The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad REVIEW
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- Опубліковано 10 лют 2025
- Read the book on Project Gutenberg: www.gutenberg.o...
US readers, buy the book on IndieBound (yep I'm an affiliate):
www.indiebound...
This is the Penguin edition, but countless others are available, some with laughably misguided cover art.
UK readers, buy it on Blackwell's (also an affiliate):
blackwells.co....
I can testify to the quality of the critical apparatus in this OUP edition.
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Having read quite a lot of Conrad this last year, I really recommend reading his short stories. Personal favourites so far include "An outpost of Progress" (Conrad's self-proclaimed best), "Amy Foster", "Gaspar Ruiz" and "Il Conde".
I appreciate Conrad because throughout his writing not a word seems to have been put down off-hand; like he always subdued his emotions as to prevent "loose writing". There are many writers who at times (seem to) give in to sudden ecstacy and so write superfluously (Dickens), pedantic (H. James) or dreamily philosophical (Faulkner).
Conrad's novels read slow at times because of its dense, descriptive style. I suppose that was to serve an impressionistic goal.
But his short stories don't share this in my opinion, so do try them!
Thank you so much for your reviews! I really like how you're down to earth and don't resort to clumsy humour - like so many educational channels here do to appeal to audiences with short attention span.
Dang, I went from binging on iDubbbz’ videos to binging on yours and paperbird’s, your channel is very entertaining
A great review. I love watching you in front of your bookshelves in these new videos - though I must admit I never expected YOU'd have your books colour-coordinated. ;)
I love the atmosphere he creates in his stories, he is good at descriptive writing, besides psychological exploration, as you said; I personally had to read Heart of Darkness many many times before I could understand the plot and start to notice features of his writing. But my mind is very slow at synthesizing information from details, so that might be the case.
Love your videos! I'm 19 and about to go into University in a few months and your channel is just plain inspiring
Have fun and best of luck :D and thanks!
Cracking review! It's been a while since I read this one but I watched an adaptation of it recently that I quite enjoyed! Think I've read it twice and the first time I didn't much like it and the second time I thought it was excellent
I cant explain the resonance i fell with Conrad's work.
Great tool for self reflection
I read Lord Jim this month and boy did it do a good job of exploring an honest human reaction to a fight or flight incident, shame, guilt, and redemption. I wouldn't exactly call it entertaining, but it was certainly very interesting reading about the main character.
I'm hoping to read Heart of Darkness sometime soon now.
Heart of Darkness is pretty good. Definitely something you have to really pry apart, because on the surface it doesn't seem like much.
I read comments by people who discovered through Lord Jim how literature can be therapeutic, and help us deal with our own traumas, difficulties and issues by offering insight into characters (and writers)' minds and lives. As you say, it isn't the most entertaining or easiest of reads, but it has so much to offer to the reader.
I happened to find my copy of the book at a sale being held at my local library 😆 Now that I’ve read it I am trying to find as much content as possible. I read Heart of Darkness and The Secret Sharer immediately beforehand.
You're on top form here.
Kudos
Keep up the good work
Looking forward for regular videos
Hey, perché non fai un video dove spieghi come approcciarsi alla lettura in lingua?, sarebbe interessantissimo
Perché no? Grazie per l'idea!
@@TheBookchemist se può servire a convincerti sempre di più, anche io stavo per proporti la stessa cosa :-). Buon lavoro! Video interessantissimi :-)
You should read To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf. I think it's her best work and it's one of (maybe the best) example of what you were talking about regarding different viewpoints in modernism.
Thank you. I avoided Conrad for years since I had to read his books as part of the curriculum in Poland and something imposed never inspires you. I've got interested in Conrad thanks you .
I hope you will make a video on language learning in the future.
Would you say it's worth getting a major/degree in english/literature?
If you're passionate about it, and can afford it, absolutely!
Get it in more than one if you can, comparative lit
Bruh is your bookcase arranged by color?
Yes!
do you think winne is a hero
I've had a copy of this book on my shelf for about a year now. Now I'm definitely gonna make time to read it! Who knows, maybe it'll inspire me to start making bombs and blowing shit up? :)
Are you still in the process of getting your PhD?
Yes! Viva in January!