Reading Is a Portable Refuge: Somerset Maugham's Reading Essays

In my opinion, Maugham has always been a very frank and sincere writer, who is also opinionated and thoughtful. No matter whether I agree with his views or not, or his character may not be very likable, it does not affect my admiration for him. In this way, likability is not that important. I feel very lucky to read this book. It is like listening face to face. In the process, I can strongly feel Maugham's uninhibited personality and, of course, the sincerity that touches me the most. Maugham's narration will also arouse my thinking about reading, writers, achievements, human nature, philosophy, etc. It brings me to think about these issues and the collision of opinions is the greatest value of this book in my opinion.

Maugham's reading notes record how to read and introduce dozens of writers and their lives and masterpieces. The language in the book is relaxed and humorous, and it is a book guide. You can find novelists who fit you in the book, learn about their lives and their writing background, so that you can read works driven by interest. From the lines written by Maugham, we can see that Maugham advocates readers to love reading from the heart, feel reading, and let themselves become the protagonists of reading. Maybe this is the meaning of the name of this book. Hide in the book lovingly and let the book soothe your soul. There is no cheaper entertainment than reading, and no more lasting satisfaction than reading. I hope everyone can truly love reading and let it become a lifelong companion.

Reading gives people power. The author will have some thoughts on his personal life experience, and then express his attitude and opinions in the presentation of the work. The meaning of life can be the pursuit of truth, beauty, and goodness. In the self-pursuit, he will have more and more courage, gain honors, and achieve spiritual independence and freedom. How to read makes sense, what kind of people write what kind of books, how to think about what kind of life is, it is worth pondering...

This book written by Somerset Maugham is very interesting and regular. It is based on the chart, starting from the writer's works to the writer's life and character, and then turning around from their life and character to pay attention to the writer's work, thus writing a wonderful collection of essays. This is a book of gossip by a master, and also a book of Maugham's insights into reading and philosophy. Maugham wrote, how can we have fun reading, what kind of people write what kind of books, and how we think about what kind of life.

This book writes about several very famous literary novelists that we are all familiar with. From their life experiences, we interpret why he wrote such outstanding and unforgettable works, which are so unique. The last relevant philosophical thoughts and discussions are really amazing. Worth reading and recalling again and again. [Love]

Rather than saying that this is a reading guide like "Maugham teaches you how to read" as the subtitle says, it is more appropriate to define it as a collection of Maugham's book reviews. Maugham also stated at the beginning that it is difficult to give once-and-for-all reading advice, but he only tries to explain his own reading experience. It would be great if, through my sharing, I could make everyone interested in those books that I think would be a pity not to read. Maugham believed that "literature is like its person" and analyzed the masterpieces he admired in the history of European and American literature together with the author's life. In his opinion, traces of the author's life can be seen everywhere in the works. Through these vivid reproductions of creative scenes and restoration of historical backgrounds, we seem to see each novelist with flesh and blood and flaws. In Maugham's explanation, although many excellent novels have their limitations, after being screened by successive readers, the novels that are called literary masterpieces still exude unique charm. This book is a reading essay, consisting of three parts: how to have fun reading, what kind of people write what kind of books, and how to think about what kind of life. This is a book of commentary by a master, as well as Maugham's insights into reading and philosophy.

As the title of the book says, reading is a refuge that you can carry with you. The author has made in-depth analyzes of many literary giants and their works, and this part is a matter of opinion. What impressed me most was that Maugham emphasized that reading should be a kind of enjoyment, not a task. We can read with a relaxed mind and find fun and wisdom from books. Reading is not only to acquire knowledge, but also to find your own spiritual refuge in a complicated world. When we are immersed in the world of books, we can forget the troubles and pressures of life, have conversations with great ideas, and draw the strength to move forward. [Three core questions] 1. Why is reading a portable refuge? : Reading can immerse people in a different world and temporarily forget the troubles and pressure of reality. The knowledge and ideas in the book can give people spiritual comfort and inspiration. 2. How to keep reading in the fast-paced modern life? : You need to have a heart that loves reading, use fragmented time to read, and create a good reading atmosphere; most importantly, let yourself enjoy the process. 3. Does reading allow people to escape reality? : Maybe! If you become addicted to the world of reading because of the difficulties in life, then you are escaping from reality; but if you learn the courage and methods to face difficulties from the characters in the book during the reading process, it can help you solve the problem and eventually return to reality. Content Sharing 1. Cultivating the habit of reading is to build a refuge for yourself, allowing you to escape from almost all pain and misfortune in the world. 2. In order to discuss with others, you first need to determine your own thoughts and figure out what you are thinking so that you can talk to others decently. Otherwise, you will find yourself embarrassed and have nothing to say. 3. Novelists are always told that their works are very creative, but in fact, they rarely come up with completely new plots. They just reworked and transformed the old plot to make it more lively and interesting. 4. In my opinion, people are like buds. Most of the books you read and things you do have no impact on you, but some specific things will have extraordinary significance. Because of these things, you will bloom petal by petal until they are fully bloomed.

Reading novels may increase your knowledge, may help you escape reality, may enrich your spiritual world, or may be just for your short-term happiness. But it is undeniable that if we cannot travel thousands of miles, then reading thousands of books is also a good choice. Indulge in the world of imagination, find a cabin for sustenance, taste spiritual food, and enjoy the happiness of life.

Maugham led us to appreciate the wonderful features of many world famous works, also showed us the life experiences of those writers, and explored their unknown spiritual world. Some of the characters in their works are based on those around them and themselves. The words they write are closely related to their own experiences and psychological states. Writing is a way for them to vent their inner feelings. Their works are not perfect and will have shortcomings, but it is this uniqueness that makes their works so great. They are not perfect, and some have many shortcomings and even bad habits, but this does not prevent them from writing excellent works that will be praised by future generations.

I am just a person who loves reading very much. He can feel the meaning that reading brings to our lives, as well as the occasional loneliness and boredom in our ordinary daily lives. Reading is a very good cure for us, especially in the particularly difficult days of our lives, when we are injured and want to escape from the outside world. Books can be said to be our best companions, and through reading, we can make ourselves more mature.

This book tells the reflections written by Maugham, a great reader, during his reading period. The book tells the story of Maugham's understanding of the authors of the books, his thoughts on their lives, his associations with their characters, and then explores the relevant content of their books through these lives and characters. The article depicts many vivid characters, such as the different and spicy personalities of literary giants, kindness and meanness, etc., Revealing the changeable personalities of different people in different societies.

Not only does he talk about the writers' work, he also reveals a side of them that no one knows about them. This reminds me of my cousin who loves reading and she will definitely love this book. Maugham's writing style is very humorous, just like he said in the book that Jane Austen is "kindly mean". I think this sentence is really exquisite! I also want to learn to enjoy reading like him.

This is the first time I read this kind of book. I find it a very interesting book. The author explains the impact of reading on people and how to choose a book that suits you. The second category of authors lists many books and the life and character of the book authors, which is simply eye-opening. The large-scale deenchantment scene is like a gathering of celebrity writers' life gossip [face covering]. At the same time, the author emphasizes that there are many excellent novels that are worth reading. Finally, the author elaborates on the views of philosophy, religion, ethics, truth, goodness and beauty. Although it is difficult to have a universal, completely definable standard, it is precisely because of the uncertainty and great subjectivity that makes our world so colorful and full of uncertainty. As the author said at the end: "The beauty of life is nothing more than following one's nature and doing one's duty."

It's a very good book📖. Like Maugham, I like Jane Esten very much. [Learned][Learned][Learned]

Understand the flesh-and-blood reality of famous writers and promote a better understanding of their works.

Good book, worth listening to

The first time I read it, I didn't quite understand it.

It's a very good book. It talks about literature in the front, gossip in the middle, and philosophy in the back.

Maugham was a very insightful writer and reader, and at the same time exceptionally tolerant.

Maugham is considered a first-class writer and a first-class reader.

There is poetry and calligraphy in the abdomen. After reading the paper book, come over and brush it up.

I feel like Maugham would be a lovely friend

A must-read, Maugham's works never disappoint.

Regularly reading classics can help me, who is of low level, to move closer to those with higher wisdom.

If you miss the opportunity to appreciate this book, it will be a great regret in life.

It is indeed a good book. I listen to it while working. It feels good to listen in less detail. It is much better than the average professor.