My summer reading has included the first two novels written by Joseph Conrad -
Almayer's Folly and
An Outcast of the Islands which I had not tackled before. They mark an interesting break with the gung-ho imperialism of works such as
King Solomon's Mines and the start of a modern consciousness that took a more sceptical view on the activities of European nations in the far east. They also show the early signs of Conrad's famous literary modernism - long complex sentences, non-linear narrative, shifting point of view, dramatic suspensions and an all-pervasive sense of grim irony. The two books are populated by a number of the same characters, and it doesn't really matter in which order you read them. They're not in the same league as his greatest works such as
Nostromo,
Heart of Darkness, and
The Secret Agent, but they are well worth reading.
2 comments:
Yes - incredible writer! I'm glad you included Nostromo there, it's usually dismissed as 'flawed'. Under Western Eyes - also up there with his best stuff...
Yes - there are weaknesses in many of Conrad's novels - but he remains a great writer nevertheless. I've just finished re-reading Victory so you'll find a study guide on that work too.
Post a Comment