The present book reviews W. Somerset Maugham's stories from psychological, historical and literary criticism points of view. Chapter One places Maugham in the context of the art of story writing. In chapter Two Freud's model of psychoanalysis has been explained. Chapter Three, Four and Five contain detailed analysis of Maugham's stories. In the Conclusion we have reviewed Maugham's characters in the context of Albert Memmi's concept of Messiah complex. In a nutshell Maugham's art of storytelling involves an imaginative use of his extensive reading, experience, an insight in understanding of human nature and a deceptively simple style.