His tone combined a certain waspishness, and indeed emotional coldness (no doubt a result of an emotionally cold childhood) with sudden, unexpected displays of heart. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Ashenden or : The British Agent by W Somerset Maugham (1941, Hardcover) at the best online prices at … Publication date 1951 Topics World War, 1914-1918 Publisher Garden City, N.Y., Doubleday, Doran Collection inlibrary; printdisabled; internetarchivebooks; china Digitizing sponsor Internet Archive Contributor Internet Archive Language English. Ashenden or The British Agent by W. Somerset Maugham 1941 HC/DJ. First published in 1928 Subjects World War, 1914-1918, Open Library Staff Picks, Fiction, World War, 1914-1918 in fiction, Littérature anglaise, English fiction. c. 1960. This is one of the first spy books. Among other enterprises, Britain's European intelligence network attempted to eliminate a number of Indian nationalists in Europe, notably members of the Berlin Committee. Ashenden or The British Agent by W. Somerset Maugham Impress Best Mysteries . A thief, languishing in prison for stealing moments, escapes and becomes a chronometric fugitive. Enjoyable with Maugham's sardonic yet humanistic style. Ashenden or, The British agent. The stories collected in Ashenden are rooted in Maugham's own experiences as an agent, reflecting the ruthlessness and brutality of espionage, its intrigue and treachery, as well as its absurdity. [29] Ashenden is also the name of a character who appears in several of Maugham's short stories. Low-key espionage tales with a droll protagonist, Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2019. This edition was published in 1941 by Doubleday in Garden City, N.Y. First edition, first impression of Maugham's collection of interrelated stories about a writer employed as a spy in World War I, drawing from the author's personal experience in the British Secret Intelligence Service. Free shipping . [3][4][page needed], There have been many full cast adaptations of the stories for BBC Radio.[5]. The film stars Madeleine Carroll, Peter Lorre, John Gielgud, and Robert Young. Free shipping . His work has remained widely anthologied, and is, by any measure of commerce or canon, successful. The incidents described in the stories are modelled on Maugham's experiences as a secret agent, and "the central character, Ashenden, is very much an autobiographical character. --This text refers to an alternate. Ashenden is a novel about the activities of a British spy (Ashenden) operating in several locations in Europe during World War I. Although categorized as a novel, it is really a group of mostly unrelated short stories featuring Ashenden, a writer recruited during World War I by a British Intelligence Officer known only as R. A reluctant agent, doing what he must but finding no joy in it, Ashenden meets with both success and failure, and sometimes with no clear result. Ashenden, or the British Agent by W Somerset Maugham (1928) This collection of stories drew closely on Maugham’s own experiences as an intelligence officer in Europe during the First World War. "But even if I had been awakened by noisy people I should not dream of complaining. Ashenden: The British Agent is founded on Maugham's experiences in the English Intelligence Department during World War I, but rearranged for the purposes of fiction. Title: Ashenden: or, The British Agent Author: Maugham, W. Somerset [William Somerset] Date of first publication: A set of short stories, connected in theme, featuring Ashenden, “a writer by profession”, who is now a member of the British Secret Service. $8.09. He is sent to Switzerland where he becomes involved in a number of counter-intelligence operations; these he accomplishes by means of persuasion, bribery, blackmail, or coincidence. Donald Gullick, a British agent, was dispatched to assassinate Chattopadhaya while the latter was on his way to Geneva to meet another Indian nationalist, Mahendra Pratap and forward the Kaiser's invitation to Berlin. 5 - Ashenden … At the end of this post, you will find a link to some of the chapters. Many have the sudden twist (or 'punch' to use his own words) that he was fond of using. This paper aims at comparing two British spy novels, Graham Greene's The Quiet American (1955) and a proportion of Somerset Maugham's Ashenden: or The British Agent (1928). The short story of Giulia Lazzari is a blend of Gullick's attempts to assassinate Chattopadhyaya and Mata Hari's story. AU $20.16 +AU $3.30 postage. When he sends Grantly Caypor to certain death as a traitor, the first he knows of his execution is when his dog (who he has left in Switzerland) begins to howl. by WilliamSomersetMaugham (Author) New Paperback 2000 $11.70. Something went wrong. He assumed a slightly imposing air and adopted a more serious tone. He spends eleven days on the train from Vladivostok to Petrograd sharing a cabin with Harrington, an American business man who is a constant conversationalist. $10.99. Published in the mid-1920s and probably the first of the modern type of espionage agent novels, Maugham's 'Ashenden' stories, based on his own experiences of acting as an agent during WW1 and the Russian Revolution, reject the then prevailing heroics of the Bulldog Drummond or John Buchan styles and, instead, anticipate the downbeat and detached minor key realism, pessimism and disillusionment … The spy walks the razor's edge of furthering the cause of Good without falling into Evil incarnate. Ashenden: Or, The British agent by Maugham, W. Somerset and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at AbeBooks.com. $8.09. Free shipping . Read this with an eye on the game-changing impact of WWI and appreciate how a man of the world adjusted to the unraveling of everything he took for granted, and how he adapted through the written word. Does this book contain inappropriate content? There is a cool precision in his writing, an absence of fussiness, that tells a narrative cleanly and simply, and describes character incisively. The protagonist, intelligence agent Ashenden, is cast against type as a placid, nonviolent, but very astute and prudent fellow. In one, he accompanies a man called the Hairless Mexican to Italy, where they are to intercept important papers carried by an arriving Greek agent of the Germans. Britain's insistence that they stamp out any effort for the Indian nationalists to attempt to get the Brits out of India was thwarted for another 25 years of thriving here and other stolen colonies. Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2019, Somerset Maugham's "Ashenden" harkens back to a classical era when espionage writing was literature, not a first treatment of a movie screenplay. [2] Maugham, who was in the British Secret Service in Europe during the war, based a number of his stories on his own experiences. He takes pains to describe them fully to the extent that each character is set fast in the reader's imagination. It is partly based on the author's experience as a member of British Intelligence in Europe during the First World War. This fascinating book contains the most expert stories of espionage ever written. Ashenden is a BBC1's four part TV series based on the 1927 spy novel, Ashenden: Or the British Agent, by W. Somerset Maugham, that aired from 17 November to 8 December 1991, directed by Christopher Morahan, with Alex Jennings in the title role, Joss Ackland as Cumming, Ian Bannen as 'R' and Jason Isaacs as Andrew Lehman. The chapters are collected in later collections under different titles, as below. It is partly based on the author's experience as a member of British Intelligence in Europe during the First World War. Published 1928 Condition First Edition. It is partly based on the author's experience as a member of British Intelligence in Europe during the First World War. "True fiction: The best spies are really quite boring", "Alfred Hitchcock Collectors' Guide: Secret Agent (1936)", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ashenden:_Or_the_British_Agent&oldid=970756008, Short story collections by W. Somerset Maugham, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from September 2017, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, "A Domiciliary Visit" & "Miss King" as Miss King, "The Hairless Mexican", "The Dark Woman", "The Greek" as The Hairless Mexican, "A Trip to Paris, "Giulia Lazzari" as Giulia Lazzari, "Behind the Scenes", "His Excellency", as His Excellency, "A Chance Acquaintance", "Love and Russian Literature", "Mr. Harrington's Washing" as Mr. Harrington's Washing, A number of the stories formed the basis of the 1991 four-part, This page was last edited on 2 August 2020, at 05:34. Ashenden is a novel about the activities of a British spy (Ashenden) operating in several locations in Europe during World War I. by WilliamSomersetMaugham (Author) New Paperback 2000 $11.70 Used Paperback 1991 $8.63. Some foxing; near fine in a dust jacket with shallow chipping at the top of the spine; foxing, and some minor we Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2019, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 21, 2015. If you enjoy the manners and etiquette of a bygone age then you might well enjoy this book. After a number of similar operations, Ashenden is sent to Imperial Russia during the 1917 revolution, as an "agent of influence", to do what he can to keep Russia in the war against Germany. It will cover some comments of contemporary reviews and the description of two editions. 1928. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Ashenden: Or the British Agent is a 1928 collection of loosely linked stories by W. Somerset Maugham. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. Ashenden, or: the british agent by Maugham, W. Somerset (William Somerset), 1874-1965. (Wikipedia), The Riddle of the Sands: A Record of Secret Service, The Complete Saki: 144 Collected Novels and Short Stories, Berlin Noir: The First Three Bernie Gunther Novels (A Bernie Gunther Novel), JOHN BUCHAN Ultimate Collection: Spy Classics, Thrillers, Adventure Novels & Short Stories, Including Historical Works and Essays (Illustrated): Scottish ... No Man's Land, Prester John and many more, The Great Novels and Short Stories of Somerset Maugham, Complete Somerset Maugham - Of Human Bondage Moon and Sixpence Trembling of a Leaf Magician Liza of Lambeth Circle Bishop's Apron Hero Explorer Mrs. Craddock ... Orientations Merry-go-round Making of a Sa, "The most persuasive espionage fiction" New York Times "The first spy story written by someone who had been there and done that. Buy a cheap copy of Ashenden: Or The British Agent book by W. Somerset Maugham. Ashenden Or the British Agent (Classics To Go) eBook: Maugham, Somerset: Amazon.ca: Kindle Store Synopsis. It works up to an interesting situation, has no sense of climax and whittles away its dramatic effects in irrelevance. Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2015. The title you have selected (Ashenden: or, The British Agent) is a post-1923 publication by an author who died more than 50 years ago. The protagonist Ashenden is somewhat modeled on the author, so he is a literary man recruited into the British intelligence service. The character, autobiographical, writes from first hand experience which gives the stories and settings their historical accuracy and poignancy. Ashenden; or, the British Agent, by W. Somerset Maugham is not the first secret agent novel in English. Ashenden: Or the British Agent is a 1927 collection of loosely linked stories by W. Somerset Maugham. Within Maugham's large output, the stories published in Ashenden: The British Agent - are of particular interest. Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2020. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Please try again. Vintage HB Ashenden or The British Agent W Somerset Maugham … Ashenden: Or the British Agent estas kolekto de iel ligitaj historioj de 1927 fare de W. Somerset Maugham.Ĝi estas parte bazita sur la propraj espertoj de Maugham kiel membro de la Brita Spionservo en Eŭropo dum la Unua Mondmilito.Sro. The Physical Object Pagination xiii, 304 p. Number of pages 304 ID Numbers Open Library OL23266245M Internet Archive ashendenorbritis00maug . This fascinating book contains the most expert stories of espionage ever written. Such titles are in the public domain in many countries, particularly those outside the US and Europe. (Wikipedia) $14.99. Ashenden or The British Agent by W. Somerset Maugham Impress Best Mysteries . $6.12. Ashenden, or the British Agent, first published in 1928, is a series of linked stories relating the adventures of a writer of comic plays who is recruited into Britis While spy stories set during World War 2 and during the Cold War have their charms I find the earlier tales set during the First Word War or in the years leading up to that war much more appealing. At the end of this post, you will find a link to some of the chapters. Published in the mid-1920s and probably the first of the modern type of espionage agent novels, Maugham's 'Ashenden' stories, based on his own experiences of acting as an agent during WW1 and the Russian Revolution, reject the then prevailing heroics of the Bulldog Drummond or John Buchan styles and, instead, anticipate the downbeat and detached minor key realism, pessimism and disillusionment … ", Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2019. Edition Notes 72737 Genre Fiction. Free shipping . Ashenden is valued by his organization as a judge of character more than a man of action. Ashenden, or, The British Agent. My rating is only 3 stars because I would not care to read the book again and some of the stories have less impact than others. Ashenden : the British agent by Maugham, W. Somerset (William Somerset), 1874-1965. By trade he is an author, a man who has written a novel or two, if inferences can be believed, … --This text refers to an alternate, W. Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) wrote over 100 short stories in a long, multifaceted, successful and controversial career. I read this book at a reading club consisted of three members,whose nationality are Saudi-Arabia and Japan. Please try again. Ashenden: The British Agent is founded on Maugham's experiences in the English Intelligence Department during World War I, but rearranged for the purposes of fiction. Many of these characters (the 'Hairless Mexican', 'R' the socially insecure spy chief, the suddenly garrulous diplomat, the traitorous journalist Caypor and his wife, the American 'can-do' businessman) will stick in your mind long after you finish the stories. Ashenden: The British Agent By W Somerset Maugham Avon Mystery 1951. ©1955 W. Somerset Maugham (P)2012 Audible, Ltd. What listeners say about Ashenden It is partly based on the author's experience as a member of British Intelligence in Europe during the First World War. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 23, 2019. The head of British Intelligence is known only as "R", anticipating James Bond's "M" by a quarter of a century" The Times "Thoughtful spy novels began with Somerset Maugham's Ashenden, featuring a detached hero on a journey to disillusion, a process brought to its apotheosis by le Carre via Greene" Daily Telegraph "A collection of stories so accurate that Churchill ordered the destruction of 14 of them, … You don't see them coming. It's less about action than character, and Maugham is astute in letting the characters in these linked short stories bare their souls, most of them in a way that shows they cannot be trusted. Although categorized as a novel, it is really a group of mostly unrelated short stories featuring Ashenden, a writer recruited during World War I by a British Intelligence Officer known only as R. A reluctant agent, doing what he must but finding no joy in it, Ashenden meets with both success and failure, and sometimes with no clear result. Ashenden or The British Agent (London: Heinemann, 1928) This post will look at W. Somerset Maugham's collection of short stories Ashenden. Publication date 1966 Topics World War, 1914-1918 Publisher [New York : Avon Books] Collection inlibrary; printdisabled; internetarchivebooks; americana Digitizing sponsor Internet Archive Contributor Internet Archive Language English. "[1] He is supposed to have modelled Chandra Lal after Virendranath Chattopadhyaya, an Indian Nationalist in Germany during the war. Ashenden : W Somerset Maugham : 9780405078057 We use cookies to give you the best possible experience. As they try to evacuate, the business man insists on getting back his laundry that had been sent out. shipping: + $3.95 shipping . Although these stories were based on the author's own experiences as a British agent during the war, he emphasized that they were written purely as entertainment, at which, indeed, Ashenden succeeds. It is partly based on the author's experience as a member of British Intelligence in Europe during the First World War. Free shipping . Everything one would expect from Maugham and maybe more. Ashenden or, The British agent. Ashenden: The British Agent By W Somerset Maugham Avon Mystery 1951. Price: $6,000.00 . Ashenden: Or the British Agent is a 1928 collection of loosely linked stories by W. Somerset Maugham. Top subscription boxes – right to your door, includes free international wireless delivery via, © 1996-2020, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Ashenden, as well as an agent of the British Government, was a humorist, and he stifled the beginnings of a sigh. When one thinks of spy literature, one thinks of Fleming and Bond. He spends much of the book in neutral Switzerland, where he writes a play while supported by his spy work. $16.39. Ashenden: Or the British Agent is a 1928 collection of loosely linked stories by W. Somerset Maugham. $10.00 + $4.00 shipping . Lists containing this Book. Some of these stories are extremely funny, others heart-breaking. Ashenden or The British Agent by William Somerset Maugham Paperback Book The. Very Good in Very Good+ dust jacket. Ashenden: Or the British Agent is a 1927 collection of loosely linked stories by W. Somerset Maugham. $18.10. During WWI, a writer named Ashenden, introduced only by his last name, is enlisted as an agent through threats and promises by "R.", a Colonel with British Intelligence. Ashenden or, The British agent. He spends much of the book in neutral Switzerland, where he writes a play while supported by his spy work. All the stories have a gentle Edwardian charm and Maugham consistently focuses on the characters in each story. When war broke out in 1914, Somerset Maugham was dispatched by the British Secret Service to Switzerland under the guise of completing a play. $21.72 . This fascinating book contains the most expert stories of espionage ever written. Free shipping . Ashenden or The British Agent by William Somerset Maugham Paperback Book The. Ashenden, or the British agent by W. Somerset Maugham Missing dust jacket; Readable copy. Edition Notes 72737 Genre Fiction. Ashenden; or, the British Agent, by W. Somerset Maugham is not the first secret agent novel in English. Does this book contain quality or formatting issues? Winston Churchill reportedly advised Maugham to burn 14 other stories. The Magician by W. Somerset Maugham, Horror, Classics, Literary (Paperback or So. Ashenden, or, The British Agent Mass Market Paperbound W. Somerset Maugham. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less item 4 MAUGHAM,W S-ASHENDEN BOOK NEW 4 - MAUGHAM,W S-ASHENDEN BOOK NEW. The stories collected in Ashenden are rooted in Maugham's own experiences as an agent, reflecting the ruthlessness and brutality of espionage, its intrigue and treachery, as well as its absurdity. $7.67. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 17, 2019. To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number. Secret Agent is a 1936 British espionage thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, adapted from the play by Campbell Dixon, which in turn is loosely based on two stories in the 1927 collection Ashenden: Or the British Agent by W. Somerset Maugham. - although both Ian Fleming & John Le Carre have acknowledged their debt to Maugham as the originator of the spy story genre. Much like graham Greene’s spy novels, Maugham’s Ashenden throbs with soul and human vitality. For a period of time after it was first published the book became official required reading for persons entering the secret service. item 3 Ashenden, or, The British Agent by William Somerset Maugham 0099289709 The Cheap 3 - Ashenden, or, The British Agent by William Somerset Maugham 0099289709 The Cheap. The character appears briefly in the book The Bloody Red Baron by Kim Newman. Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2019. AU $12.64. These seemingly simple stories are actually a lot more complex, and the writing a good deal more 'modern', than they appear to be at first sight, they remind us of just how great a popular writer Maugham was in his prime. Four-part drama about a writer recruited into espionage work by British intelligence during the First World War. During World War I, Maugham enlisted with an ambulance unit, but was soon shifted to the Intelligence Department. In another, Ashenden must induce an Italian dancer to betray her lover, an anti-British Indian and a German agent, by convincing him to cross the border from neutral Switzerland to see her in allied France, where the Allies can arrest him. (Wikipedia) Prime members enjoy FREE Delivery and exclusive access to music, movies, TV shows, original audio series, and Kindle books. The quality of the writing is superb, the casual observations are cogent, and the descriptions vivid. Ashenden Or the British Agent (Kindle Edition) Published March 4th 2019 by Otbebookpublishing Classics To Go, Kindle Edition, 274 pages Author(s): W. Somerset Maugham. Any violence or death (of which there is very little) in the stories is implicit and perfectly in context. Guest actors included Harriet Walter as Giulia Lazzari in the first episode, Alan Bennett as Grantly Caypor in the second, René Auberjonois as John Quincy Harrington in the third, with Elizabeth … It is partly based on the author's experience as a member of British Intelligence in Europe during the First World War. There's a problem loading this menu right now. Ashenden or: The British Agent. The film stars Madeleine Carroll, Peter Lorre, John Gielgud, and Robert Young. However, it is not a typical spy novel in that it is essentially a collection of short stories (each a particular experience of Ashenden) so there is no build up of suspense or plot that ties together the entire book. One corner a little bumped, very slight rubbing at the extremities, very near fine in just about fine dustwrapper with some tiny nicks, mostly at the crown. Ashenden was one of the first ‘realistic’ spy novels, taking a cynical view of espionage and its human consequences. By trade he is an author, a man who has written a novel or two, if inferences can be believed, but who is better known for the plays that he has devised. Thomas Hardy: The Complete Novels (The Greatest Writers of All Time Book 41), The Fredric Brown MEGAPACK ®: 33 Classic Science Fiction Stories, Joseph Conrad: The Complete Novels (The Greatest Writers of All Time Book 36), The Second Fredric Brown Megapack: 27 Classic Science Fiction Stories (The Fredric Brown Megapack Book 2). Suavely written, as one would expect of Maugham. For a period of time after it was first published the book became official required reading for persons entering the secret service. Unless the reader insists on Bond-style fantasies and derring-do, this small series of not-quite-adventures will be an enjoyable diversion. Ashenden was written by Somerset Maugham and published in 1928. Ashenden: The British Agent is founded on Maugham's experiences in the English Intelligence Department during World War I, but rearranged for the purposes of fiction. When war broke out in 1914, Somerset Maugham was dispatched by the British Secret Service to Switzerland under the guise of completing a play. All a bit different to the world of James Bond ! It is unknown whether they were rewritten slightly from original publication. One cannot be a moral agent and a spy at the same time. Ashenden or The British Agent by William Somerset Maugham Paperback Book The. ASHENDEN. If you’re a fan of spy novels you will want to read this entertaining book. Synopsis. $10.99. I enjoyed the stories in this book. $6.98. Women wait in a long, endless line, night and day, without knowing... Free Shipping on all orders over $10. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in. Astute and, at times, touching observations of human nature. Ashenden or, The British agent. Inspired by Maughams's own experiences as a British secret agent in World War I, this series of stories features a fictional spy, John Ashenden, whose dangerous assignments entangle him with traitors, assassins and beautiful but treacherous women. Ashenden or The British Agent (London: Heinemann, 1928) This post will look at W. Somerset Maugham's collection of short stories Ashenden. During his return with the laundry, Harrington is killed in a street riot. $7.66. This series predates those by forty years and, in my opinion, is actually better. Like Ian Fleming . During World War I, Maugham enlisted with an ambulance unit, but was soon shifted to the Intelligence Department. ASHENDEN : OR THE BRITISH AGENT. That is the draw of the genre and Maugham delivers. Free shipping . Fact starts a story at random, rambles on inconsequently and tails off , leaving loose ends, without a conclusion. With Alex Jennings, Joss Ackland, Ian Bannen, Jason Isaacs. Edit. When she finds out of his death, the dancer goes to Ashenden and asks to get back the valuable watch she had given to the man whom she has just betrayed. Based on the writings of Somerset Maugham It will cover some comments of contemporary reviews and the description of two editions. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. Some have found similarities with Le Carre but, unlike him, Maugham never sentimentalises, never jargonises, never preaches and never ever uses more words or plot than absolutely necessary. Please try again. Ashenden: Or the British Agent is a 1928 collection of loosely linked stories by W. Somerset Maugham. A few days after they arrive, the revolution breaks out in earnest. PREFACE This book is founded on my experiences in the Intelligence Department during the … the title character of Ashenden: Or the British Agent, a collection of stories by W. Somerset Maugham Ashenden (TV series) , a 1991 BBC British spy drama series based on Maugham's stories Disambiguation page providing links to topics that could be referred to by the same search term We are doing the reading once a week using Skype. item 5 Ashenden by W. Somerset Maugham (English) Paperback Book Free Shipping! $6.98. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 18, 2020. Ashenden; or, the British Agent, by W. Somerset Maugham is not the first secret agent novel in English.Joseph Conrad’s The Secret Agent (1907) may hold that honor. It was loosely based on Somerset Maugham’s experiences as an MI6 agent during World War One. (Wikipedia) A minor classic and well worth reading. We all are not native speakers of English and the level of our English is,maybe, in the middle for a learner of English. These promotions will be applied to this item: Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. Ashenden is valued by his organization as a judge of character more than a man of action. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions. Secret Agent is a 1936 British espionage thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, adapted from the play by Campbell Dixon, which in turn is loosely based on two stories in the 1927 collection Ashenden: Or the British Agent by W. Somerset Maugham. Joseph Conrad’s The Secret Agent (1907) may hold that honor. Free shipping . By Somerset Maugham. The ironic denouement is that after the man is captured by the British, he commits suicide before he can be arrested, tried, and executed. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Ashenden: Or, The British agent by Maugham, W. Somerset and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at AbeBooks.com. Free shipping . Ashenden or the British Agent by W. Somerset Maugham HCDJ 1941 Book Club Edition. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 24, 2014. Ashenden by W Somerset Maugham, 9780405078057, available at Book Depository with free delivery worldwide. Used Paperback 1991 $8.63. Buy a cheap copy of Ashenden: Or The British Agent book by W. Somerset Maugham. FIRST PUBLISHED 1928 REPRINTED 1928 (twice), 1929 (twice), 1931, 1934, 1938, 1948 (twice), 1950, 1951 (twice), 1956, 1961 PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY THE WINDMILL PRESS LTD KINGSWOOD, SURREY. W Somerset Maugham was one of the most commercially successful `popular literary authors' of the first half of the twentieth century. Hardcover. Ashenden: The British Agent is founded on Maugham's experiences in the English Intelligence Department during World War I, but rearranged for the purposes of fiction.