Friends of Maugham

The House of Doors 

by Tan Twan Eng

“All of us will be forgotten eventually. Like a wave on the ocean, leaving no trace that it had once existed.' He shook his head. 'We will be remembered through our stories.”   ― Tan Twan Eng, The House of Doors





This is a book that grew on me in the sense that it became more and more engrossing and ultimately very powerful in an emotional sense. It was not a simple story as it involved a famous novelist, a Chinese statesman, and a murder trial. These disparate aspects were held together by the connections to a husband, Robert, and his wife, Lesley.

It examines issues of cultural dissonance, memory, and loss. In doing so the narrative centers on the lives of two well-known individuals from the early 20th century—Sun Yat Sen and W. Somerset Maugham—and is set in Penang. The book also reflects on the power of stories and their ability to cut across time and cultural boundaries.

The House of Doors also alternates between a heated courtroom drama that centers on the Proudlock affair, a meditation on how and why we tell stories, and a portrait of the artist in crisis. In a way, it is also a political saga that follows Lesley's path to self-determination and social activism.

Along with the stunning countryside, one learns about Dr. Sun Yat Sen and his friends. This expanded my library of books by and about Maugham and brought back memories of his short stories.