Of Human BondageOf Human Bondage
Score Classic
What it's about
Philip Carey is orphaned at nine and sent to live with his cold, clergyman uncle. Born with a clubfoot, he is lonely at school and restless as a young man, trying on lives one by one: study in Germany, accounting in London, painting in Paris, medicine. In London he falls into an obsessive, humiliating love for Mildred, a waitress who doesn't care for him at all.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Modern Library list of the best novels and is Maugham's masterpiece, drawn closely from his own life. Its picture of unrequited obsession is painfully true.
You'll love it if you liked
Martin Eden
Great Expectations
Brideshead RevisitedGood to know
It's long and leisurely. Mildred is infuriating, and that's the point.
By the numbers
- Readers72 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics80 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller21 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #36 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #102 of the 762 classics we rank
- #321 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
If you like this, read next
The Color Purple
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East of Eden
I, Claudius
A Room of One's Own
Angle of ReposeExplore the best-of lists
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Quick answers
Is Of Human Bondage worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Modern Library list of the best novels and is Maugham's masterpiece, drawn closely from his own life. It ranks #321 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 81.0 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Of Human Bondage about?
Philip Carey is orphaned at nine and sent to live with his cold, clergyman uncle. Born with a clubfoot, he is lonely at school and restless as a young man, trying on lives one by one: study in Germany, accounting in London, painting in Paris, medicine. In London he falls into an obsessive, humiliating love for Mildred, a waitress who doesn't care for him at all.
How long does it take to read Of Human Bondage?
About 15 hours (618 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Of Human Bondage?
If you liked it, try Martin Eden by Jack London, Great Expectations by Charles Dickens or Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh.