William Somerset Maugham (January 25, 1874 – December 16, 1965) was a deceased English novelist and playwright. He was one of the most popular writers of the early 20th century and one of the most profitable authors of the 1930s. He was famous for his prolific writings, which ranged from plays to short stories and political books. He was distinguished as a realistic writer who drew his stories from life and his observations of people during his many travels.
He was born in Paris, where he learned and mastered French. He then returned to study in England, then moved to the University of Heidelberg in Germany. He then traveled to Italy and learned Italian in Florence. Thus, in his youth, he amassed a wealth of knowledge and information and mastered several languages.
He wrote his novel, *Lisa of Lambeth*, when he was twenty-three years old. He derived its themes from his observations as a medical student training in a London hospital, where he encountered poverty and witnessed the conditions of the poor.
Although he studied medicine, he was not drawn to it. He also disliked the legal profession beforehand, and instead turned to literature, especially after the success of his first novel, *Lisa of Lambeth*, which became considered a masterpiece of realistic fiction.