Böcker av Joseph Conrad

A classic and thrilling tale of espionage and murder, Joseph Conrad's "The Secret Agent" was first published in 1907. Set in London in 1886, the novel centers around Mr. Adolf Verloc, a spy who owns a small shop and lives with his wife Winnie, her mother and her mentally disabled brother Stevie, above his business. He is also a member of a largely ineffectual anarchist group, whom he meets with regularly to discuss politics and produce anarchist literature. Unknown to his fellow anarchists, Verloc is secretly working for the Embassy of an unnamed country as an "agent provocateur." Verloc is told by his government contact that he and his associates are to bomb the Greenwich Observatory in London in order to make the British see anarchism as a greater threat and work more actively to suppress it. In scenes alternating between both before and after the bombing, the novel follows the police investigation of the bombing and the family drama unfolding in Verloc's own home, as Stevie's inadvertent involvement in the bombing comes to light. Considered to be one of Conrad's best works, as well as a prescient study of modern terrorism, it is also a searing and tragic story of family love and loyalty. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

First published in 1904, "Nostromo" is widely considered one of Joseph Conrad's best works. Set in the fictitious mining town of Sulaco, a port city in the imaginary South American country of Costaguana, it is the story of Senõr Gould, an English expatriate who owns the silver-mining concession in the country. When the country becomes engulfed in increasing violence and chaos, Senõr Gould charges Nostromo, his trusted head longshoreman, with the duty of hiding his silver so that it does not fall into the hands of his political enemies. Nostromo is highly respected by his fellow citizens and is viewed as being incorruptible, so he is a natural choice for such a serious task. Nostromo succeeds in hiding the silver, but his good deed does not bring him the favor and respect that he feels is his due and his bitterness morphs into greed. Even the perfect and pure Nostromo cannot resist the power of the silver and it is his eventual undoing. Set against the lush landscape and turbulent politics of South America, "Nostromo" is a Conrad's masterful tale of the power of money, its ability to corrupt, and the destruction it leaves behind. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

Originally published in serial form between October 1899 and November 1900, Joseph Conrad's "Lord Jim" is the story of Jim, a young British Seamen and the first mate of the "Patna", a ship full of Muslim pilgrims on a hajj to Mecca. When the ship is damaged and begins to take on water, Jim, along with the Captain and some of the crew abandon the ship and its passengers. Jim's group and the "Patna" are rescued separately and the crew's reprehensible actions and dereliction of duties are made public. Jim, abandoned by the Captain and the rest of the crew, is left alone to face a magistrate's court over the matter. Stripped of his command and his reputation ruined, Jim is left directionless, going from one job to another, pursued by his guilt and despair. Jim eventually accepts a job on a small, remote island, hopeful that he may finally find peace far away from those who know what he has done. Jim, filled with penitence, seeks to find redemption in kindness and service to his fellow man. Considered by many to be Conrad's most romantic novel, Jim's ultimately tragic struggle toward redemption and forgiveness continues to resonant with readers to this day. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

»Das Herz der Finsternis« ist eine der großen klassischen Erzählungen Joseph Conrads, einzigartig in ihrer Dichte, Symbolik und sprachlichen Kraft.Eingebettet in eine atmosphärisch dichte Rahmenhandlung erzählt der ehemalige Matrose Marlow von seiner Reise mit einem Flussdampfer den Kongo hinauf in das innere Herz Afrikas. Dort soll er im Auftrag der Kolonialverwaltung einen geheimnisvollen Mann namens Kurtz treffen, um den sich in der Heimat merkwürdige und beunruhigende Gerüchte ranken. Kurtz, ein Mann mit großen Talenten und großem Charisma, hat sich in dieser Umgebung verändert, ist zu einem grausamen Despoten geworden, gefürchtet und abgöttisch verehrt zugleich. Es scheint die Frage auf, ob die europäische Zivilisiertheit nur eine dünne Hülle ist, durch Konvention und Selbsttäuschung aufrechterhalten, die aber leicht zerbrechen und in Finsternis geraten kann.Die Erzählung diente als Vorlage für Francis Ford Coppolas Filmklassiker »Apocalypse Now«.

Kaspar Almayer is a Dutch merchant taken under the wing of the wealthy Captain Lingard. Hoping to one day inherit Captain Lingard's wealth Almayer marries his daughter. The marriage is loveless, Captain Lingard loses much of his fortune searching for a hidden treasure, and Almayer's ventures continually fail. The rest of the novel concerns Almayer's conflicting desires: his love for his daughter and his desire for money and self-redemption.