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The Secret Sharer Audiobook
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(3.01) - 1,260 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
When the young captain takes over command of his first ship for the homeward voyage from the Gulf of Siam, he surprises his crew by taking the first nightwatch himself. While alone on deck he is surprised to find a lone swimmer in the sea who comes on board. The stranger is a murderer escaping justice, but is also eerily an almost exact doppelganger of the captain himself. Not only does he look identical, but the two almost seem to share the same thoughts and secrets. Rather than turn his fugitive-double over to the authorities, the captain hides him in his own cabin. But on such a small ship the situation is untenable. Discovery is inevitable unless he can devise a way to let his alter ego escape before they start the long voyage across the ocean. A gripping and multi-layered story which leaves as many questions open as it answers. Conrad at his best.
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"Surprisingly, I actually enjoyed reading this book. Once I started reading, I wanted to see what happened between the Captain and his double. I thought the double was more like a figment of his imagination, but then at times I felt as if it were a real person. I could tell a big difference in the Captain when he met his double and was trying to hide him from the crew. My favorite part was the ending of the book. The Captain finally became more confident with himself and took control of his ship, and he didn't feel as much of a stranger anymore. He became closer with his crew."
— Abby (4 out of 5 stars)
The Secret Sharer Listener Reviews
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" Re-reading this classic story last night on my iPhone might be one of the coolest things I've ever done. Say what you will about needless technology, but to have a classic like this at my hands in a moment's notice is a need I never knew I had. "Let them think what they liked, but I didn't mean to drown myself. I meant to swim till I sank -- but that's not the same thing." Conrad was one in a million. "
— Zac, 2/14/2014 -
" Good book but must be read a couple of times for the read to interpret it. There are several interpretations that can be made: schizophrenia, homoeroticism, or the literal interpretation. Very good book that provides lots of discussion. "
— Jillian, 2/13/2014 -
" A haunting interlude. "
— Laurele, 2/12/2014 -
" It's SUCH a tough read. It's a short story in terms of pages...but oh God, i'd rather climb a mountain than read that again. The language and writing were great. But...*sigh* it was tough. "
— Nayram, 1/26/2014 -
" My favorite of Conrad's writings... "
— Pam, 1/23/2014 -
" Heart of Darkness was incomprehensible to me, but this is a 50-pager that is fascinating. It's about a captain of a ship in Thailand waters and his "double?" appears in the water outside his ship and he hauls him aboard and hides him from the crew. What an ending it has!! "
— Tom, 1/20/2014 -
" A story about the best & worst of man, depending on whose eyes you use to view the world. Truly captivating. "
— Traci, 1/16/2014 -
" ottima metafora dell' "altro, vero noi" che vogliamo nascondere!.....un classico! "
— Paolo, 1/15/2014 -
" I don't remember much other than I read it. "
— Anita, 12/16/2013 -
" What a weird but interesting book. This book constantly keeps you on your toes and keeps you guessing even after you have finished it. Who is Leggatt? "
— Taylor, 8/10/2013 -
" Long time since I last read Conrad... pleasant surprise to come back and marvel at the use of imagery and language from someone who was not originally an English speaker. If you like allegory, this is the real stuff, with wonderful authenticity in the ship/seafaring setting and terminology. "
— Barry, 7/19/2013 -
" a very good sea story "
— Frank, 6/1/2013 -
" Too short to mean much, but it was still interesting to read. I always like books set at sea, especially in foreign tropical lands. "
— Jay, 2/23/2013 -
" A nerve-racking book. The main character is less than admirable but I still felt myself hoping that it would end well for him. As with "Heart of Darkness", the attitudes are a bit shocking - in this case class rather than race. Worth a read. "
— Dan, 2/22/2013 -
" I have no idea. It took 4 sittings to get through the 32 printed pages. I had to read this for class. A supervision class. I am supposed to write two pages on how it relates to education. I have no idea. Dumb. "
— Jessica, 2/2/2013 -
" This book is very good. The story is haunting and character's needs are vast. This is a good book. "
— Lillian, 12/23/2012 -
" Conrad reads like a modernized Melville. Less Biblical, less Romantic, more to-the-point. Still, the portraits he paints are vivid and the reader is encouraged to think for himself about his own sense of ethics when sailing through uncharted territory. "
— Thomas, 8/11/2012 -
" A great little novella. Conrad had me guessing til the end. "
— Alice, 7/28/2012
About Joseph Conrad
Joseph 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.
About Cathy Dobson
Cathy Dobson is the author of Planet Germany and a narrator of audiobooks.