Joseph Conrad was a Polish-British writer regarded as one of the greatest novelists to write in the English language. He came to be regarded a master prose stylist who brought a non-English sensibility into English literature. He wrote stories and novels, many with a nautical setting, that depict trials of the human spirit in the midst of what he saw as an impassive, inscrutable universe. Conrad is considered a literary impressionist by some and an early modernist by others, though his works also contain elements of 19th-century realism. His narrative style and anti-heroic characters, as in Lord Jim, for example, have influenced numerous authors. Many dramatic films have been adapted from and inspired by his works. Numerous writers and critics have commented that his fictional works, written largely in the first two decades of the 20th century, seem to have anticipated later world events. Writing near the peak of the British Empire, Conrad drew on the national experiences of his native Poland—during nearly all his life, parceled out among three occupying empires—and on his own experiences in the French and British merchant navies, to create short stories and novels that reflect aspects of a European-dominated world—including imperialism and colonialism—and that profoundly explore the human psyche. Music courtesy of Chris Haugen - 'Campfire Song' and 'Castleshire' @ chrishaugen.net
Download and start listening now!
"the sentences! the sentences! The very end makes no sense to me, though. Think he screwed that up. I also don't see what was so great about Kurtz. Seems to me that might have been shown better. But the rest is beautifully written, sentence after sentence. "
— Chris (4 out of 5 stars)
" Very early collection of short stories "
— Patrick, 8/20/2012" What a great storyteller. His fixation on the ills of "modern man" at the turn of the last century. is captivating. Just what you'd expect in short stories from Joseph "The Heart of Darkness" Conrad. "
— Anne, 7/2/2012" This book was a real challenge for me. Book group wanted to read a classic and someone picked this. "
— Mary, 5/22/2011" I read this as part of my Advanced Placement English class during my senior year at Roy High School. <br/> This book had a lot of symbolism. Everything there was meant to be "dark." I still remember it after 40 years. It kinda gave me a creepy feeling. "
— Dad, 5/22/2011" One of my favorite books due to the contemplative nature of the narrative and its dialogue concerning the human experience. "
— Christopher, 5/21/2011" Worst high school assignment ever... but maybe it was the teacher and my group rather than the book... "
— Tanya, 5/19/2011" So boring. I can see why people think it was amazing... but really, what a bore. "
— Gretchen, 5/18/2011" Achebe is wrong! This book exposes and condemns European racism and colonization, not condones it. It even, in 1898, takes a stab at sexism. Conrad was a genius. "
— Ctb, 5/16/2011" A simple novella plotwise. The language is powerful, scenery oppresive and the themes intellectually brutal. "
— Oskari, 5/15/2011" Brilliant, although you need multiple reads to uncover it. "
— Deepti, 5/12/2011" Good start. By the end you get a bit drowned in the heavy 19th-century writing style. There are some good excerpts and thoughtful moral messages, if you can manage to pick them out from the rubble of words... "
— Steffi, 5/11/2011Joseph Conrad (Józef Teodor Konrad Nalecz Korzeniowski) (1857–1924) was born in Ukraine. Raised by an uncle after the death of his parents, he educated himself by reading widely in Polish and French. At age twenty-one he began a long career sailing the seas on French merchant vessels, after which he went to London and began writing, using the romance and adventure of his own life for his incomparable sea novels.
Geoffrey Giuliano is the author of over twenty internationally bestselling biographies, including the London Sunday Times bestseller Blackbird: The Life and Times of Paul McCartney and Dark Horse: The Private Life of George Harrison. In addition, he can be heard on the Westwood One Radio Network and has written and produced over sixty original spoken-word albums and video documentaries on various aspects of popular culture.