The Razor's EdgeThe Razor's Edge
Score Classic
What it's about
Larry Darrell comes home to Chicago after flying in the First World War, shaken by the death of a friend who saved his life. He refuses the job and marriage everyone expects of him, breaks off his engagement to the beautiful Isabel, and spends years searching for the meaning of life, in Paris, in a coal mine and at last in India. Maugham himself narrates, watching Larry and the people around him over twenty years.
Why it's worth reading
It spent weeks at #1 on the New York Times list. It's a graceful, wise novel about choosing a spiritual life over a comfortable one.
You'll love it if you liked
Of Human Bondage
The Great Gatsby
Brideshead RevisitedGood to know
Larry's spiritual journey is told mostly secondhand. The snobbish Elliott Templeton steals many scenes.
By the numbers
- Readers77 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller50 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- 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
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking
More by Somerset Maugham
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To Kill a Mockingbird
The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York
The Color Purple
1984
The Lord of the Rings
A Brief History of TimeExplore the best-of lists
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Quick answers
Is The Razor's Edge worth reading?
Yes. It spent weeks at #1 on the New York Times list. It ranks #845 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 74.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Razor's Edge about?
Larry Darrell comes home to Chicago after flying in the First World War, shaken by the death of a friend who saved his life. He refuses the job and marriage everyone expects of him, breaks off his engagement to the beautiful Isabel, and spends years searching for the meaning of life, in Paris, in a coal mine and at last in India. Maugham himself narrates, watching Larry and the people around him over twenty years.
How long does it take to read The Razor's Edge?
About 8 hours (314 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Razor's Edge?
If you liked it, try Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald or Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh.