"Ashenden, a British Agent" Author: [British] Maugham Publisher: Guangxi Normal University Press

Introduction
"'Ashenden, the British Agent' is unique. There is no greater spy novel." - Raymond Chandler
"The modern spy novel began with Maugham's Ashenden, a British Agent." - Julian Simon
"Maugham was the first person to write about espionage with a sobering, almost everyday realism." -- John le Carré
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During the First World War, Maugham, who was already a well-known writer, was sent by MI6 to the European continent to engage in secret intelligence work. He later used this personal experience as material to create a series of independent short stories, which were compiled into a book, "Ashenden, the British Agent". This work is hailed as one of the greatest British spy novels, setting the tone for a new generation of spy literature and influencing many writers including Ian Fleming, the father of "007", Graham Greene, John le Carré and others.
Maugham uses agent Ashenden as the character that connects the stories, and creates an impressive group of characters through a narrative that is both literary and realistic, and a humorous and sharp style. In these thrilling, treacherous and absurd stories, Maugham is still most interested in the human nature that appears in extraordinary situations, and he has never lost his calm eyesight and attention to the things around him.
In 1951, Maugham published a four-volume collection of his short stories, which included 91 stories in total. He personally determined the titles and order of the stories and wrote a preface for each volume. In 1963, Penguin Books launched a new edition based on this, which has since been recognized as the standard edition and has been reprinted many times. The Utopia edition of "Maugham's Short Stories" (four volumes) is translated from the 2002 Penguin edition, and for the first time reproduces the full picture of Maugham's short stories in a wonderful translation. "Ashendon, a British Agent" is the third volume.
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【Recommended comments】
Zhang Dinghao (poet and literary critic): Fortunately, we have cutting-edge translators who can understand the subtleties of literary language and comedy. To some extent, Maugham has been given a new look in Chinese... Every time I see those "boring realism" novels in journals that are either nagging or self-boasting, I want to throw this new translation of Maugham at them like a brick.
Xiaobao (writer, critic): He (Chen Yikan) is really a rare translator of Maugham. I have also read many translations of Maugham's works. His translations obviously follow Maugham's writing style in his subjective intention, which is very difficult.
One Way Street Bookstore Literary Award: When a writer starts to become popular, it often means that our understanding of him enters a slow pause period. In this sense, Chen Yikan's translation of Maugham's short stories is a new excavation. His love for Maugham, his moderate sense of distance, and his rigorous language skills between the two are unique and lead readers into a channel to face the wit and charm of Maugham's short stories.
About the Author
Author | William Somerset Maugham (1874-1965)
A famous British novelist, playwright, and short story writer. He once worked as a doctor, but later devoted himself to writing. His works inherit the tradition of British realism, often looking at life with a calm, ironic, and even compassionate attitude, with sharp humor and a transcendent tone. His representative novels include "Of Human Bondage", "The Moon and Sixpence", and "The Razor's Edge".
Maugham was the most famous short story writer in the world at that time. His short stories won him numerous readers and have remained popular for a long time, becoming a global phenomenon with his superb skills in weaving stories and his keen insights into human nature and social life.