"I would sooner read a time-table or a catalogue than nothing at all. They are much more entertaining than half the novels that are written"

W. Somerset Maugham’s remark reveals a sharp, somewhat caustic wit aimed at the state of popular literature. By comparing time-tables and catalogues, mundane, seemingly dull records of facts, to novels, he makes a provocative statement about the nature of entertainment and the value of fiction. Maugham’s preference for reading time-tables or catalogues over certain novels is not merely an offhand dismissal of fiction, but rather an indictment of formulaic or uninspired storytelling that, in his eyes, fails to surpass even the barest lists of times or objects.

Time-tables and catalogues are straightforward, functional documents. They have structure, purpose, and clarity; there is no pretension in a train schedule or a retail list. Many novels, however, especially those written to satisfy market trends rather than genuine inspiration, can be encumbered by clichés, overwrought prose, or lackluster plots. Maugham suggests that such works are less engaging than the transparent utility of non-fictional records, which, while lacking narrative, at least serve a clear purpose and can stimulate the imagination in their own fashion, evoking travel, commerce, or the passage of time.

Maugham’s point underscores the idea that reading, at its core, is about engagement of the mind, not necessarily the content itself. If a work of fiction fails to spark curiosity, emotion, or reflection, it may as well be replaced with a list of train departures; at least, with a time-table or catalogue, the reader can dream about remote destinations, imagine bygone eras, or contemplate the objects and places behind the entries.

At another level, Maugham’s wit hints at the potential pleasures of the ordinary. There’s a subtle celebration of curiosity for the everyday, suggesting that one need not rely on grand fiction for intellectual or imaginative engagement; sometimes the facts of life, simply presented, offer their own quiet amusement.