Rating: 
Summary: Essential Reading for a young adult!!!
Review: I made the mistake of first watching the Bill Murray movie version of this book, which is a GREAT movie, but it doesn't follow the book as much as it should. I heard about this and decided to read the book. Upon reading it, I instantly loved it!!!
Larry Darrell is a man with whom pretty much ANY man could relate. He's a young man put in (sometimes) heavy circumstances and merely trying to do his best at living his life. Also most important to the story are his close friends who also go through their own joys and hardships and how they choose to accept the life that has been put before them. There's love, hate, jealousy, spiritualism, friendship, betrayal. THIS BOOK HAS IT ALL!!!!
And although it may sound like a soap opera (it is a very character-driven story), there is no such melodrama in this story that will want to make the reader vomit. Like Murray's portrayal of Larry, the book and its characters will make you want to get to know them even more. They (especially Larry) have no pretention whatsoever but instead have a admirable charm to them that makes the reader empathize with them in their times of trouble.
This was one of the first books I read where I could see me and my friends in each of the characters, and I'm sure any reader probably could. There is at least one character in this book that the reader could probably identify with at one point of their life.
"Razor's Edge" is an essential read for a young adult coming of age and finding their place in society and the world, because it shows that no matter how you take life, it still keeps going and comes at you with no stops. The important thing is what you decide to do with the time you have. This book is a testament to that.
I give it four stars only because, at a very few times, Maugham gets a little too over-descriptive. But the story -- its themes, characters, and composition -- is a great book to make you think about your own life and whether you're a Larry, Sophie, Gray, Isabelle, or Uncle Elliot. Each is flawed, but each one also has a distinct way of handling their lives and whether it's right or wrong is up to the reader to decide. As an individual, we think our own life is vastly complicated (like these characters do with their lives), however, if you read close enough, you'll find it's not that difficult. "Life is its own reward."
Rating: 
Summary: A liberating novel
Review: Being an Indian, and being engaged in my own fashion, in the same quest as Larry Darrel, the book's main protagonist, I found this book, in short, helpful and life-affirming. Highly recommended.As Maugham traverses decades and characters in an insightful, somewhat ironic style, he says what he has to say so effectively that the reader stops noticing the words and descriptions, and starts 'listening' to the story, forming his / her own pictures. When Larry starts to 'loaf', and chooses his life's work as the study of life itself, to find the reasons behind misery and evil, I began the journey with him. All that he goes through, from life as a coal miner to that of a German farmhand, and the experiences of standing in one's clothes, with no belongings at all and as a result, feeling free and unbound, was for me a personal confirmation: Of beliefs deeply held, conclusions formed independently, of the utility and the meaning in following a path that 'everyone' has always said, is destructive. The characters that he meets and connects with on his great journey are sharply etched, and honest in their own respective ways. Even the author plays a part (different from a plain first person narrative) in the unfolding events, and surprisingly, doesn't take away from the book at all! Finally, after Larry has met his Guru, and gone through a discipleship and training where he gets his answers, when he chooses his path for the remainder of his life, the values that come through in his choice: humility, strength of character, and the basic understanding and detachment from worldly (binding, trivial) pleasures, give hope. The Razor's Edge is a single, real, believable account of a life worthwhile. For me personally, having my thoughts and deepest convictions echoed by someone who lived in the West and arrived at the answers through the "simple" tools of reason, honest living, and an indomitable will to go out in search of the answers, is priceless and immensely liberating. The description of the basic ideas in Vedanta is excellent. The basic distinction with Western religions: That one doesn't have to take anything on faith but is free to question anything and everything honestly, is well brought out. Life can be experienced vicariously through books, and social conventions, but all real learning only takes place empirically, through DOING. What also comes out is that each individual has to seek and find one's own answers, *earn* one's own answers in fact.Some help comes from 'outside' if one has earned it, or craves it. A remarkable book, one that has increased my respect for Western civilization and thinking manyfold. To anyone who's seeking similar answers about life, I humbly recommend The Razor's Edge as a primer on life and philosophy. Two books that could provide some more incomplete understanding and some answers, and a point of departure, are 'The Tao of Physics' by Fritjof Capra, 'Small is Beautiful', by E M Schumacher. I say incomplete, because ultimately, we have to go out in search of answers ourselves. Like Larry. And that's the value of this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Worth a read, but not the best
Review: It is difficult to say what this book is about. Most people describe it as centered around the spiritual growth of what you might call the protagonist, Larry. That it is, without a doubt. But I think if it is centered around Larry, he is a foundation, or a backbone, around which the rest of the book rotates. You'll note how much time Maugham spends describing other people. I think that the purpose of the book isn't so much to tell Larry's story as it is to explore how people react and compare to Larry, to see why they don't find enlightenment. You'll find an abundance of inspiration in this book, but for any actual guides to enlightenment I would recommend reading the books that Larry himself reads, rather than getting too excited over this one. That said, the book has a tremendous amount of compassion for its characters, and Maugham treats the story with great enthusiasm and interest. I think the author's attitude itself (he being a character) is a spiritual point of view that would be easy to miss. But I cannot write a review without saying that the book is stylistically flawed. The characters seem very mechanical and two-dimensional: they represent their designated manner of living far too perfectly, I think, to have any dramatic appeal or to be identified with smoothly. It's a lot like an Ayn Rand novel in that way. The dialogue, too, seems a bit stylized, and the descriptive passages can get formulaic in a bad way. But still the author's talent shines through in several passages, and there is plenty to think about. So don't miss this one, but don't expect a miracle.
Rating:
Summary: path
Review: I enjoyed this book from top to bottom. I am not a big reader although when I find one that I can really sink my teeth into, I absorb every literary line. This book to me is what art should always aspire to be- inspiring notes on the passage of life but to a melody completely it's own- i.e. this book does everything Hegal believed art should be.
It took me quite a few years after seeing the movie of the same name written and played by Bill Murray, to decide that I should investigate the book. I was very pleased for the extra depth of character and idea the book displayed.
W. Somerset Maugham displays such a nack for dialog, you get such a sense of timelessness of the different characters struggles. For instance one thing that Maugham made clear is that no character was greater than the other (perhaps a flaw of a writer's love of his characters) though some lives certainly could seem more noble than others depending on from where one stands.
Overall the book is a good read without a speck of pretention- which is what so often turns me off from some of great writers. It inspires inner search and observation, and simpathy for others who seem to lack good character-
Rating:
Summary: Subtle
Review: (This review is written largely in reaction to certain reviews here on Amazon.com.) Like others here, I too enjoyed The Razor's Edge very much. As one who is drawn to explore the mysteries within (or without, or wherever one happens to feel that they are located) I personally found it thrilling to feel that I was bonding with the main character, Larry, and to hear him say things that might have come from my own mouth. Maugham's narrative voice (I have read none of his other work) has its pros and cons, like anything one cares to name, and although at times a bit tedious "I must interrupt myself to make it plain that I am not attempting here to give anything in the nature of a description of the philosophical system known as Vedanta..." it was never a great distraction. Characters in a well-written book (and Maugham is himself one here) have their own peculiar ways of speaking, like it or not. It is clear to the reader now, 60 years after the writing of the book, that Maugham comes from his time and place. Deal with it. What makes the book interesting are the variety of themes: love and romance, what is important and unimportant in life, spirituality and mysticism... The main draw is Larry, as was intended, but - except for Elliot in my case - the reader also cares about and is interested in the other major characters. Larry is not only unusual, but mysterious. His cool aloofness, combined with his goodness, makes one wonder what he's up to. Realizing how insignificant the opinions of others are, he doesn't care what people think about him, but the reader certainly can't help thinking about him. I found the character of Elliot less interesting than his page count called for; to me, his life was, as the narrator describes it, silly and useless, so I had to be patient at times when he was center stage. One thing I found Maugham did quite well is to be fair to his characters. Take Larry: when Larry finally discusses his wanderings and his search for meaning, although Maugham disagrees with much of what he says (as he also does with certain ways or opinions of other of his characters) he does not stack the deck or create a straw man by representing Larry's point of view poorly, and his own well, ensuring his own opinion to be the "winner." In fact, I read Larry's story and found fault with many of the narrator's own objections and comments. In most cases, writers aren't able to be so honest as Maugham has been here. Maugham wasn't perfect, as is no one. He does use "sweet" to describe Larry more than a few times, but that is not the extent of his descriptive phraseology for him at all. And after describing Isabel early on in chapter 6 at some length, he ruins his own efforts with a clumsy and needless summation "She was in short sexually a very attractive young woman." However, I prefer to recognize such things in their proper context: every piece of art that one cares to name, no matter whether it is a book, a painting or a piece of music, is likely to be the most favorite of one person and the most hated of another. Looking at the book as a whole, if you like it you can't fault it too much for what are in your opinion only minor errors after all. Readers should not make the mistake of reading as editors. The job of the editor is to be picky so that the publisher can say that someone made the effort. The job of the reader of a novel is, at the very least, like that of a good dancer paired with another of lesser skill: to attempt to lead the book in a way so that one enjoys the read as best one can.
On the idea that "there was no plot" in the book, or that it was "only peripherally about Larry's search for meaning": Many readers make the mistake of thinking that the point of reading novels is simply to find out what happens. "What's it about?" they want to know, as if it were as easy as asking for directions to the nearest McDonalds. What about subtlety? Even a literature student should appreciate that. Even so, Maugham has written a book that does, in fact, feature a plot, which is the unfolding mystery of the events of and surrounding Larry's adult life. That some elements are closer to and some farther from his life doesn't mean that Maugham has just offered a "snapshot" of life with no point or direction. Perhaps the comment from another reader is simply the result of having read too many simple books that are nothing more than paper television.
Rating:
Summary: I'm going to go ahead and recommend it
Review: The Razor's Edge came recommend to me from a source I trust. And while it hasn't made my list of greatest books written, it is a good book to read. It's tough to give a synopsis of the book, since like so many other British writers there isn't much of a plot, more of a portrait of a group within society. I guess you could say it is the story of Larry Darrell's search for God. But it only touches on spiritual matters. It doesn't go into the discussion we hope for. (If you're looking for a treatise on spirituality, read Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land, Kerouac's The Dharma Bums, and Anne Rice's Tale of the Body Theif) Maugham himself is a character and narrator of the book. He sort of reminds me of Nick in The Great Gatsby, but only a little. Maugham is a part of the action, but still separate from it. What this book reminds me of is a work by Jane Austen, but written better (I'm known for my dislike of Austen's work). I don't really get into Brit lit from the 18th and 19th centuries, but this book reminds me of that period. But written in such a way I found I enjoyed it. There isn't much linear structure to the novel. A lot of the action takes place in flashback, or in stories told in flashbacks. But Maugham keeps the reader from being confused. The book reads like a book. You know how some stories draw you in, to the point where you are a part of the story? The Razor's Edge isn't like that. You always feel like you are reading a book written by the narrator or that the narrator is telling you the story. There is a distance between the reader and the narrator and the narrator and the story. I think that is what holds the book back.
Rating:
Summary: Good in depth portraits and journeys
Review: Unfortunately I was somewhat distracted from the unique aspects of the book by the film version starring Bill Murray in one of his few (if at all) serious roles. Murray was excellent as Larry, the main character of the book and his life story attracted me very much being somewhat akin to Maugham's own story eg. he served in World War I as an ambulance driver on the front, as in the film, rather than as an airman, as in the book. I speak of the movie since it had a strong effect on me while reading the book, all of the characters of the book were influenced by the corresponding ones of the film. there were some differences such as I mentioned already and some others such as the character of Gray was played by a man quite different from the one in the film and Elliot's demise financially in the film is completely different from the book. However Isabel was very similar in character as was her friend Sophie. Larry's trips all over the world such as India were also different as well as his eventual gain of independence from his books as he burnt them in the film whereas he continued to rely on them in the book. I do believe that it is the film in fact which better portrays what would really have happened in such a journey from Larry's trip into the Himalayas and his meeting of the Guru who says "I've been waiting for you" which is very profound and his curing of the psychological illness of his friend Gray on his return and the obvious detachment of Larry from the world. I always felt that Larry's own development is better portrayed in the film rather than the book, even near the end of the story Larry is still somewhat dependent on his study/books whereas he has relinquished their hold on him in the film and becomes a completely independent soul, just living, in the film. Like an earlier reviewer noted the book is written in a formal way probably a result of the time it was written in, early 20th Century, and not a result of the author's personality. Maugham's stay in Paris also influenced his style heavily capturing his feelings of living in Paris of the time. Isabel is well portrayed although her character has more depth in the book than the film. Elliot leads more of an empty life in both film and book. Altogether the book displays how people can live their lives and how very different those lives can eg. be the need for the security of money of Isabel, the social acceptance needed by Elliot, Gray's simple devotion to Isabel all fascinating and good in depth portraits.
Rating:
Summary: A New Religion?
Review: A friend recomended this novel to me since it "redefined her religion." I can certainly understand--Larry's journey of self-discovery can easily appeal to people looking for a new way to define their own spirituality. The ideas are as fresh today as they probably were when the book was first published. Discovering a way to satisfy oneself spiritually that does not fulfill the expectations of the masses is still a dangerous way to live life, but is an incredible ideal. What I really loved about the book though was the setting. Paris, the home away from home for most of the characters, can be spiritually reinvigorating in its own way. Seeing Maugham's wonderfully varied characters interact in my favorite city in the world was a treat. Imagining the possibility of having an all night conversation about God and life in a Parisian cafe, like Larry and Maugham did in the most important chapter of the book is a dream. It was wonderful to see the possibilities through such wonderful prose. My only problem with The Razor's Edge is Maugham's "sexism" (the best word I can use to describe it). For example, his primary attraction to Isabel is her beauty, which he finds necessary to describe in detail at least three separate times. He seems to enjoy the view of woman as fickle and as a sexual beast. Of the three main female characters one is a whore (albeit one whome he respects), another is a drug addict/whore, and the other gives up her true love for solely for monetary gain who he accuses of indirect murder. Overall, I highly recomend the work, but take everything with a grain of salt.
Rating:
Summary: delight.
Review: i fell in love with larry early on in this book. it was his sincerity, i think, that did me in. after having watched the movie version of this book and finding bill murray's larry only slightly likable, i was surprised to be so fully engaged in the book. and surpised to see that the larry maugham wrote was the same character that bill murray played, only i could see something in him that i missed on the screeen. in the movie, i sympathized with isabel's character in the beginning. but the book had me seeing a new side of her as well. her blatant naivete frustrated my reading, and i couldn't begin to understand how she could reason the way she did. this is a beautiful book. i was drawn into the story by the delightful beginning, where maugham sets out his intentions for telling the story. i find it so endearing when authors let the reader in on what feels like secrets of the story. it builds an intimate tone into the book that never fails to enchant me. let yourself fall in love with larry's sincere curiosity. let yourself be frustrated by isabel's unending snobbishness. and all the other aspects of the book that maugham has carefully placed throughout to engage his readers.
Rating:
Summary: A Classic
Review: This is one of my favorite books. I love the way Maugham places himself into the story as observer, and his incredible insight of the wonderful characters. Larry's pursuit of spiritual fulfillment, and his resulting conclusions are told in a way as to illuminate the conundrums we all have regarding religion and higher powers. Isabelle is the original material girl, but a feast to Maughams eyes. Elliott has to be the biggest snob on the face of the earth, yet Maugham delights the reader with his snobbery and foibles. The sub-story of the tragic Sophie, reveals to us that human nature never changes. The book is set in the late 20's and 30's, yet one could write the very same story today. In fact I would like to see a skilled writer give it a shot!
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