W. Somerset Maugham (born Jan. 25, 1874, Paris, France—died Dec. 16, 1965, Nice) was an English novelist, playwright, and short-story writer whose work is characterized by a clear unadorned style, cosmopolitan settings, and a shrewd understanding of human nature. Maugham was orphaned at the age of 10; he was brought up by an uncle and educated at King’s School, Canterbury.