Reminds me of my safari in Africa. Somebody forgot the corkscrew and for several days we had to live on nothing but food and water.

—W. Somerset Maugham

About W. Somerset Maugham

Portrait of W. Somerset Maugham

William Somerset Maugham ( MAWM; 25 January 1874 – 16 December 1965) was an English writer, known for his plays, novels and short stories.

More quotations from W. Somerset Maugham

It is not wealth one asks for, but just enough to preserve one's dignity, to work unhampered, to be generous, frank and independent.

—W. Somerset Maugham

People ask for criticism, but they only want praise.

—W. Somerset Maugham

criticism hypocrisy praise

Silence is one of the great arts of conversation, as allowed by Cicero himself, who says, 'there is not only an art, but an eloquence in it.' A well bred woman may easily and effectually promote the most useful and elegant conversation without speaking a word. The modes of speech are scarcely more variable than the modes of silence.

—W. Somerset Maugham

silence conversation talking elegance

If you want change, you have to make it. If we want progress we have to drive it.

—W. Somerset Maugham

The Americans, who are the most efficient people on earth,… have invented so wide a range of pithy and hackneyed phrases that they can carry on a conversation without giving a moment's reflection to what they are saying and so leave their minds free to consider the more important matters of big business and fornication.

—W. Somerset Maugham

sex conversation americans business cliche

More quotations tagged with “drinking”

I always keep a supply of stimulant handy in case I see a snake—which I also keep handy.

—W. C. Fields

Work is the curse of the drinking classes.

—Robert Benchley

One reason I don't drink is that I want to know when I am having a good time.

—Oscar Levant

The trouble with jogging is that the ice falls out of your glass.

Nothing anyone says in a bar is true.

History

11 Jul 2015 Added