First American edition. Lacks jacket. Spine faded, all spine gilt lost, front hinge just beginning to loosen, ink name on front endpaper. 1930 Hard Cover. We have more books available by this author!. 308, [4] pp. 8vo. Original black cloth. Cakes and Ale is a delicious satire of London literary society between the Wars. Social climber Alroy Kear is flattered when he is selected by Edward Driffield's wife to pen the official biography of her lionized novelist husband, and determined to write a bestseller. But then Kear discovers the great novelist's voluptuous muse (and unlikely first wife), Rosie. The lively, loving heroine once gave Driffield enough material to last a lifetime, but now her memory casts an embarrassing shadow over his career and respectable image. Wise, witty, deeply satisfying, Cakes and Ale is Maugham at his best.