New Releases by Joseph Conrad

Joseph Conrad was an English-language writer, best known for works like "Nostromo," "Lord Jim," and "Heart of Darkness," immortalized on screen by Marlon Brando in "Apocalypse Now." Of Polish origin but settled in England, Joseph Conrad was considered one of the most important authors in the English language, and "Nostromo" is regarded by critics as his finest work. The novel is set in the fictional South American republic of "Costaguana," which has a long history of tyranny, revolution, and war but experiences a period of stability. The character Nostromo is an Italian expatriate who rose to his position through bravery and is seen as a useful instrument to the local oligarchy. Nostromo is tasked with removing the silver from Sulaco to keep it away from the revolutionaries. Unfortunately, Nostromo''s exploits do not bring him the expected recognition, leading him into corruption and eventual destruction. The captivating work "Nostromo" is part of the collection "1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die."

In "Nostromo: A Tale of the Seaboard," Joseph Conrad intricately weaves a narrative that delves into themes of imperialism, capitalism, and human obsession against the backdrop of a fictional South American country, Costaguana. The novel employs a modernist style rich with symbolism and a fragmented narrative structure, reflecting the complexities of colonial exploitation and the moral ambiguity of its characters. Conrad''s exploration of the socio-political landscape of the late 19th century is underscored by evocative descriptions and a profound psychological depth, making the text a seminal piece in the canon of colonial literature. Joseph Conrad, born Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski in 1857, drew from his own experiences as a sailor and his Eastern European roots to craft narratives that challenge conventional perspectives. His time spent in various foreign lands and his encounters with different cultures profoundly influenced his worldview, leading him to interrogate the consequences of European imperialism. "Nostromo," published in 1904, is seen as a culmination of these influences, critically addressing the moral fabric of the age and the dark underbelly of economic greed. Recommended for readers seeking a provocative exploration of human motives and the ethical dilemmas of colonialism, "Nostromo" remains a timeless work. Conrad''s penetrating insights and vivid storytelling encourage readers to reflect critically on historical narratives and their implications, making this unabridged deluxe edition an essential addition to any literary collection. In this enriched edition, we have carefully created added value for your reading experience: - A succinct Introduction situates the work''s timeless appeal and themes. - The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists. - A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era''s events and influences that shaped the writing. - An Author Biography reveals milestones in the author''s life, illuminating the personal insights behind the text. - A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings. - Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work''s messages, connecting them to modern life. - Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance. - Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.

"The reading of all good books is like conversation with the finest (people) of the past centuries." - Descartes A new edition of Heart of Darkness, the 1899 masterpiece by Polish-British novelist Joseph Conrad about a voyage up the Congo River into the Heart of Africa. The story is narrated by Charles Marlow, recalling his obsessive quest to locate the ivory trader Kurtz, who has become ensconced deep in the jungle managing a remote outpost. As he ventures further and further down the Congo, Marlow finds himself and his surroundings become increasingly untethered. Heart of Darkness has been widely re-published and translated into many languages. It provided the inspiration for Francis Ford Coppola''s 1979 film Apocalypse Now. In 1998, the Modern Library ranked Heart of Darkness 67th on their list of the 100 best novels in English of the twentieth century. Literary critic Harold Bloom wrote that Heart of Darkness had been analysed more than any other work of literature that is studied in universities and colleges, which he attributed to Conrad''s "unique propensity for ambiguity." Joseph Conrad (1857-1924) was a Polish-British writer, regarded by many as one of the finest English-language novelists of the 20th century. An early modernist, his narrative style, anti-heroic characters, and focus on the psychological lives of his protagonists were extremely influential on other authors. Conrad''s experience as a Polish emigre to Great Britain also brought a unique perspective to his novels, often set on the outskirts of the British Empire with a focus on the costs of imperialism and colonialism. Among his most popular and influential works were Heart of Darkness (1899), Lord Jim (1900), Typhoon (1902), Nostromo (1904), The Secret Agent (1907), and Under Western Eyes (1911). A 19th century classics literature edition.

Nostromo, a Tale of the Seaboard - Joseph Conrad - Joseph Conrad, who knew the human nature inside out, telling the story of Nostromo and portraying his personages is ironic and even slightly derisive... Every man, somewhere deep inside, has his own share of rascality... And every human doing has two sides... Action is consolatory. It is the enemy of thought and the friend of flattering illusions. Only in the conduct of our action can we find the sense of mastery over the Fates. The events take place in the South American country of Costaguana, which is being torn with greed, political ambitions, poverty and revolutions... They had stopped near the cage. The parrot, catching the sound of a word belonging to his vocabulary, was moved to interfere. Parrots are very human. "Viva Costaguana!" he shrieked, with intense self-assertion, and, instantly ruffling up his feathers, assumed an air of puffed-up somnolence behind the glittering wires. There always are pushers and those who are pushed... In all these households she could hear stories of political outrage; friends, relatives, ruined, imprisoned, killed in the battles of senseless civil wars, barbarously executed in ferocious proscriptions, as though the government of the country had been a struggle of lust between bands of absurd devils let loose upon the land with sabres and uniforms and grandiloquent phrases. And on all the lips she found a weary desire for peace, the dread of officialdom with its nightmarish parody of administration without law, without security, and without justice. One day the pushed ones grow tired of being cat''s paws and rebel... Some outwardly, some inwardly... But anyway, in the end they turn out to be the ones who pay for their rebellion.

''Heart of Darkness’ is a small, but perhaps the most famous adventure story written by Joseph Conrad. The narrative is written on behalf of the sailor Marlowe, who tells the reader about his past adventures. In the African wilds, there is an illegally operating elephant bone mining company. While crossing the continent, Marlowe travels to one of its divisions. As he is getting closer to his destination, the main character hears more and more stories about some almighty Kurtz, an agent of the company, whom the locals mention with fear and hatred. What awaits Marlowe after meeting him?

Lord Jim is a novel by Joseph Conrad originally published as a serial in Blackwood''s Magazine from October 1899 to November 1900. An early and primary event in the story is the abandonment of a passenger ship in distress by its crew, including a young British seaman named Jim.

Heart of Darkness, a novel by Joseph Conrad, was originally a three-part series in Blackwood''s Magazine in 1899. It is a story within a story, following a character named Charlie Marlow, who recounts his adventure to a group of men onboard an anchored ship. The story told is of his early life as a ferry boat captain. Although his job was to transport ivory downriver, Charlie develops an interest in investing an ivory procurement agent, Kurtz, who is employed by the government. Preceded by his reputation as a brilliant emissary of progress, Kurtz has now established himself as a god among the natives in "one of the darkest places on earth." Marlow suspects something else of Kurtz: he has gone mad.Includes a biography of the author.

Jim, a young British seaman, becomes first mate on the Patna, a ship full of pilgrims travelling to Mecca for the hajj. When the ship starts rapidly taking on water and disaster seems imminent, Jim joins his captain and other crew members in abandoning the ship and its passengers. A few days later, they are picked up by a British ship. However, the Patna and its passengers are later also saved, and the reprehensible actions of the crew are exposed. The other participants evade the judicial court of inquiry, leaving Jim to the court alone. He is publicly censured for this action and the novel follows his later attempts at coming to terms with his past. The novel is counted as one of 100 best books of the 20th century.Joseph Conrad (1857-1924), was a Polish author who wrote in English after settling in England. Conrad is regarded as one of the greatest novelists in English, though he did not speak the language fluently until he was in his twenties. He wrote stories and novels, often with a nautical setting, that depict trials of the human spirit in the midst of an indifferent world. He was a master prose stylist who brought a distinctly non-English tragic sensibility into English literature.

Kish''s rich, imaginative drawings and paintings mirror Conrad''s original text and serve to illuminate Marlow''s journey into the heart of the Congo, and into the depths of the human soul. Heart of Darkness is a text ripe for analysis and argument, formally and thematically; it explores matters of imperialism, racism, gender, and the duality of human nature.

The novel "Lord Jim" is recognized as Joseph Conrad''s best work. But what does the author think? Here is a quote from his preface to one of the editions of the novel: " I have been asked at times whether this was not the book of mine I liked best. I am a great foe to favouritism in public life, in private life, and even in the delicate relationship of an author to his works. As a matter of principle I will have no favourites; but I don''t go so far as to feel grieved and annoyed by the preference some people give to my Lord Jim''''.Pretty illustrations provide you with new impressions from reading this legendary story.Illustrated by Vladislav Trotsenko

Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad. Lord Jim is a novel by Joseph Conrad originally published as a serial in Blackwood''s Magazine from October 1899 to November 1900. An early and primary event in the story is the abandonment of a passenger ship in distress by its crew, including a young British seaman named Jim. He is publicly censured for this action and the novel follows his later attempts at coming to terms with himself and his past. When this novel first appeared in book form a notion got about that I had been bolted away with. Some reviewers maintained that the work starting as a short story had got beyond the writer''s control. One or two discovered internal evidence of the fact, which seemed to amuse them. They pointed out the limitations of the narrative form. They argued that no man could have been expected to talk all that time, and other men to listen so long. It was not, they said, very credible. After thinking it over for something like sixteen years, I am not so sure about that. Men have been known, both in the tropics and in the temperate zone, to sit up half the night ''swapping yarns''. This, however, is but one yarn, yet with interruptions affording some measure of relief; and in regard to the listeners'' endurance, the postulate must be accepted that the story was interesting.

The Secret Agent: A Simple Tale is a novel by Joseph Conrad, published in 1907. The story is set in London in 1886 and deals with Mr Adolf Verloc and his work as a spy for an unnamed country (presumably Russia). The Secret Agent is one of Conrad''s later political novels in which he moved away from his former tales of seafaring.The novel deals broadly with anarchism, espionage and terrorism. It also deals with exploitation of the vulnerable in Verloc''s relationship with his brother-in-law Stevie, who has a learning difficulty.Because of its terrorism theme, it was noted as "one of the three works of literature most cited in the American media" two weeks after

"Heart of Darkness" is a small, but perhaps the most famous adventure story written by Joseph Conrad. The narrative is written on behalf of the sailor Marlowe, who tells the reader about his past adventures. In the African wilds, there is an illegally operating elephant bone mining company. While crossing the continent, Marlowe travels to one of its divisions. As he is getting closer to his destination, the main character hears more and more stories about some almighty Kurtz, an agent of the company, whom the locals mention with fear and hatred. What awaits Marlowe after meeting him? Pretty illustrations by Vladislav Trotsenko provide you with new impressions from reading this legendary story.

Lord Jim is a novel by Joseph Conrad originally published as a serial in Blackwood''s Magazine from October 1899 to November 1900. Plot: Recovered from an injury, Jim seeks a position on the Patna, a steamer whose journey is to carry 800 "pilgrims of an exacting faith" to a Red Sea port. He is hired as first mate. After some days of smooth sailing, the ship hits something in the night and begins taking on water. The captain thinks the ship will sink, and Jim agrees, but wants to put the passengers on the few boats before that can happen. The captain and two other crewmen think only to save themselves, freeing a boat. The helmsmen remain, as no order has been given to do otherwise. In a crucial moment, Jim jumps into the boat with the captain. A few days later, they are picked up by an outbound steamer. When they reach port, it is well known that the Patna and its passengers were brought in safely by a crew from a French gun ship. The action of the captain is against the code of seamen, abandoning both ship and passengers. The others on the small boat leave before the magistrate''s court is convened; Jim is left to testify. All lose their certificates to sail. Brierly is on the panel of the court, a captain of perfect reputation, who commits suicide days after this trial. Captain Marlow attends the trial and meets Jim, whose behavior he condemns, but the young man intrigues him. Marlow listens to Jim, then finds him a place to live, in the home of a friend. Jim is accepted there, but leaves abruptly when an engineer who also abandoned ship appears to work at the house. Jim works as a ship chandler''s clerk in ports of the East, always succeeding in the job, then leaving abruptly when the Patna is mentioned. In Bangkok, he gets in a fight. Marlow realises that Jim needs a new situation. Marlow consults his friend Stein. Stein sees that Jim is a romantic and considers his situation. Stein offers Jim to be his trade representative or factor in Patusan, shut off from most commerce, which Jim finds to be exactly what he needs. After his initial challenge of entering the remote settlement of Malay and Bugis, Jim finds success. He overcomes Sherif Ali, befriends the downtrodden fishing village, and builds a solid link with Doramin, the Bugis friend of Stein, and his son Dain Waris. For his leadership, they call him tuan Jim, or Lord Jim. Jim wins this respect by relieving them of the depredations of the bandit Sherif Ali and protecting them from the corrupt local Malay chief, Rajah Tunku Allang. Jim wins the love of Jewel, a young woman of mixed race, and is "satisfied... nearly." Marlow visits Patusan once, two years after Jim arrived there. He sees the success. Jewel will not believe that Jim will stay, as her father left her mother, men always leave, and she is not reassured that Marlow or any other will not arrive to take him from her. Her mother married Cornelius, previously given the role of factor by Stein for her benefit. Cornelius is displaced by Jim and resents it, though he treats his stepdaughter cruelly and stole the supplies Stein sent for sale. He is a lazy, jealous, brutal man. When the marauder arrives, Cornelius sees his chance to get rid of Jim. The marauder Captain "Gentleman" Brown, short on food and evil in his ways arrives in Patusan. The local defence led by Dain Waris holds Brown in place while Jim is off on a trip inland..... Joseph Conrad (Polish pronunciation: [born Jozef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski; 3 December 1857 - 3 August 1924) was a Polish-British writer regarded as one of the greatest novelists to write in the English language.

The Secret Agent The story is set in London in 1886 and deals with Mr. Adolf Verloc and his work as a spy for an unnamed country (presumably Russia). The Secret Agent is one of Conrad''s later political novels in which he moved away from his former tales of seafaring. The novel deals broadly with anarchism, espionage and terrorism Heart of Darkness This highly symbolic story is actually a story within a story, or frame tale, following a man named Charlie Marlow as he recounts his adventure to a group of men on a ship at dusk and continuing into the evening. It details an incident earlier in Marlow''s life, a journey on what readers can assume is the Congo River (although the name of the country Marlow is visiting is never specified in the text) to investigate the work of Kurtz, a Belgian ivory trader in the Congo Free State. Under Western Eyes (1911) is a novel by Joseph Conrad. The novel takes place in St. Petersburg, Russia, and Geneva, Switzerland, and is viewed as Conrad''s response to the themes explored in Crime and Punishment; Conrad was reputed to have detested Dostoevsky. It is also, some say, Conrad''s response to his own early life; his father was a famous

The story takes place at sea, near the Gulf of Siam, and is told from the perspective of a young nameless Captain. The captain is unfamiliar with both his ship and his crew, having only joined their company a fortnight earlier. The Captain is furthermore unsure of himself, questioning his ability to fulfill the role of such an authoritative figure

Featuring an appendix of discussion questions, the Diversion Classics edition is ideal for use in book groups and classrooms. Published in 1899, Joseph Conrad’s novella is a stark portrayal of the monstrous nature of colonialism. It is the thrilling journey of the narrator, Marlow, up the Congo River in search of an infamous ivory trader named Kurtz. Finding the man, however, fosters a fascination in Marlow that borders on obsession. After seeing Kurtz’s god-like influence over the inhabitants of the region, Marlow is both disgusted and drawn to his horrible power. As he learns how Kurtz has gained and maintains his power over the local people, he not only questions his own values, but those of Western civilization as a whole. This glowing example of character study and psychological depth is a can’t-miss for bibliophiles. For more classic titles like this, visit www.diversionbooks.com/ebooks/diversion-classics

One of Joseph Conrad''s greatest novels, Lord Jim brilliantly combines adventure and analysis. Haunted by the memory of a moment of lost nerve during a disastrous voyage, Jim submits to condemnation by a Court of Inquiry. In the wake of his disgrace he travels to the exotic region of Patusan, and as the agent at this remote trading post comes to be revered as ''Tuan Jim.'' Here he finds a measure of serenity and respect within himself. However, when a gang of thieves arrives on the island, the memory of his earlier disgrace comes again to the fore, and his relationship with the people of the island is jeopardized. This new Broadview edition is based on the first British edition of 1900, which provides the historical basis for the accompanying critical and contextual discussions. The appendices include a wide variety of Conrad''s source material, documents concerning the scandal of the Jeddah, along with other materials such as a substantial selection of early critical comments

Calm, stoic captain Mac Whirr has just been given command of a new steamship, the Nan-Shan. He and his crew are transporting Asian workers across the China Sea when a sudden drop in atmospheric pressure alerts Mac Whirr of, "some uncommonly dirty weather knocking about."

Joseph Conrad''s novel "The Secret Agent" is referred to in many places as the prototype of today''s political and espionage thrillers. The agent of the title, Mr. Verloc, has grown complacent in his role as an informant to a foreign embassy in London and is pressured by his superiors into pulling off a shocking act of terrorism in order to prove his worth to his colleagues. "The Secret Agent" is mostly about the domestic repercussions that occur when things go badly wrong. Joseph Conrad effectively toys with the reader''s expectations, introducing several characters and sets the stage for what appears to be a thriller with political overtones: several people have a vested interest (personally or politically) in the outcome of Mr. Verloc''s actions. What "The Secret Agent" does well is give its reader a deliciously tangible sense of the seedy underworld at play in late 19th-century London. Joseph Conrad personifies the mist, funk and squalor of London until the city itself nearly becomes a character in the action. Also, for anyone who maybe knows Conrad for being an obtuse, thick writer (especially if your previous knowledge of him comes from reading "Heart of Darkness" and "Lord Jim"), "The Secret Agent" is refreshingly straight forward.

Conrad''s life in his own words, now edited for scholarly use for the first time.

The twenty-six essays collected in Notes on Life and Letters (first published 1921) offer a kaleidoscopic view of Joseph Conrad''s literary views and interest in the events of his day, including the Titanic disaster, First World War, and the re-emergence of his native Poland as a nation state. The introduction gives the history of the gathering of these diverse pieces into a single volume, traces the book''s reception, and offers new perspectives on its relationship to Conrad''s other writings. His essays underwent multiple layers of unauthorized intervention by typists, compositors and editors: this history is set out in the essay on the text and in the apparatus. The notes explain literary and historical references, identify places mentioned, and gloss foreign terms. Two maps supplement the explanatory material. This edition, first published in 2004 and established through modern textual scholarship, presents Conrad''s essays and reviews in an authoritative form.

Selected by the Modern Library as two of the 100 best novels of all time Nostromo Originally published in 1904, Nostromo is considered by many to be Conrad''s supreme achievement. Set in the imaginary South American republic of Costaguana, the novel reveals the effects of unbridled greed and imperialist interests on many different lives. Although each character''s potential for good is ultimately corrupted, Nostromo underscores Conrad''s belief in fidelity, moral discipline, and the need for human communion. The author himself described the book as ''an intense creative effort on what I suppose will remain my largest canvas.'' ''Conrad endeavored to create a great, massive, multiphase symbol that would render his total vision of the world, his sense of individual destiny, his sense of man''s place in nature, his sense of history and society,'' observed Robert Penn Warren. ''Nostromo is the most strikingly modern of Conrad''s novels,'' said V. S. Pritchett. ''It is pervaded by a profound, even morbid sense of insecurity which is the very spirit of our age.'' This volume is the companion to the acclaimed multipart series aired on Masterpiece Theatre. Lord Jim Lord Jim is a classic story of one man''s tragic failure and eventual redemption, told under the circumstances of high adventure at the margins of the known world which made Conrad''s work so immediately popular. But it is also the book in which its author, through a brilliant adaptation of his stylistic apparatus to his obsessive moral, psychological and political concerns, laid the groundwork for the modern novel as we know it.

The story of Marlow travelling upriver in central Africa to find Kurtz, an ivory agent as consumed by the horror of human life as he is by physical illness, has long been considered a classic, and continues to be widely read and studied. This edition, edited by one of the leading figures in ‘the Conrad controversy,’ includes an introduction and explanatory notes, as well as a fascinating variety of contemporary documents that help to set this extraordinary work in the context of the period from which it emerged. The introduction and bibliography have been updated, and two new appendices have been added; the second of these is a selection of Alice Harris’s extraordinary but little-known photographs documenting the horrors of colonialism in turn-of-the-century Congo.

Generally regarded as the pre-eminent work of Conrad''s shorter fiction, ''Heart of Darkness'' is a chilling tale of horror which, as the author intended, is capable of many interpretations.

The Secret Agent (1907) is a compelling tale of espionage and terrorism set in Edwardian London. Ironically subtitled ''A Simple Tale'', it paints a terrifying portrait of revolutionaries and anarchists whose personal lives are as barren and futile as their public acts of violence. It concludes with the unwitting accomplice of a would-be terrorist blowing himself to bits with his own bomb, the terrorist''s subsequent murder by his own wife, and the wife''s own suicide. This new edition is based on a painstaking comparison of the original manuscript of the work with its first, truncated appearance in the American magazine Ridgeway''s: A Militant Weekly for God and Country, and with all subsequent book-form publications overseen by Conrad himself. The result is a new text, purged of the printers'' errors and editorial interventions that have been reproduced in all previous printings. There is also a critical introduction, an essay on the text, a textual apparatus, and helpful explanatory notes.

The text is the authoritative version used in the Collected Works published in 1921, which Conrad prepared from a 1910 reprint of the original English version of 1898.