W. Somerset Maugham’s fame comes down to two books, both of which are often assigned in high school English classes: The Moon and Sixpence and Of Human Bondage. As great as they are, I prefer exploring the hidden treasures of a writer’s career. Liza of Lambeth is the reward of being an adventurous reader.

Liza of Lambeth, Maugham’s first novel, is about the life and times of Liza, a factory worker in a working class London neighborhood during Queen Victoria’s Jubilee. The novel reads quickly and fluidly, like a play, because it is written mostly in dialogue. It tells the story of the final months of Liza’s life. It’s a difficult read at times, because it shows young Liza as she settles on a romantic partner and is heavily judged by her neighbors of Vere Street. This is a story about collective cruelty and the horrors of domestic abuse.

Maugham demonstrates a gift for writing natural, human dialogue. Maugham uses long dialogue passages to illustrate entire narrative arcs. For instance, Liza’s affair with the older Jim Blakeston is depicted only as a line of whispered conversations. The effect of all these conversations is to make readers feel like they are on Vere Street, listening to the characters’ mockery and gossip. Even at the end of the novel, as Liza (spoiler alert!) lies dying after being beaten by her husband and miscarrying a baby, her mother is obsessed with making sure that Liza has a “very respectable” funeral. Contrasted against the Queen’s Jubilee, the story questions what society cares about and pays attention to. Liza is abused not just by her husband, but also by an endless factory of gossip.

There is a nihilistic quality to the novel’s focus on human cruelty, which is a common thread in Maugham’s literature. Even simple street exchanges are full of judgment:

'Knocked 'em in the Old Kent Road. Yah, ah, knocked 'em in the Old Kent Road!'
'Oo, Liza!' they shouted; the whole street joined in, and they gave long, shrill, ear-piercing shrieks and strange calls, that rung down the street and echoed back again.
'Hextra special!' called out a wag.

However, Liza’s sincere hope keeps us rooting for her. We can relate to her naïve search for true love, which leads her to reject the good guy, Tom, in favor of the cruel but powerful Jim. We mourn her dreams with her.

Liza of Lambeth is a simple story, but it is told well. It was inspired by Maugham’s work as a young obstetric resident working with the poor women of London. It is a humane story about an inhumane world. I recommend that all aspiring writers give it a chance. It contains many compelling lessons in its unique dialogue structure and tragic narrative.