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    Servidumbre Humana
    Servidumbre Humana
    Servidumbre Humana
    Audiobook (abridged)3 hours

    Servidumbre Humana

    Written by W. Somerset Maugham

    Narrated by Fabio Camero

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Philip Carey, un estudiante de medicina, se une a la camarera Mildred Rogers, una mujer sin escrupulos, cruel y sin ningun afecto ni moralidad. Ella se aprovecha de la deformidad de Philip para humillarlo y cuando finalmente se arruina y tiene que interrumpir sus estudios lo abandona. El relato de como acaba por sobreponerse es el final de esta novela, un distinguido retrato humano.
    LanguageEspañol
    PublisherYOYO USA
    Release dateJan 1, 2001
    ISBN9781611553574
    Servidumbre Humana
    Author

    W. Somerset Maugham

    William Somerset Maugham was born in Paris, on January 25th, 1874. Orphaned by the age of ten, he moved to England to live with an uncle. He received his education in England and Germany, studying medicine and graduating as a physician.Eschewing his education, Maugham instead became a full-time writer. His first novel, Liza of Lambeth, was published in 1897, but he soon established his reputation as a successful playwright. In time he wrote 32 plays, and abandoned the theater scene by 1933.He wrote nineteen novels, of which Of Human Bondage (1915), The Moon and Sixpence (1919), The Painted Veil (1925), Cakes and Ale (1930), and The Razor's Edge (1944), are considered classics of early 20th century literature.Maugham was a restless and inquisitive soul, and his travels and his sympathies with the working class often formed the basis of characters and settings. Maugham also had a tendency to insert auto-biographical aspects into his work, most infamously in the Ashenden stories, based on his time with the British Secret Service during WWI.Throughout his life, Maugham faced many personal challenges. Romantic struggles and speculation of his sexual identity were only exacerbated publicly by his popularity amongst readers. He had an extended affair with Syrie Wellcome, who gave birth to his only child, May Elizabeth "Liza," in 1915, formalizing their relationship by marriage in 1917. Maugham's relationship with Frederick Gerald Haxton-his long-standing secretary/companion-& constant traveling, eventually caused a rift in the marriage, ending in divorce in 1929.He experienced great financial success with his works, many of which were adapted for radio, stage, film & TV; though the same could not be said for critical approval amongst the literary community, which was uneven at best. He died December 16th 1965, in Nice, France.In his later years, Maugham continued to beguile critics and fans alike-as author Pico Iyer writes, "The riddle he presents us with is how a stammering, conventional-seeming Edwardian, writing in civil service prose, could somehow become the spokesman of hippies, black magicians and stockbrokers throwing it all over for Tahiti. His books are measured explorations of extravagance."

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    Reviews for Servidumbre Humana

    4/5

    1,643 ratings72 reviews

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      A novel about growing up, making choices and then having to live with those choices. Also a long exploration of unrequited love. Profound and moving.
    • 4/5
      The story of a club-footed medical student who fell in love and supported a down and out waitress whom he loved. Unfortunately, she did not love him and ran off with a traveling salesman. She returns, unmarried and pregnant, but he takes her back, only for her to desert him again. I had a love/hate relationship with the main character; he was often verbally aggressive and abusive, albeit he was provoked. This reportedly is an autobiography of Maugham, however his response was that is was 50% autobiographical and 50% fiction.
    • 4/5
      An incredibly detailed, completely believable story about a young man's progress from child to adult. Maugham wrote a book that will startle you with character insights. The main character, Philip Carey, grows, suffers, loves, and learns to make peace with the uncertainty and randomness of life. Mildred, the object of his affections, is a vividly portrayed picture of venality and meaness. Many minor characters appear and re-appear, always behaving realistically, with their motives made clear.Maugham said that he wanted to write a plain sort of book that could be read and understood by anyone. He's certainly succeeded here; the reader is completely wrapped up in these people's lives. Not a page-turner, but a compelling picture of its time. Recommended.
    • 5/5
      Maugham should have titled his masterpiece "Not Mildred Again." Mildred is the most horrible female excrescence I've encountered in classic lit since Madame DeFarge. My certainty that I knew what Mildred would do next, and horror of her reappearance to meet or exceed my expectations, kept me in a froth of dramatic irony that carried me breathless through the slow parts.

      I should not have loved this novel as much as I did; I dislike the time period, dislike weak male protagonists who can't make up their minds, dislike early 20th century realism unless written by Wharton and set among the glitterati. . .but in spite of myself I love this novel. I credit Maugham's brilliant pacing. I was made to limp along with Philip Carey through his awful boyhood and worse twenties, and either had to bear with poor Philip or throw the novel against the wall. Maugham put me so thoroughly in Phil's hapless skin that there were no other alternatives.

      Everything that makes a work a great classic is here. The Everyman (anti?)hero delivers on every level. Big questions are tackled. The sense of deja vu is pervasive; one would have to be very young and naive indeed not to feel it. If the happy ending rings a bit untrue--lurching from most bitter Steinbeck to most idyllic Cather in 50 pages or less--the reader has endured so much with Philip that it comes as a profound relief.
    • 4/5
      Great novel of a man who overcomes his infatuation with an unsuitable woman to eventually find a better one.
    • 4/5
      Summary: A young man's quest for life's meaning across the sprawling back drop of 18th Century Europe.

      Things I liked:

      The protaganist: he was so truthful and honest in his depicition of what was going on. Even when he was completely deluded he reported both his deluded instincts and the sense that what he was doing was crazy. I trusted him despite sometimes loathing his actions.

      Things I thought could have been done better:

      Sometimes the narration seemed to skip from the main protaganist to one of the other characters but still made liberal use of a pronoun (he, she etc). While the additional perspective was illuminating (Doctor South, Mildred's POV). I found the switch was poorly introduced and I found myself flicking back to make sense of what I was reading.


      Hightlight: Breaking up with Norah. He was being such a putz, but was completely oblivious to the impact of his actions. I found myself drawn to watch despite my extreme discomfort
    • 4/5
      This was a tough read. It took me well over 2 months to finish it, not so much because of the length but moreso because I kept wanting to slap Philip and tell him to grow the hell up!!! The (far too numerous) scenes with Mildred were worse than fingernails on chalkboard. I honestly believe that Maugham could have gotten the point across without shoving Mildred in our face SO MUCH!! Once Mildred was more or less out of the picture, I read the rest of the book in one sitting. I didn't hate Philip by the end of the book (which was NOT a given), but I did find him very very tedious. If it hadn't been for the Athelny family, I'm not sure that I could have finished it. There were moments of brilliance in describing love, hate, art and the human condition, but I vehemently disagree that it was a masterpiece. I honestly wish I hadn't bothered to read it.
    • 5/5
      another one I didn't review. I remember liking it. A long book that I felt read smoothly. I liked the prose, I like the character development. reportedly this is closely autobiographical book of the author's life.
    • 3/5
      This is a puzzling book. Rated as Maugham's finest, it combines some superb writing with a puzzling portrayal of the lead character falling enduringly in love with someone he despises, and who despises him in return.First, the writing - mostly wonderful and evocative. As one example, his pen picture of the Athelny family is a joy to read, and, you get the feeling, was a joy to the author in the writing. Now, Mildred - I struggle to understand this relationship. Philip despises her, but falls in love with her. She despises him, and pushes him away, when she isn't using him or his money. The trope of playing hard to get has been around for centuries, but this pushing away is based on a mutually shared disgust, spread over 500 pages. I fail to understand the point Maugham is trying to make here. And as this relationship is at the core of the book, I was unable to enjoy the book as much as it otherwise deserved.
    • 2/5
      I recall liking the ending, but perhaps that's only because it ended.
    • 3/5
      A man reared with little love plans to become an artist but realizes he will only be second rate he turns to medical training but is derailed by an expensive love affair. Eventually he falls in love with a friend's daughter.
    • 5/5
      Loved this intimate portrait of the formation of the character of Philip Carey.
    • 4/5
      Although quasi-interminable, I really enjoyed this novel. With a strong tea and lots of time, I was able to dive into Carey's life: his passions, mistakes, character faults and qualities. Maugham warns us that his book is too long and could have been shortened but I rather enjoyed being able to immerse myself into this classic.
    • 3/5
      This book follows the life of Philip Carey as he tries to find his way in life. The take home message seems to be that God doesn't exist and that life has no set purpose so take things as they come and don't worry about it too much; you probably won't be able to change where your natural abilities and impulses push you anyways. I found Philip's behavior infuriating at times partly because of his stupidity and partly because I see some of my own past mistakes in it. The narrative itself is well written and enjoyable. Even at ~800 pages, the flow seems well paced. I agree with another reviewer that I would have gotten more out of the book if I read it at a younger age.
    • 5/5
      A tale of a young man's life which captures modern Western existence. Philip Carey, a middle-class but not wealthy orphan, grows to manhood. He has what appears to him a shameful disability (a club foot) which makes him shy. He prevaricates about his career and changes jobs several times due to inclination or changing circumstances. He falls in love with the wrong woman (and a few wrong women fall in love with him), causing him endless heartache and confusion. He tries to make sense of the world and develops his own philosophy. He lives the life of modern man, with choices (sometimes the illusion of choices) about love and work and money, mixed with non-choices forced by circumstance. Philip's tale is his own, but it is a universal one.
    • 3/5
      Years ago I had come across the movie of the book in only a segment. So many years later I decided maybe I should have a go at the book, considered a classic is some circles. The book is proclaimed to be a vague sense of autobiography as some elements are directly attached to Maugham's experience.I found the story somewhat interesting and took note of the messages it had to convey on life as many of us experience it. At stages many of us can certainly relate to what Philip Carey goes through in conditions and with people. The relationship with the primary antagonist Mildred gets a bit drawn as we observe the foolishness of his almost pathological devotion. Yet still haven't most of us been down that road to some extent with someone.The conclusion which drifted a bit into predictability was closed out I felt with a a couple of lines that best summed up what many if not most think we are after in life.
    • 4/5
      An excellent character study, following the life of Philip Carey from his mother's death when he is 9 to about his 30th birthday. His father has already passed away, and there is little money left, so he grows up with a much older uncle and his wife, in a rather bleak parsonage. Philip has a club foot, which contributes to a morbid self-consciouness that plagues him all his life.

      Although middle class society of England between the wars" is an unfamiliar scene these days, the character of Philip rings very true. He wants desperately to be loved and accepted, but is very prickly and has the extreme self-absorption of the very shy at times, which keeps him from achieveing his goal. He's often "not quite". Clever, but not a genius. Artistic, but not truly talented. Kindly instincts, but with a vengeful streak.

      Usually when people discuss the book or the film adaptations, they concentrate on his romantic obsession with the lower class waitress, Mildred. This is indeed a key element of the book. But there is a great deal more to the story of Philip's gradual maturation.

      Well worth reading.
      "
    • 4/5
      EM Forster once wrote: "The final test of a novel will be our affection for it, as it is the test of our friends, of anything else that we cannot define." Good point. I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with this book. While it didn't win my affection, I will give Maugham some admiration for being able to capture and portray the essence of his characters so well. I absolutely despised Mildred and found Philip at time equally frustrating/infuriating. At least Maugham's writing style is geared towards the everday reader, which I found to be a bonus as nothing turns my mind off a novel faster than going all high-brow with elegant writing unless it fits with the story. [Of Human Bondage] is not an elegant story washed in filtered lighting. It has a directness to it that would be at odds with any flowery prose. I also found the story to be at times overly melodramatic, but my impatience with the melodrama was at part being fueled by my loathing of the whole Mildred/Philip scenario that just wouldn't end. Thank goodness for the entrance of Athelny and his family - which had me thinking about H.E. Bates' [The Darling Buds of May] - as a nice jolt of sunshine to what was becoming a rather dour read for me. I read the first 40% of the book as a e-read before flipping over to audiobook. This story definitely worked better for me in audio format - as do most of the classics I have tackled of late - so kudos to Crossley for managing to draw me back into a story that was doomed to be a long drawn out reading affair for me. What I didn't know until after I had finished reading the story is that Maugham wrote the manuscript when he was only 23 years old and was fresh out of medical school. I had read somewhere that some view [Of Human Bondage] to be the most autobiographical of all of Maugham's works but I had always assumed that the story had been written closer to its publication date when Maugham was in his mid to late-30's. Overall, I am glad to be able to cross this title off my "Classics still to read" list.
    • 5/5
      This was a re-reading of an old favorite after many years. And surprisingly (or not!) I had a slightly different reaction to it now than when in my early 20s. With life's lessons behind me, I enjoyed it on a different level: not so much with heart as with mind. What jumped out at me this time - was how tremendously appropriate the title was to the contents. Think as hard as I could, I would have never come up with a more precise description of what one was to encounter in this masterpiece of a novel. "Of Human Bondage" - the phrase sums up the gist of it all. Phillip, the protagonist, goes through life agonizingly asking questions of himself and forming ideas about society, love, life's purpose (or lack of it), and his ever present physical handicap that influences him deeply on a psychological level. The range of his experiences is remarkably wide as he progresses through life, while exposing his often startling flaws as well as his good side. Events that happen make him reassess his ideas constantly. Until finally he reaches the understanding of a certain pattern of existence, the phases that one's life goes through, some totally unconnected, some in tune with each other. He also realizes that "the normal was the rarest thing in the world. Everyone had some defect of body or mind...". This kind of rumination is so characteristic of Maugham, and I love him for it. At the end, I breathed a sigh of relief for Phillip...
    • 5/5
      Maugham should have titled his masterpiece "Not Mildred Again." Mildred is the most horrible female excrescence I've encountered in classic lit since Madame DeFarge. My certainty that I knew what Mildred would do next, and horror of her reappearance to meet or exceed my expectations, kept me in a froth of dramatic irony that carried me breathless through the slow parts.

      I should not have loved this novel as much as I did; I dislike the time period, dislike weak male protagonists who can't make up their minds, dislike early 20th century realism unless written by Wharton and set among the glitterati. . .but in spite of myself I love this novel. I credit Maugham's brilliant pacing. I was made to limp along with Philip Carey through his awful boyhood and worse twenties, and either had to bear with poor Philip or throw the novel against the wall. Maugham put me so thoroughly in Phil's hapless skin that there were no other alternatives.

      Everything that makes a work a great classic is here. The Everyman (anti?)hero delivers on every level. Big questions are tackled. The sense of deja vu is pervasive; one would have to be very young and naive indeed not to feel it. If the happy ending rings a bit untrue--lurching from most bitter Steinbeck to most idyllic Cather in 50 pages or less--the reader has endured so much with Philip that it comes as a profound relief.
    • 5/5
      I've read this several times over the years & it's still my favorite of all time!
    • 4/5
      A brutal story softened not by some sense of mercy, but by the author's clever lines.
    • 4/5
      I'm not sure I agree with it being the greatest novel of our time, but it WAS very good. Phillip is a boy who grows into a young man who seems to be spoiled & easily bored, & can't stick to one thing. Everything he does try, he fails at. Along the way, he has 2 very unhappy relationships, one with Norah, who loves him, but he doesn't love in return, & one with Mildred, who he loves, like a disease of the blood he can't shake, but who detests him but finds herself needing him. Along the way, he finally turns his hand to the long years of a doctor's training, but who has to quit in the middle of it for 2 years & take a job in a shop in order to keep himself together until his uncle, the Vicar, passes away & leaves him enough to go back & take up in his training where he left off. His friendship over the years with a character named Athelny & his family provides Phillip with the stability he needs in the worst part of his life. The ending was predictable, but still very sweet.Altogether, a very good read
    • 5/5
      I'm usually pretty stingy about giving 5-star ratings, but I just really enjoyed this book. The end wasn't quite as excellent as I wanted it to be, but it's hard to complain. After reading this, I want to read more of Maugham's work. His style appeals to me.
    • 4/5
      Very well written, very interesting subject (the struggle of the artistic protagonist against all sorts of harshness - not least, poverty) and very human.
    • 5/5
      Far be it for me to expound on the great literature of these seven hundred sixty pages.
    • 4/5
      I've been reading this book, considered to be Maugham's masterpiece, for the past month. To be honest, I found large sections to be pretty boring and kept wondering if anything was going to happen. The book has an autobiographical feel to it, in that it moves slowly through the life of the main character, Philip, from his early childhood through his early 30s when I would say he finally matures and becomes an adult. Despite the moments of boredom, I ended up thinking this is a brilliant book. The pace is slow but very in depth, and Philip's experiences, relationships, and growth as a person feel authentic. I thought the exploration of youthful love as being repeatedly stronger from one individual in the relationship (sometimes with Philip being the one loved and sometimes with him loving) was interesting and remarkably true to life, especially among youths. I also appreciated Maugham's insights into the poor and the opportunity to work being so important to one's self esteem. I liked that the themes in this book were both clear and subtle at the same time - Maugham isn't beating you over the head with a moral but there are several there.I have no doubt that this is one of those books that I will continue to ponder for a long time and to me that is always a sign of the best books.
    • 4/5
      Having seen both movie versions, I was surprised by the fact that almost a third of the novel involves Philip's childhood and young adulthood. In some aspects, I liked this part best especially the parts in Europe. Having the details of his background made his actions after he starts medical school more understandable and being raised by in a vicarage by his aunt and uncle explains the amount of religious musings. Personally I could have done without those religious musings but I suspect that having a major character who decides that he doesn't believe in God was still shocking in 1915.

    • 5/5
      An engrossing bildungsroman that I found hard to put down. I didn't think I'd enjoy a Somerset Maugham novel, so I was surprised by how good it was.It follows the life of Philip Carey from birth until he's around thirty. It's a long and sprawling story, which follows Philip through many careers and relationships.Apart from Philip's journey through life, there are a couple of deeper points: firstly that love can be something that keeps people in bondage, and secondly the big "what's the meaning of life". While I don't totally agree with Maugham's answers, these are interesting observations.
    • 4/5
      Like life at its best, this book is long and sprawling, combining themes that inspired in me delight, curiosity, insight, frustration, melancholy, and revelation.Philip's tale, which mirrors Maugham's own life, is a journey I feel privileged to have shared. This is a long book and so something of an undertaking however I felt joy and satisfaction having just completed this book. There were parts of the book that I was bored and frustrated by however I am very pleased I stuck with it. This is the third book I have read by W Somerset Maugham, and follows Ashenden and Christmas Holiday which were both excellent. I am now intent on reading all his works. Unlike many of his contemporaries he wrote in a simple and accessible style, eschewing Modernist experimentation, and his books are all the better for it. I would not recommend this as a starting point for someone new to Maugham, however I now fully appreciate why many describe it as his masterpiece as it's touching, profound, and beautiful.