Most Popular Books by Joseph Conrad

The first two books in a series of classic literature, reflected on through a Christian worldview.

The novella centres on the efforts of Marlow, Conrad''s alter ego, to travel up an unnamed African river on behalf of his employer in order to bring back a rogue ivory trader, Mr Kurtz. Kurtz''s reputation precedes him: "He is a prodigy... an emissary of pity and science and progress." Yet as Marlow gets closer to Kurtz, there is the growing suggestion that he has in some way become corrupted and descended into savagery. The further upstream Marlow gets, the more intense the sense of impending danger, with cryptic warnings and a bloody ambush ratcheting up the tension. When Marlow finally reaches Kurtz''s camp, he discovers a scene of unimaginable depravity. The dying Kurtz is taken aboard the boat (along with a prodigious quantity of ivory), but he does not survive the journey back downstream. With Marlow present, his chilling last words are "The horror! The horror!"

Joseph Conrad''s Lord Jim, first published in England in 1900, has long been acknowledged as a very difficult book for readers to understand, especially on the first read. However, those who have taken the time to understand the book acknowledge that the effort is worth it. Lord Jim, which Conrad began as a short sketch, grew into a novel that is widely recognized for its modernism-its tendency to buck the conventional narrative trends of its day. The most obvious technique that Conrad used was a shifting form of narration, in which the reader hears a tale first from one narrator, then another, and finally from several disparate accounts.

Joseph Conrad''s 1904 adventure novel, set amid the mist-covered mountains of a fictional South American republic, spins a colorful tale of capitalist exploitation and rebellion. The story begins halfway through the revolution, employing flashbacks and glimpses of the future to depict the lure of silver and its effects on men - corrupting and destroying some, revealing the strengths of others. Conrad''s deep moral consciousness and masterful narrative technique are at their best in Nostromo, one of his greatest works. In 1998, the Modern Library ranked Nostromo 47th on its list of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century. F. Scott Fitzgerald said, "I''d rather have written Nostromo than any other novel."

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

''Heart of Darkness'' is a small, but perhaps the most famousadventure story written by Joseph Conrad. The narrative is writtenon behalf of the sailor Marlowe, who tells the reader about his pastadventures.In the African wilds, there is an illegally operating elephant bonemining company. While crossing the continent, Marlowe travels to oneof its divisions. As he is getting closer to his destination, the maincharacter hears more and more stories about some almighty Kurtz, anagent 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 newimpressions from reading this legendary story.

A gripping tale of capitalist exploitation and rebellion, set amid the mist-shrouded mountains of a fictional South American republic, employs flashbacks and glimpses of the future to depict the lure of silver and its effects on men. Conrad''s deep moral consciousness and masterful narrative technique are at their best in this, one of his greatest works.

Presenting Heart of Darkness (Large Print Edition) by Joseph Conrad. This classic is part of The Great Books Series by Golding Books. An allegorical novel (or precisely a novella) like no other, Heart of Darkness is a masterpiece of psychological fiction and one of many classic sea stories from Joseph Conrad, though the action predominantly takes place on the Congo River. Charles Marlow captains a steamboat for an ivory trading company, and grows obsessed with ivory trader Kurtz, who has turned himself into a charismatic demigod of the local tribes. Heart of Darkness examines what it means to be civilized, and in asking questions about imperialism and racism it suggests much about who people at the time called "savages" and who is the cause of darkness. It is one of the most gripping and incisive of dark classics, and is also an excellent introductory point to classic and complex short novels or more serious literature (including its suitability as young adult literature). Golding Books'' Great Books Series, along with its Essential Series, comprises a wide variety of classic, influential and important books. These two series aim to champion not only remarkable and recognized literary achievements, but also to highlight the meaningful and significant works of lesser-known authors. Get your copy of the titles through convenient online purchase as an eBook or in paperback (including some Large Print editions). Joseph Conrad was born Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski in the Russian Empire (now Ukraine, and once part of the Kingdom of Poland) in 1857. Because of his father''s attempts at farming and political activism, the family moved repeatedly (such as to Warsaw, Vologda, and Chernihiv) and Conrad was home-schooled. An aloof and often depressed man, 20-year-old Conrad attempted suicide by shooting himself in the chest with a revolver. Born a Russian subject, he was granted British nationality in 1886 after joining the British merchant marine in 1878, and eventually settled in Kent, England. About half of his 19-year merchant marine career was spent at sea; he achieved captain''s rank after working in numerous crew roles. His most popular novels include The Nigger of the ''Narcissus'' (1897), Heart of Darkness (1899), Lord Jim (1900), Typhoon (1902), Nostromo (1904), and The Secret Agent (1907). After suffering throughout his life from issues with his physical and mental health, Conrad died of a likely heart attack at the age of 66.

Reproduction of the original: Nostromo: A Tale of the Seaboard by Joseph Conrad

The Secret Sharer is a short story that 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.

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."

Born in 1857 in Poland, Joseph Conrad became a British citizen just before he turned 30. In the intervening years he lost both parents, becoming an orphan at 11, being thereafter raised by an uncle, who let the boy go to Marseille at age 16, where he began to work on merchant ships - which at times included stints of gun running and the intrigue of political conspiracy. At age 36 his life turned from one of ships to one of literary pursuit. Conrad brought to English literature both a fresh layer of style and a deeper examination of the human psyche in a wealth of works. He wrote many novels, which are correctly regarded today as some of the finest in English literature. Among their canon are Lord Jim, Nostromo, The Shadow Line, and of course Heart Of Darkness.

Heart of Darkness (1899) is a novella by Polish-English novelist Joseph Conrad, about a voyage up the Congo River into the Congo Free State, in the heart of Africa, by the story''s narrator Charles Marlow. Marlow tells his story to friends aboard a boat anchored on the River Thames. This setting provides the frame for Marlow''s story of his obsession with the ivory trader Kurtz, which enables Conrad to create a parallel between "the greatest town on earth" and Africa as places of darkness. Central to Conrad''s work is the idea that there is little difference between so-called civilised people and those described as savages; Heart of Darkness raises questions about imperialism and racism. Originally issued as a three-part serial story in Blackwood''s Magazine to celebrate the thousandth edition of the magazine, Heart of Darkness has been widely re-published and translated into many languages. In 1998, the Modern Library ranked Heart of Darkness 67th on their list of the 100 best novels in English of the twentieth century.

Reproduction of the original: Amy Foster by Joseph Conrad

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.

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.

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.

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