Of Human Bondage

Of Human Bondage is a 1915 novel by W. Somerset Maugham. It is widely considered one of the author's masterpieces and to be strongly autobiographical in nature.

The book begins with the death of Helen Carey, the beloved mother of Philip Carey, a nine-year-old boy who has a club foot. Philip is left an orphan as his father had died a few months earlier.

After being orphaned, the boy is sent to live with his aunt and uncle, Louisa and William Carey, who are very religious. Despite the fact that his life seemed to become bland, his great passion for life and longing for adventure pushed him to travel through Germany and France with the aim of becoming an artist.

However, the boy's hopes are not fulfilled and he decides to return to England and study medicine. Soon he will meet a seductive woman who will change his life completely...

The Modern Library ranked the book Of Human Bondage No. 66 on its list of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century.