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.
»The Tale« is a short story by Joseph Conrad, originally published in 1907. JOSEPH CONRAD [1857–1924] was born in Ukraine to Polish parents, went to sea at the age of seventeen, and ended his career as a captain in the English merchant navy. His most famous work is the novella Heart of Darkness [1899], adapted into a film by Francis Ford Coppola in 1979 as Apocalypse Now.
A tale of dramatic experiences in far away places and of the ongoing fight between the primitive and the civilized, Lord Jim (1900) is one of Joseph Conrad's most highly regarded works. His forceful style and perceptive treatment of very modern problems have earned him the respect and admiration of both the general reader and writers such as William Faulkner and Graham Greene. Lord Jim: After the Truth is only the second critical study devoted entirely to Conrad's most far-flung and disparate novel. It deftly combines a fascinating introduction to biographical and historical background, a fast-paced survey of major critical response, chapters on the novel's significances and a clearly organized and carefully developed reading of Lord Jim. Murfin argues that because Conrad's novel creates conditions that militate against one central viewpoint, it cannot be declared optimistic or nihilistic, any more than Jim can be called a hero or a failure. Lord Jim: After the Truth holds our constant interest in these issues by aiming a multifaceted interpretation towards reader response. A strong chronology and annotated bibliography make it an essential reference tool for all fans of Lord Jim.
A haunting tribute to the heroic pioneers who shaped the American Midwest This powerful novel by Willa Cather is considered to be one of her finest works and placed Cather in the forefront of women novelists. It tells the stories of several immigrant families who start new lives in America in rural Nebraska. This powerful tribute to the quiet heroism of those whose struggles and triumphs shaped the American Midwest highlights the role of women pioneers, in particular. Written in the style of a memoir penned by Antonia’s tutor and friend, the book depicts one of the most memorable heroines in American literature, the spirited eldest daughter of a Czech immigrant family, whose calm, quite strength and robust spirit helped her survive the hardships and loneliness of life on the Nebraska prairie. The two form an enduring bond and through his chronicle, we watch Antonia shape the land while dealing with poverty, treachery, and tragedy. “No romantic novel ever written in America...is one half so beautiful as My Ántonia.” -H. L. Mencken Willa Cather (1873–1947) was an American writer best known for her novels of the Plains and for One of Ours, a novel set in World War I, for which she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1923. She was elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1943 and received the gold medal for fiction from the National Institute of Arts and Letters in 1944, an award given once a decade for an author's total accomplishments. By the time of her death she had written twelve novels, five books of short stories, and a collection of poetry.
Joseph Conrad's literary prowess reaches its zenith in "Lord Jim," an extraordinary novel that beckons readers into the turbulent seas of human morality, redemption, and the elusive quest for honor. Set against a backdrop of seafaring adventure and the exotic locales of the East, this masterpiece unfolds with a narrative cadence that echoes the ebb and flow of the tides, immersing readers in a story that transcends time. The heart of the novel beats in rhythm with the titular character, Jim, whose journey becomes a metaphor for the complexities of the human soul. Jim's early promise as a young British officer is shattered by a moment of perceived cowardice that haunts him, propelling him into a labyrinth of self-discovery and redemption. Conrad's narrative unfolds like the turning of a ship's wheel, revealing the intricate layers of Jim's character and the universal struggle to reconcile one's actions with one's ideals. The allure of "Lord Jim" lies not only in its seafaring adventures but in Conrad's ability to navigate the treacherous waters of the human psyche. As readers embark on Jim's odyssey, they confront questions of honor, morality, and the limits of human endurance. Conrad's prose, rich and evocative, transforms the ship's deck into a stage where the drama of existential dilemmas unfolds with poetic resonance. The novel is a tapestry woven with vivid characters, each a testament to Conrad's keen understanding of the human condition. From the mysterious Mr. Marlow, the narrator and witness to Jim's tale, to the enigmatic sea captain, Gentleman Brown, each character contributes to the novel's exploration of the moral ambiguities that lie beneath the surface of human actions. As Jim journeys through the exotic landscapes of Southeast Asia, Conrad paints a vivid tableau of the colonial era, capturing the clash of cultures and the impact of Western imperialism on distant shores. The narrative becomes a vessel for exploring themes of identity, redemption, and the profound consequences of a single, fateful choice. Conrad's storytelling prowess is evident in the novel's structure, as he employs a framing device that adds layers of complexity to the narrative. Through Mr. Marlow's perspective, the reader becomes both a participant and an observer, drawn into Jim's story as if caught in the currents of a literary sea. "Lord Jim" is a novel that resonates across time, its themes echoing through the corridors of literature and philosophy. It invites readers to embark on a transformative journey, challenging them to grapple with the eternal questions of human fallibility and the pursuit of integrity. In the end, Conrad's magnum opus is not merely a tale of high seas and exotic locales; it is an exploration of the human spirit navigating the vast oceans of honor, morality, and the relentless pursuit of redemption.
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A deeply affecting coming-of-age memoir about family, love, loss, basketball—and life itself—by the beloved author of The Prince of Tides and The Great Santini During one unforgettable season as a Citadel cadet, Pat Conroy becomes part of a basketball team that is ultimately destined to fail. And yet for a military kid who grew up on the move, the Bulldogs provide a sanctuary from the cold, abrasive father who dominates his life—and a crucible for becoming his own man. With all the drama and incandescence of his bestselling fiction, Conroy re-creates his pivotal senior year as captain of the Citadel Bulldogs. He chronicles the highs and lows of that fateful 1966–67 season, his tough disciplinarian coach, the joys of winning, and the hard-won lessons of losing. Most of all, he recounts how a group of boys came together as a team, playing a sport that would become a metaphor for a man whose spirit could never be defeated. Praise for My Losing Season “A superb accomplishment, maybe the finest book Pat Conroy has written.”—The Washington Post Book World “A wonderfully rich memoir that you don’t have to be a sports fan to love.”—Houston Chronicle “A memoir with all the Conroy trademarks . . . Here’s ample proof that losers always tell the best stories.”—Newsweek “In My Losing Season, Conroy opens his arms wide to embrace his difficult past and almost everyone in it.”—New York Daily News “Haunting, bittersweet and as compelling as his bestselling fiction.”—Boston Herald
HEART OF DARKNESS * AN OUTPOST OF PROGRESS * KARAIN * YOUTH The finest of all Conrad's tales, 'Heart of Darkness' is set in an atmosphere of mystery and menace, and tells of Marlow's perilous journey up the Congo River to relieve his employer's agent, the renowned and formidable Mr Kurtz. What he sees on his journey, and his eventual encounter with Kurtz, horrify and perplex him, and call into question the very bases of civilization and human nature. Endlessly reinterpreted by critics and adapted for film, radio, and television, the story shows Conrad at his most intense and sophisticated. The other three tales in this volume depict corruption and obsession, and question racial assumptions. Set in the exotic surroundings of Africa, Malaysia. and the east, they variously appraise the glamour, folly, and rapacity of imperial adventure. This revised edition uses the English first edition texts and has a new chronology and bibliography. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
“Enlightening, compassionate, superb” —John Le Carré Winner of the 2018 Cundhill History Prize A New York Times Book Review Notable Book of 2017 One of the New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2017 A visionary exploration of the life and times of Joseph Conrad, his turbulent age of globalization and our own, from one of the most exciting young historians writing today Migration, terrorism, the tensions between global capitalism and nationalism, and a communications revolution: these forces shaped Joseph Conrad’s destiny at the dawn of the twentieth century. In this brilliant new interpretation of one of the great voices in modern literature, Maya Jasanoff reveals Conrad as a prophet of globalization. As an immigrant from Poland to England, and in travels from Malaya to Congo to the Caribbean, Conrad navigated an interconnected world, and captured it in a literary oeuvre of extraordinary depth. His life story delivers a history of globalization from the inside out, and reflects powerfully on the aspirations and challenges of the modern world. Joseph Conrad was born Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski in 1857, to Polish parents in the Russian Empire. At sixteen he left the landlocked heart of Europe to become a sailor, and for the next twenty years travelled the world’s oceans before settling permanently in England as an author. He saw the surging, competitive "new imperialism" that planted a flag in almost every populated part of the globe. He got a close look, too, at the places “beyond the end of telegraph cables and mail-boat lines,” and the hypocrisy of the west’s most cherished ideals. In a compelling blend of history, biography, and travelogue, Maya Jasanoff follows Conrad’s routes and the stories of his four greatest works—The Secret Agent, Lord Jim, Heart of Darkness, and Nostromo. Genre-bending, intellectually thrilling, and deeply humane, The Dawn Watch embarks on a spell-binding expedition into the dark heart of Conrad’s world—and through it to our own.
We are introduced to Jim (later, Lord Jim) at a time when he was working as a water-clerk for a ship-chandler firm in the Far East. It was menial work, but Jim seemed fairly happy, and everyone liked him. They knew him simply as "Jim." Yet, as the plot unfolds, with Conrad's skillful analysis of Jim's character, we gradually realize that Jim was not "merely" Jim; he was "one of us."Jim was born and raised in an English parson's home, and when he was still a young lad, he decided to make the sea his career; thus, he enrolled on a training ship for officers of the merchant marine. He did well and advanced to third place in navigation. While still aboard the training ship, he met his first test of courage.But during that test of courage, Jim held back in fear when he was called upon to assist a vessel injured in a fierce storm. Afterward, he justified himself and rationalized that he was not really afraid; he was simply waiting for a challenge that would be equal to his heroism. Next time, he would be heroic. He was convinced that he would have another chance.
