WOW!! THANK YOU!! These stories are a magnifcent gift to those who enjoy listening to wonderful words strung impeccably together - like so many pearls!

Wow. What a story. Nothing about it feels contrived, in the way that other complicated short stories wrap up. This story is just as real as real. Marvelous. Thank you---

Thank you. Somerset Maugham is such a great story teller. I didn't see the end coming and had to go and get myself a cup of tea. Narration was good and I love your artwork. 🙂

I love your narration. Thanks for all you work.

I loved the film with Joan Crawford and Walter Huston.

So many thoughts… The hypocrisy of colonialism… self righteousness of religion…. Marvelous depiction of the monsoon season wearing on the nerves…. And then the ending. Thank you! ❤

In response to the 1st listed comment, I ask why?. I have recently had my 65th birthday. It wasn't until reading this comment that I'd thought of a person's thinking with age. This appears unfathomable to me. Regardless this is remarkable short story written by a talented author. Bravo! Excellent!

Splendid. Many Thanks 🌹🇦🇺

Thank you 🙏

Again thank you so much for sharing 💙💙💙

At last, a good story with a clear unhurried reader bringing it to life😊, and BONUS ... no pesky annoying distracting "music" drowning the voice.

Woooooow. I was not expecting that. Holy cow.

Heart of darkness. Thank you

Everything SM wrote is worth knowing but this story has always been at the top of my list of anyone's writings, it's such a true portrayal of the times, the attitudes and the reason religion needs to be curtailed and separate from law in society.

When I was younger i would have thought that the ending of this short story was quite predictable Today I see the ending as a horrible injustice against everything good in Life, the blight of Life it self.

An excellent story that exhibits a great deal of the attitudes of colonialism and xenophobia of its time. It also paints a (deservedly, to my mind) bleak picture of missionaries that remains a valid critique of that nightmarish enterprise.

A great authorr.

"No-one has danced in our district for 8 years...". 😅

Wonderful

Excellent!!! Thank you

Pago Pago is pronounced Pango Pango.

À visionary genius

I found the ending amusing in an odd way, but having to slog through the whole story? Meh. What Maugham illustrates, however, is a certain kind of personality that feels a need to force a belief system onto others out of fear. I don't see self-righteousness or hypocrisy as inherently a part of Christian evangelism or certain kinds of colonialism, and I somehow doubt that the author does either. One can encounter the same kind of personality whatever the "religion" is: Islam, feminism, transgenderism, environmentalism, socialism, whatever. Get Richard Dawkins going on atheism, for example. Or Greta Thunberg on Saving the World. These religious "missionaries" have their own concepts of mortal sin and paths to redemption, and can be just as oppressive in trying to enforce them. What they don't have - and this was Mr. Davidson's problem - is any sense of peace and joy.

I didn’t understand the ending.

I don't like that piano standing where it is on the deck! Looks rather unsafe to me!

Religion does need to be controlled, but true Christianity needs to spread, it has brought such benefits to the world, we could do with much,much more of it.

🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏👏👏👏👏👏💕

A tragic and compelling tale. I'm sorry for the uncharitable light missionaries are painted in... Many of whom endured great suffering and gave their lives to bring the story of salvation to the nations. Sadly, where there is great misapplication of the Scriptures there will always be great hypocrisy and abuses of power in it's wake.

Far more impressed with the language than the very implausible plot.

With such good reason this is regarded by some as S. Maugham's best short story, now that thanks to this medium I've heard several: extremely powerful on so many levels: pro female liberation when that was hardly the thing, a comprehension of what colonialism was, the sin the church bore against indigenous populations...viewed through the eyes of a doctor. Truly a great short story. I look forward to more!

I took the story as an 'export' version of a common theme of Maugham. Specifically: hypocrisy. More generally: People are frequently not what they seem. For worse or for better. For an example that tends the 'better' way, find 'The necklace'.

Thanks for this. 😏🫵👍

I don't understand 😔

Good story. I was hoping Miss Thompson would kill him though. A gal had to do what she had to do in a tough male dominated world. From the p.o.v. of an indigenous person I've got to say, "Missionaries, am I right"?

Stereotypical explanations can't touch the depth of genius description of human nature. It's far more than about colonial times.

I have lived my life without religion and have had no problem . I have helped many people and never wanted or expected anything . I did it because I wanted to and to make an example to my children I have no problem with religion but that's between you and your God. Not me . I have always thought people that push religion are insecure and can't be satisfied unless others buy in with them . Just like abortion I don't like it but that's between the woman the doctor and if In the end they can explain it to the god if he is real I guess.. just my opinion.

No surprises here

I'm disappointed. I'd say it was predictable but SM isnt what I'd call a predictable writer.

Davidson is a total caricature. Why would SM create such a one-dimensional, inhuman character? Maybe the answer is suggested by his biography.

Kind of a predictable ending really. I didn’t think this was the great story it was advertised to be.

As Patrick Henry famously said, "Give me Dickens, Conrad, Poe, Doyle, Wilde, and the Russian authors presented on your channel or give me death!"