The Painted Veil
William Heinemann 1925.
First UK edition, second issue, as usual with cancels. Original blue cloth titled in gilt to the spine and upper cover, in pictorial dustwrapper. A near fine copy, with some foxing to the page edges and prelims, in a very good dustwrapper, with the red lettering faded from the spine, a little wear to the spine ends and small chip to the base of the spine.
Set in Hong Kong and inspired Maugham's visit to China in 1920, the first issue was recalled prior to publication following objections by the Hong Kong government, and reissued with cancel pages changing references to Canton, Happy Valley and Hong Kong to fictitious place names.
Maugham's inspiration for the character of Kitty Fane, and thus the central plot, came from the account of Pia of Siena from Dante's Purgatorio, first read when he was twenty.
Uncommon in dustwrapper.
Scott A33c
Stock ID: 40391
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