The Magician - Hardcover

by W. Somerset Maugham (Author), Mint Editions (Contribution by)

The Magician (1909) is a novel by W. Somerset Maugham. Controversial for its portrayal of infidelity and occult ritual, The Magician was instrumental in establishing Maugham's reputation as a leading author of the late Victorian era. Inspired by stories of Aleister Crowley, an influential occultist and magician, Maugham crafted a masterpiece of fantasy fiction that would inspire Crowley himself to write a hit piece for Vanity Fair erroneously accusing the novelist of plagiarism. Arthur Burdon has everything he could ever want. A successful career as a surgeon, financial stability, a beautiful young fiancée-everything. On a trip to Paris to visit Margaret, who is studying to be an artist, he meets a man named Oliver Haddo, a magician and acquaintance of Burdon's teacher Dr. Porhoët. Although Arthur, his fiancée, and their friends are initially impressed with Haddo's magic tricks, things soon take a strange turn when Margaret elopes with the mysterious magician. Distraught, Arthur retreats from life to dedicate himself to his work at the hospital. When Oliver and Margaret show up at a party in London, however, Arthur becomes convinced that his ex-lover is being held against her will. The Magician is a sinister tale of desire, disappointment, and the occult by a master stylist with a keen sense of the complications inherent to human nature. This edition of W. Somerset Maugham's The Magician is a classic work of British literature reimagined for modern readers.

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Back Jacket

When Arthur Burdon meets Oliver Haddo, he becomes suspicious. Claiming to be a magician, Haddo impresses Burdon's fiancée with a series of tricks. Soon, she elopes with Haddo, abandoning Arthur to travel with her new husband across Europe. When they turn up back in England, Arthur suspects Haddo of planning something terrible. The Magician is a novel by W. Somerset Maugham.