Author(s): Joseph Conrad

Adult Classics

An "anti-colonialist novella" written in days gone by, sophisticated in a way modern "adventure stories" are lacking.

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad is an example of classic fiction first published in 1899 in the United Kingdom.
A true book of worth, a classic that lives on in an era of timeless distinction. Early books exude an excellence unlike any from modern times. You will not be dissatisfied with this work. A psychological thriller at its finest.

A Glimpse Inside

The Director of Companies was our captain and our host. We four affectionately watched his back as he stood in the bows looking to seaward. On the whole river there was nothing that looked half so nautical. He resembled a pilot, which to a seaman is trustworthiness personified. It was difficult to realize his work was not out there in the luminous estuary, but behind him, within the brooding gloom.

Synopsis

Heart of Darkness (1899) is a novella by Polish-English novelist Joseph Conrad. It tells the story of Charles Marlow, a sailor who takes on an assignment from a Belgian trading company as a ferry-boat captain in the African interior. The novel is widely regarded as a critique of European colonial rule in Africa, whilst also examining the themes of power dynamics and morality. Although Conrad does not name the river where the narrative takes place, at the time of writing the Congo Free State, the location of the large and economically important Congo River, was a private colony of Belgium''s King Leopold II. Marlow is given a text by Kurtz, an ivory trader working on a trading station far up the river, who has "gone native" and is the object of Marlow''s expedition.

Central to Conrad''s work is the idea that there is little difference between "civilised people" and "savages." Heart of Darkness implicitly comments on imperialism and racism. The novella''s setting provides the frame for Marlow''s story of his obsession with the successful ivory trader Kurtz. Conrad offers parallels between London ("the greatest town on earth") and Africa as places of darkness.

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. It provided the inspiration for Francis Ford Coppola''s 1979 film Apocalypse Now. In 1998, the Modern Library ranked Heart of Darkness 67th on their list of the 100 best novels in English of the twentieth century.

When Conrad began to write the novella, eight years after returning from Africa, he drew inspiration from his travel journals. He described Heart of Darkness as "a wild story" of a journalist who becomes manager of a station in the (African) interior.

"A stunning reprint" from Wombrook Publishing. We have made every attempt possible to ensure the original integrity of this book has been upheld to the highest standard. This means that the text in this edition is unedited and unchanged from the original author''s publication, preserving its earliest form for your indulgence. This title is one of the best classic novellas of all time. Its words are strung together with such literary precision, in a way that you just do not see in adventure fiction from the modern age. This title will make an excellent gift for the classic literature buff in your life, or a fantastic addition to your current collection. We are ready to ship this book off to you today at lightning speed, so that you can indulge in this title without delay.

Heart of Darkness

◆ Original 1899 text
◆ An anti-imperialist classic fiction short story
◆ 5 x 8 Inches
◆ Matte Cover
◆ White Paper