TagCakes and Ale – Or, the Skeleton in the Cupboard

"Cakes and Ale – Or, the Skeleton in the Cupboard" by W Somerset Maugham is a satirical novel that tells the story of a successful author, William Ashenden, who is approached by a fellow writer, Alroy Kear, to write a biography of the deceased literary giant, Edward Driffield. Ashenden travels to various locations to gather material for the biography and meets Driffield's former wife, Rosie, who is portrayed as a promiscuous woman and the inspiration for many of Driffield's literary characters. Through Ashenden's interactions with various characters, including Rosie, Kear, and Driffield's daughter, it becomes clear that the literary world is full of hypocrisy and pretentiousness. Ultimately, Ashenden decides not to write the biography and instead writes a novel inspired by Rosie's life. The novel ends with a cynical commentary on the fickleness of fame and the fleeting nature of literary success.