A Writer’s Notebook.

MAUGHAM, W. Somerset. [Raymond Chandler].

$750.00

Item Number: 147738

Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc, 1949.

First trade edition of Maugham’s semi-autobiographical confessional. Octavo, original publisher’s cloth, top edge red, frontispiece portrait of Maugham by Sir Gerald Kelly. From the library of Raymond Chandler with his library stamp to the front free endpaper: Raymond Chandler 6005 Camino de la Costa La Jolla, California OCT 13 1949. Subsequently from the library of Chandler’s personal secretary, fiancé, and muse Jean Vounder-Davis, with her ownership inscription to the front free endpaper beneath Chandler’s library stamp, “Jean Vounder-Davis 1418 Torrey Pines Rd La Jolla California.” Raymond Chandler was a pivotal figure in 20th-century American literature, renowned for his contributions to the hardboiled crime genre. His work, particularly through the chronicles of private detective Philip Marlowe, provided a nuanced examination of moral ambiguity, societal corruption, and the complexities of justice. Chandler’s novels, including The Big Sleep and Farewell, My Lovely, explored themes of class, power, and alienation, while also engaging with the conventions of noir fiction. Marked by its economy of language and careful attention to atmosphere, his writing elevated the detective genre, merging literary qualities with the structural elements of crime fiction. His literary legacy remains central to ongoing academic discourse in the fields of literature, cultural studies, and criminology. Chandler moved to California in the 1920s, eventually settling in La Jolla, a coastal community in San Diego County. His time in California, particularly in La Jolla, had a significant influence on his writing. The stark contrast between the region’s natural beauty and the social complexities of its urban centers shaped the settings and themes in his works. Near fine in the  original dust jacket which is in good condition.

W. Somerset Maugham’s The Writer’s Notebook offers valuable insight into the creative process and personal reflections of one of the 20th century’s most renowned writers. The collection, drawn from Maugham’s notebooks over several decades, presents a mixture of observations, anecdotes, and thoughts on writing, literature, and life. "...shows [Maugham] at his best, as detached, observant, and affecting a pose of worldliness even in his apparent private thoughts" (Drabble 631).