W. Somerset Maugham

W. Somerset Maugham (1874–1965) was a British writer, playwright, and storyteller. Born in Paris, he initially studied medicine but did not practise as a doctor. He first achieved literary success as a dramatist and later became known chiefly as a novelist and short-story writer. During the First World War, he worked for a time as an agent of the British secret service and travelled to places including Italy, Switzerland, the United States, and Russia. His travels, particularly in the Far East, influenced many of his works. Maugham died in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat on the French Riviera.