The Servant (Valancourt 20th Century Classics)

In this dark, haunting tale, Richard Merton recounts the story of his close friend, Tony, a young lawyer recently returned from the war, and the subtle, sinister destruction of his personality by his servant, Barrett. Seeking ease and comfort, Tony hires Barrett to cater to his needs, not realizing that his new servant has a hidden agenda. As Barrett gradually and insidiously leads his employer into physical and moral degradation, the roles of master and servant will become grotesquely reversed. Robin Maugham’s modern classic The Servant (1948) was hailed by The New York Times as ‘a masterpiece of writing’ and was adapted for a celebrated 1963 film version directed by Joseph Losey and scripted by Harold Pinter. This new edition includes a preface by Maugham from the 1973 edition explaining the origins of the novel and a new introduction by William Lawrence. ‘A highly skilled portrait . . . succeeds as a horror story of considerable brightness and sharpness.’ – Kirkus Reviews ‘It’s shocking, brilliantly written, completely absorbing.’ – Chicago Daily News ‘The story has a quiet and absolutely terrifying inevitability . . . reminiscent of Henry James himself.’ – News Chronicle ‘An exquisite work of art . . . a masterpiece of observation and craftsmanship.’ – Sheffield Telegram ‘One of those little story gems you seldom come across these days ... a plausible picture of human collapse told with insight and considerable skill.’ – New York World Telegram

In this dark, haunting tale, Richard Merton recounts the story of his close friend, Tony, a young lawyer recently returned from the war, and the subtle, sinister destruction of his personality by his servant, Barrett. Seeking ease and comfort, Tony hires Barrett to cater to his needs, not realizing that his new servant has a hidden agenda. As Barrett gradually and insidiously leads his employer into physical and moral degradation, the roles of master and servant will become grotesquely reversed. Robin Maugham’s modern classic The Servant (1948) was hailed by The New York Times as ‘a masterpiece of writing’ and was adapted for a celebrated 1963 film version directed by Joseph Losey and scripted by Harold Pinter. This new edition includes a preface by Maugham from the 1973 edition explaining the origins of the novel and a new introduction by William Lawrence. ‘A highly skilled portrait . . . succeeds as a horror story of considerable brightness and sharpness.’–Kirkus Reviews ‘It’s shocking, brilliantly written, completely absorbing.’–Chicago Daily News ‘The story has a quiet and absolutely terrifying inevitability . . . reminiscent of Henry James himself.’–News Chronicle ‘An exquisite work of art . . . a masterpiece of observation and craftsmanship.’–Sheffield Telegram ‘One of those little story gems you seldom come across these days ... a plausible picture of human collapse told with insight and considerable skill.’–New York World Telegram