Ashenden, Or: The British AgentAshenden: The British Agent is founded on Maugham's experiences in the English Intelligence Department during World War I, but rearranged for the purposes of fiction. This fascinating book contains the most expert stories of espionage ever written. For a period of time after it was first published the book became official required reading for persons entering the secret service. The plot follows the imaginary John Ashenden who during World War I is a spy for British Intelligence. He is sent first to Geneva and later to Russia. Instead of one story from start to finish, the chapters contain individual stories involving many different characters. All of the people whom Ashenden meets during his travels have their own reason for being involved in the spy game, and each are more complex than they first look. |
From inside the book
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Page 157
... Lucerne since he was a boy and but vaguely remembered a covered bridge , a great stone lion and a church in which he had sat , bored yet im . pressed , while they played an organ ; and now wan- dering along a shady quay ( and the lake ...
... Lucerne since he was a boy and but vaguely remembered a covered bridge , a great stone lion and a church in which he had sat , bored yet im . pressed , while they played an organ ; and now wan- dering along a shady quay ( and the lake ...
Page 158
... Lucerne reminded him of wax flowers under glass cases and cuckoo clocks and fancy work in Berlin wool . So long at all events as the fine weather lasted he was prepared to enjoy him- self . He did not see why he should not at least try ...
... Lucerne reminded him of wax flowers under glass cases and cuckoo clocks and fancy work in Berlin wool . So long at all events as the fine weather lasted he was prepared to enjoy him- self . He did not see why he should not at least try ...
Page 168
... Lucerne . It's an oasis of peace in this war - weary world . When you're here you might almost forget that there is such a thing as a war going on . That is why I've come here . I'm a journalist by profession . " " I couldn't help ...
... Lucerne . It's an oasis of peace in this war - weary world . When you're here you might almost forget that there is such a thing as a war going on . That is why I've come here . I'm a journalist by profession . " " I couldn't help ...
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Common terms and phrases
agent Alix ambassador Anastasia Alexandrovna answer Ashen Ashenden felt Ashenden knew Ashenden looked Ashenden saw Ashenden thought asked Ashenden baroness bassador Bolsheviks Brindisi Byring Caypor chance Chandra Colonel course cried Delilah detective dine dinner door enden English everything eyes face Fafner feeling fellow fool France Fritzi gave Geneva German Giulia give glance Gustav Hairless Mexican hand Harrington head heart Herbert Witherspoon Holzminden hour humour lake laughed Lausanne Lazzari letter Lucerne married Mexican opened mind Miss King Monsieur morning neutral country never night notion O'Malley once opened Paris passport Petrograd play round Russian scrambled eggs seemed shoulders shrugged Sir Herbert sitting smile Somerville stood story Swiss Switzerland talk tell there's thing Thonon tion told took train turned Vladimir wait walked watched wife woman wondered word write