# The Maugham Obsession by August Derleth

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-lost-sci-fi-podcast-vintage-sci-fi-short-stories-5315368/the-maugham-obsession-by-august-derleth
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-lost-sci-fi-podcast-vintage-sci-fi-short-stories-5315368/the-maugham-obsession-by-august-derleth.md
Podcast: [The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast - Vintage Sci-Fi Short Stories](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-lost-sci-fi-podcast-vintage-sci-fi-short-stories-5315368)
Published: 2026-05-17T02:01:38+00:00
Episode link: https://shows.acast.com/lost-sci-fi/episodes/the-maugham-obsession-by-august-derleth
Audio file: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/652cab3808a248001210aa70/e/6a003086385e8d5e3050c4d1/media.mp3
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-lost-sci-fi-podcast-vintage-sci-fi-short-stories-5315368/episodes/the-maugham-obsession-by-august-derleth
Duration seconds: 1649

## Resource

Quintus Maugham built a machine meant to serve him perfectly, but each improvement left him more uneasy in his own home. When a robot begins answering commands in ways its inventor never intended, one man must decide whether he created a servant—or surrendered something far more dangerous. The Maugham Obsession by August Derleth. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. August Derleth has appeared on the podcast twice before, first with “Birkett’s Twelfth Corpse,” followed by “A Traveler in Time.” Today’s story first appeared in the June-July issue of Fantastic Universe in 1953 on page 107, The Maugham Obsession by August Derleth… Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, A desperate young executive discovers that his office safe has become a doorway to the future, and every exchange leaves him richer than before. But when impossible money starts circulating through New York banks, Peter Merton realizes the people on the other side may not care what happens to him once their experiment is finished. Peter Merton’s Private Mint by Harlan Ellison. 👉 💎 Lost Sci-Fi Premium - https://lostscifi.supercast.com/ ☕ Buy Me a Coffee - https://lostscifi.com/coffee =========================== 🎧 Newsletter - https://lostscifi.com/free/ Facebook - https://lostscifi.com/facebook YouTube - https://lostscifi.com/youtube X - http://Lostscifi.com/x Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lostscifiguy Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/lostscifipodcast.bsky.social 👕 Merchandise - https://lostscifi.creator-spring.com/ =========================== ❤️ ❤️ Thanks to Our Listeners Who Bought Us a Coffee $200 Someone $100 Tony from the Future $75 James Van Maanenberg $50 MizzBassie, Anonymous Listener $25 Fintan Quigley, Curious Jon, David Bell, Steve, Miriam, Someone, Someone, Eaten by a Grue, Jeff Lussenden,…

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