BLAM design
 
Recommended Books
 
NIBS
www.nibs.tk  
 Recommended Books
»www.nibs.tk«
In English
»An ABC-Book«
»An Elegant Hand«
»Bizarro«
»Carl Barks : Conversations«
»Century Dictionary«
»Curious George«
»Digital Prepress for Comic Books«
»Freehand Lettering«
»How to draw Manga«
»Johnston's Underground Type«
»Mastering Copperplate«
»1984«
»Of Human Bondage«
»Ornate Pictorial Calligraphy«
»The Pencil«
»Speedball Textbook«
»The Universal Penman«
»US Navy - Illustrator Draftsman«
»Winnie-the-Pooh«
»Writing & Illuminating & Lettering«
»Zanerian Manual«
–
*Search Libraries and Antiquarian Booksellers
 
 Steel Pen Nibs
www.nibs.tk
Brause
Esterbrook
Gillott
Hiro-Leonardt
Josiah Mason
Soennecken
Spencerian
Vintage ads
Pen links

 W. Somerset  Maugham
Of Human Bondage
W. Somerset  Maugham
Hardcover, 588pp
Wildside Press LLC
ISBN 0809587696

»'It is very difficult for a writer of my generation, if he is honest, to pretend indifference to the work of Somerset Maugham,' wrote Gore Vidal. 'He was always so entirely there.' Originally published in 1915, Of Human Bondage is a potent expression of the power of sexual obsession and of modern man's yearning for freedom.«


Buy the hardcover book
Of Human Bondage from our US advertiser Barnes & Noble
[0809587696:Product Link on Barnes & Noble.com. ]
-
Of Human Bondage
W. Somerset  Maugham
Mass Market Paperback, 704pp
Wildside Press LLC
ISBN 0451525566 Signet Classics Edition
Twentieth Century Classics Series

Order the paperback book
Of Human Bondage from our US advertiser Barnes & Noble
[0451525566:Product Link on Barnes & Noble.com.]
   
advertisers

Barnes& Noble.com
GET REAL NIBS!
40,000 Art and Craft Supplies
New and Vintage Steel Pen Nibs - Online Catalog
 
BLAM
home

 
*
 
 
W. Somerset Maugham : Of Human Bondage
CHAPTER XII
 
The Greatest Novel Of Our Time : Of Human BondageAbout half-way through the term a mania ran through the school for a game called Nibs. It was a game for two, played on a table or a form with steel pens. You had to push your nib with the finger-nail so as to get the point of it over your opponent's, while he manoeuvred to prevent this and to get the point of his nib over the back of yours; when this result was achieved you breathed on the ball of your thumb, pressed it hard on the two nibs, and if you were able then to lift them without dropping either, both nibs became yours. Soon nothing was seen but boys playing this game, and the more skilful acquired vast stores of nibs. But in a little while Mr. Watson made up his mind that it was a form of gambling, forbade the game, and confiscated all the nibs in the boys' possession.
 
Philip had been very adroit, and it was with a heavy heart that he gave up his winning; but his fingers itched to play still, and a few days later, on his way to the football field, he went into a shop and bought a pennyworth of J pens. He carried them loose in his pocket and enjoyed feeling them. Presently Singer found out that he had them. Singer had given up his nibs too, but he had kept back a very large one, called a Jumbo, which was almost unconquerable, and he could not resist the opportunity of getting Philip's Js out of him. Though Philip knew that he was at a disadvantage with his small nibs, he had an adventurous disposition and was willing to take the risk; besides, he was aware that Singer would not allow him to refuse. He had not played for a week and sat down to the game now with a thrill of excitement. He lost two of his small nibs quickly, and Singer was jubilant, but the third time by some chance the Jumbo slipped round and Philip was able to push his J across it. He crowed with triumph. At that moment Mr. Watson came in.
 
“What are you doing?” he asked.

He looked from Singer to Philip, but neither answered.

“Don't you know that I've forbidden you to play that idiotic game?”

Philip's heart beat fast. He knew what was coming and was dreadfully frightened, but in his fright there was a certain exultation. He had never been swished. Of course it would hurt, but it was something to boast about afterwards.

“Come into my study.”

The headmaster turned, and they followed him side by side Singer whispered to Philip:
 
“We're in for it.”
 
Mr. Watson pointed to Singer.
 
Philip, very white, saw the boy quiver at each stroke, and after the third he heard him cry out. Three more followed.
 
“That'll do. Get up.”
 
Singer stood up. The tears were streaming down his face. Philip stepped forward. Mr. Watson looked at him for a moment.
 
“I'm not going to cane you. You're a new boy. And I can't hit a cripple. Go away, both of you, and don't be naughty again.”
 
When they got back into the school-room a group of boys, who had learned in some mysterious way what was happening, were waiting for them. They set upon Singer at once with eager questions. Singer faced them, his face red with the pain and marks of tears still on his cheeks. He pointed with his head at Philip, who was standing a little behind him.
 
“He got off because he's a cripple,” he said angrily.
 
Philip stood silent and flushed. He felt that they looked at him with contempt.

“How many did you get?” one boy asked Singer.
 
But he did not answer. He was angry because he had been hurt.
 
“Don't ask me to play Nibs with you again,” he said to Philip. “It's jolly nice for you. You don't risk anything.” continue...
Quote from Somerset Maugham's novel Of Human Bondage,
chapter 12, first published in 1915.
free! Download ‘The Greatest Novel Of Our Time’: Of Human Bondage, by W. Somerset  Maugham at Project Gutenberg [click here]
* Read the complete Chapter 12 online — Print Printer Friendly
* Read about the broken pen-holder in Chapter 13
 

 
Buy the book Of Human Bondage from our US advertiser Barnes & Noble
| Hardcover | Paperback |
 


   
 More about Steel Nibs
*How Steel Pens and Nibs Are Made — »The Children's Encyclopaedias«, London 1899.
*Vintage advertisements and Steel Pen catalogs.
*Pen Links — nibs, fountain pens, pencils...
 
 Links
Project Gutenberg »Project Gutenberg — download free books
Booksearch »Search libraries and antiquarian booksellers
Nibs.tk »Nibs.tk — about new and vintage steel pen nibs.
vintage nibs »Vintage Steel Pen Catalogs and advertisements from my collection.
dip pens »Pen and nib links Dip pens, Nibs, Pen points, Pen tips, Pen holders, Pen staffs, Fountain pens, Leadholders, Pencils, Drafting tools and other writing & drawing instruments.
Click her for your favorite eBay items »eBay — Search eBay auctions. Go to Collectibles > Autographs, Paper & Writing > Writing Instruments > Calligraphy Tools
   

 

BLAM
BLAM design
Hans Presto
Stockholm
SWEDEN
contact

latest update 27-Jun-2006
http://hans.presto.tripod.com /isbn/0809587696.html
 


 Search
PicoSearch
_
»search the site
or browse the site map
 
 
The Author

Maugham, W. Somerset
William Somerset Maugham
(1874-1965)
–
Public domain image from the Library of Congress taken by Carl Van Vechten in 1934.
–
*William Somerset Maugham was an English playwright, novelist and short story writer. Maugham wrote comedies, psychological novels and spy stories. Maugham's masterpiece is generally agreed to be Of Human Bondage, an autobiographical novel which deals with the life of Philip Carey.
Read more about Somerset Maugham in Wikipedia
–
Google Directory
Find Somerset Maugham sites
in the Google Directory
–
eBay Search eBay auctions for Somerset Maugham collectibles, books, videos, dvd's, posters, prints, lobby-cards, memorabilia...
–
The Movies
Bette Davis DVD
FILM Read more on IMDb.com
Leslie Howard / Bette Davis (1934)
Paul Henreid / Eleanor Parker (1946)
Kim Novak / Laurence Harvey (1964)
–
1934
Bette Davis - Leslie Howard 1934
vintage poster from
eBay.com

 
1946
Bette Davis - Leslie Howard 1934
poster from
eBay.com

 
1964
Kim Novak - Laurence Harvey 1964
image from
Classic Movie Favorites

 
–
advertisement
Kim Novak - Of Human Bondage 1964
Search eBay for Movie Posters
–
swedish ”Of Human Bondage” — romanens svenska titel är ”Människans slaveri” (övers. Lisbeth och Louis Renner.)
*Leta på bibliotek och antikvariat
 
Using Markers
 
www.nibs.tk
The American Penman
Steel Pens Nibs
NIBS STORE

*

 

[ Steel Pens || Brause || Esterbrook || Gillott || Hiro-Leonardt ]
[
Josiah Mason || Soennecken || Spencerian ]top
 

 
All images, characters, logos and trademarks are property of their respective owners and are used here either with permission or in an editorial fashion only. Content on this site is ©1999-2006 BLAM®. Hans Presto is a Swedish lettering-artist and art-teacher. BLAM design supplies new and vintage steel pen nibs (pen points) to Scandinavian cartoonists and calligraphers.
BLAM Nibs.tk steel nibs links NIB STORE
 
advertisement
 
DVD & Video Store