playwright and short-story writer, was born in 1874, and lived in Paris until he was ten. He was educated at King's School, Canterbury, and at Heidelberg University. He spent some time at St. Thomas' Hospital with a view to practising medicine, but left to focus exclusively on writing. In 1927, he settled in the south of France, and lived there until his death in 1965.

The noval has been adapted for film threes times: 1934, 1957, 2006.

Reserved for the April 2010 read of The Historical Fiction Bookclub

I loved this book, which while not being a love story, does make you ask what love (and forgiveness) is. It is clear from the style and content and writing that Kittys affair would never end the way she wanted; the story was more about what happened next, and how Kitty and Walter reacted to the affair. To me Kitty was not a likable character, my sympathies being well and truly with her husband, but it was interesting to see her character develop. The book is without flowery language and could be viewed as a bit stark, but that is why I liked it. I really want to see the movie version now as I am curious to see if Hollywood was brave enough to stick to the novel; I can see them turning it into some mushy love story.

For those who are curious I have provided a link to Goldsmiths elegy . I think Walter compared himself to the dog that bit the poisoned man.

I watched the film this evening. I thought it got off to a good start but as I suspected they changed the ending, and the resulting relationshgip between Kitty and Walter somewhat, to make it more romantic, thereby missing the point I think. In my opinion the book was better.

Posted to jules5, winner of Smile day.

So far the envelope has travelled mor ethan the book, having come to me from the US, been sent out and come back to me again.

kindly received by way of RABCK- your thoughtfulness much appreciated.
Looking forward to reading this.Thank you

ahah! That explains the strange note on the envelope.
When I read the blurb, it had a familiarity to it. Now having read your notes, I have seen a film albeit one of the earlier ones. Recall feeling rather disturbed by it all...the book draws me closer.

A totally un-put-downable read..I was thwarted by my unreasonable need for sleep! I agree, Kitty is reprehensible..shallow by all accounts. Yet I was irritated by Walter..what possessed him to marry her...ok. blinded by love but that's no excuse!! Each character is beautifully moulded..Waddington is my favourite. I can almost hear him speak such is the volume of his being. It was the 1950's film I had seen..and the voices of that time speak through this book..the somewhat contrived BBC accent, the gushing 'darhling'.... I had to catch myself each time to remind myself that this book was written thirty years before. I thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful classic. I shall purchase a copy for my permanent bookshelf.

Sending this by way of a uk/eu sweepstake to a first-time winner. Congratulations!! Hope you enjoy the many surprises heading your way.

Received this book from Jules5 as part of the Never Won a Sweepstake UK/EU sweepstake, along with a pocket size edition of John Updike's Friends from Philadelphia, some lovely BC goodies (bookmarks and stickers) and a warm note on a very interesting postcard. (Glad to hear you had a good time in Croatia! PM me if you ever come to Zagreb and we can get together!)

Thank you for your generosity. Haven't read anything by either of the authors *hanging head in shame* though I definitely should have by now, having graduated in English Language and Literature. Looking forward to both books! Thank you! :D

I enjoyed the book very much.
I found some parts a bit unconvincing, especially the one where Kitty and Charles get together the second time round - I simply cannot imagine feeling such overwhelming desire for a person I supposedly detest with my whole being. (Note: hidden spoiler - text white; mark with mouse to read)
I loved the language of this book. It really flowed and was at times quite poetic in its metaphors and descriptions, but it wasn't frilly and overdone.

The book will be travelling, probably in a day or two, to yet another sweepstake winner. :)

Edited to add:
I tried watching the film, but right from the start they started changing things so I simply couldn't. Maybe some day, when I've forgotten the plot a bit, I'll watch it and enjoy it, but right now the images from the book are just to fresh in my mind, so a Hollywood rewrite won't cut the mustard.

The book is now finally in the care of the Post Office, sorry for the delay *grin*, on its way to Nakipa in Portugal, as part of the EU birthday sweepstake 5th edition .

Enjoy! :)

The book arrived safely Friday but only now I had the time to register it. This one is a wishlist book and a very much awaited one. So, thank you so much vedranaster for sharing it with me. :D

I should have picked up this book earlier. I would have found out a great new author to be obsessed about and it would have gone out to the world sooner to amaze someone else. I do love stories about unusual ways to love someone. I look forward to reading more of Maugham. Thank you so much vedranaster, for sharing this one with me! :D

This is a late gift, part of the 2013 Birthday Group Exchange. I'm sorry for the delay, but I hope you enjoy this one! :D

received for my birthday :-)

The magie of Bookcrossing is that's the better way to discover new authors we didn't know before, and discover new writing styles and also beautiful stories and among these authors " W.S.MAUGHAM ".

Thank you Nakipa, for this appreciated gift :-))