Of Human Bondage

Ranked in the top 100 best English language novels of the 20th century, Of Human Bondage, is generally considered to be Maughams masterpiece. While the novel suggests strong ties to his own life, Maugham stated that, "This is a novel, not an autobiography, though much in it is autobiographical, more is pure invention. Maugham borrowed the title of his book from Part IV of Spinozas Ethics, which is titled "Of Human Bondage, or the Strength of the Emotions". The novel was adapted into three classic films and has enjoyed a century of devoted readership.