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Portrait image of W. Somerset Maugham Photo: 1929 Bassano/Camera Press / TT

Sample of authors

Maugham, W. Somerset

William Somerset Maugham was a British author born in Paris. His father was a lawyer at the British Embassy there. When Maugham was eight years old, his mother died of tuberculosis, two years later his father died of cancer and the boy was sent to live with his uncle, the Vicar of Whitstable in Kent. Maugham suffered from a serious stammer, he was shy and avoided speaking in public; unlike his...

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Literary figures

Simon Templar

Gender: Male

Little is known about his background, but already when he was only 19 years old, Englishman Simon Templar started be called The Saint probably on account of his initials. He is an adventurer and thief who is described as a modern Robin Hood (which in some respects is debatable) but he also features as a detective and, for example, combats organised crime in several of Leslie Charteris’ many s...

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