@2024 Book Chatter | Book Chatter

Hey, it’s Thursday the 31st and the end of our read-along! Of Human Bondage has been a pleasure to read, especially with the small group of us that have been reading it together. Thank you!

This Week’s reading:

Chapters XCVIII-CII / 98-102 (23 pp.)
Chapters CIII-CIX / 103-109 (42 pp,)
Chapters CX-CXI / 110-111 (12 pp.)
Chapters CXII-CXXII / 112-122 (60 pp.)
Discuss/Read by Thursday 10/31! (137 pages total)

Week 5 – Some Surprises

War has affected the stock market. This affects Philip because he’s risked money to make money. This doesn’t end well. He is without money and still completing school. Prospects are slim. He’s pretty desperate.

To avoid the landlady who he owes rent to, he ends up on the street. Hungry, confused and lonely. He ends up visiting Athelny for dinner and there, he is shown kindness that he’s never known.

With Athelny’s help, Philip lands a job as a shop walker, basically a retail salesman. It’s rather humbling to accept a lowly position but money is what he needs so he accepts. Plus, it includes lodging and his keep. Not a bad deal really.

Philip sees his old friend Lawson on the street. The two do not hit it off at all but before they part, Lawson delivers some bad news about Hayward.

At his lowest of low, guess who comes back? Mildred is once again in need of help and Philip agrees to see her but it’s a little different this time. She’s ill and needs his medical assistance.

While the shops close for the holidays, Philip visits his uncle who is not well. The question of whether God exists comes up again in regard to his uncles beliefs in what could be his last days.

While spending time with his uncle, Philip looks around the room and surveys what each thing is worth. Crazy! It seems as if Philip has learned nothing in his trials. Uncle is sick and Philip is counting down the minutes to his inheritance.

The last quarter of the book takes a turn. Philip is actually good at something and sees value in it. He also realizes the sacrifices he must make for happiness. That elusive feeling he’s been chasing all along is finally within his grasp.

Things to ponder:

That rug that was gifted to Philip was supposed to represent the meaning of life. It finally occurs to Philip that life HAS no meaning. Why does admitting this relieve Philip?

Mildred has been a constant thorn in Philip’s side. What changed? He finally rids himself of her and seems to care not what happens to her. Do you feel any empathy at all for Mildred?

The baby! What the heck happened to the baby? I got the feeling, in Maugham’s subtle way of writing that Mildred sold the kid for money. That would be on point for her. What do you think?

Why do you think Maugham ended the story with the decision for Sally and Philip to marry? Did you see this coming? Is this what Philip needed to feel complete and happy?

I don’t agree that life has no meaning but that’s the realization Philip comes to after pondering the rug that was gifted to him. No meaning? Or no meaning for Philip? It does seem to be what Philip was searching for throughout the entire book, happiness and meaning so coming to the conclusion that there is no meaning would be a bit of a relief to him, but was it the lazy way out?

Mildred. Philip has finally had it with her. What was the tipping point? She’s hurt him and disappointed him numerous times. Maybe without the baby she no longer held anything over his head. She never did approve of his fondness for the child. But what she does to his belongings was really shocking! They say you have to hit rock bottom for change to occur and I’d say that losing everything he owned at Mildred’s hand was just that.

The baby. You know Mildred sold that kid, right? It would be just like her to do that. Mildred spoke of her death but I doubt it. Mildred never seemed attached to the kid and left her unattended more than once while she was a lady of the night. The fact that the baby had no name meant that she didn’t plan to have her around for long. Whatever happened, the kid is better off.

Sally and Philip. Sally is a plain sort of girl. Decent. Kind. Has a sense of humor. Totally different from the women Philip has been involved with. I don’t like to say that someone completes another person, but I do think Sally is good for Philip. She has a work ethic that Philip isn’t used to and she comes from a family that Philip adores. Is there hope for young Philip? I do think so,.

Interesting note:

I was at lunch with a colleague talking about Of Human Bondage and my colleague asked me to look up this painting of Maugham. Isn’t it striking?

Maugham portrait by Graham Sutherland. — Maugham portrait by Graham Sutherland, 1949.

I really enjoyed this book. Yes, Philip was annoying but I did feel empathy for his situation at times. He just didn’t seem capable of being happy so I was very pleased with the ending.

That’s it for this read-along! I will post a formal review soon. Thanks for joining me!

Small Things Like These
By Claire Keegan
Grove Press, #9780802158741, November 2021, 128 pp.

The Short of It:

Brief, but powerful.

The Rest of It:

“It is 1985 in a small Irish town. During the weeks leading up to Christmas, Bill Furlong, a coal merchant and family man faces into his busiest season. Early one morning, while delivering an order to the local convent, Bill makes a discovery which forces him to confront both his past and the complicit silences of a town controlled by the church.” ~ the publisher

This is a fictional account of an actual event in history when fallen young girls were set to convents in Ireland. Disguised as a home for girls, it was actually a cruel, abusive place called a Magdalen laundry. These women often lost their babies. The numbers of children lost, in the thousands.

In this story, Bill delivers coal to the convent and discovers a young girl, locked away. She begs for help. He’s not sure how to respond and can’t under watchful eyes. So he returns home, to his wife and five daughters as they prepare for the Christmas holiday.

There’s cake making. Gift wrapping, the merry sounds of a happy family but Bill cannot forget that young girl at the convent. He mentions it to his wife Eileen and she reminds him that the convent is very good to them. They pay on time and often include a Christmas bonus, which they did. She tells him to forget the incident. That everyone knows what goes on there but that it’s none of their business.

This doesn’t sit well with Bill. His mind keeps going back to that young girl, her name is Sarah and as he gazes upon his own girls, he is unwilling to let it go.

This is a marvelous read. Short. Very short. I had no idea how short it was when I was looking for a book to read on Hoopla. A mere 128 pages but each page is so rich with detail. There are no extra words here. Every word bears weight. The heavy story line against the joys of Christmas is a stark juxtaposition but it works so well here. As brief as it is, it would be a good discussion book for a club.

Recommend. It was shortlisted for the 2022 Booker Prize.

Source: Borrowed
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.