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Three Short Novels: Heart of Darkness, Youth, Typhoon
Youth is the first of Conrad's stories to feature Captain Marlow, later the narrator of 'Heart Of Darkness.'Heart Of Darkness is Marlow's story of his journey into the jungle to find Kurtz, the tormented white trader, becomes a multileveled commentary on colonialism, evil, and the unknown.Typhoon is a masterpiece about a storm at sea, anticipated many of the concerns of the later twentieth century.
206 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1902
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About the author
Joseph Conrad
3,096 books4,857 followersJoseph Conrad was a Polish-British novelist and story writer. He is regarded as one of the greatest writers in the English language and, although he did not speak English fluently until his twenties, he became a master prose stylist who brought a non-English sensibility into English literature. He wrote novels and stories, many in nautical settings, that depict crises of human individuality in the midst of what he saw as an indifferent, inscrutable, and amoral world.
Conrad is considered a literary impressionist by some and an early modernist by others, though his works also contain elements of 19th-century realism. His narrative style and anti-heroic characters, as in Lord Jim, for example, have influenced numerous authors. Many dramatic films have been adapted from and inspired by his works. Numerous writers and critics have commented that his fictional works, written largely in the first two decades of the 20th century, seem to have anticipated later world events.
Writing near the peak of the British Empire, Conrad drew on the national experiences of his native Poland—during nearly all his life, parceled out among three occupying empires—and on his own experiences in the French and British merchant navies, to create short stories and novels that reflect aspects of a European-dominated world—including imperialism and colonialism—and that profoundly explore the human psyche.
Conrad is considered a literary impressionist by some and an early modernist by others, though his works also contain elements of 19th-century realism. His narrative style and anti-heroic characters, as in Lord Jim, for example, have influenced numerous authors. Many dramatic films have been adapted from and inspired by his works. Numerous writers and critics have commented that his fictional works, written largely in the first two decades of the 20th century, seem to have anticipated later world events.
Writing near the peak of the British Empire, Conrad drew on the national experiences of his native Poland—during nearly all his life, parceled out among three occupying empires—and on his own experiences in the French and British merchant navies, to create short stories and novels that reflect aspects of a European-dominated world—including imperialism and colonialism—and that profoundly explore the human psyche.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 14, 2017
My edition is also a Bantam paperback from 1960 but has a different cover. I started re-reading "Heart of Darkness" last night. Sometimes Conrad borders on the wordy and requires close reading and no skipping. That's OK because what's in there is extra-good stuff!
Made it most of the way through "Heart of Darkness" last night. There's just no way for me to read Conrad fast. The prose is too dense - like that jungle along the banks of the Congo he keeps referring to! The tone of heavy irony is constant. I'm not at all sure what the author is getting at but it's fun to read anyway. This is my third read of this story. Marlow/Conrad is concerned with civilization: it's consequences and implications... morally speaking.
- no mention of the arrival of rivets!
Last night: "Youth" - a 5x5* story all the way. They just don't come any better - maybe "The Open Boat', a story that shares some similarities to this. Marlow the storyteller paints great word-pictures but this story is not as "heavy" as HOD. It's an adventure all the way with a bit of philosophy about life at the end. There are a couple of descriptive paragraphs here that must be among the greatest scenes in English literature: the first about the storm and the second about the burning ship. The whole thing's a masterpiece.
- The burning coal reminds me of "Tono-Bungay".
- At times the tone is almost comical - that ship is DETERMINED not to make it to Bankok!
- Another "handful of dust" as well as a verbal connection to T. S. Eliot about aging(Prufrock).
- The final sentiments are just a teeny bit trite - but heartfelt, I'm sure. Marlow certainly takes them to heart!
Now on to "Typhoon"... the stage has been set with a bit of back story about the stolid and humble Captain McWhirr. It's gonna get hairy. I'll bet Sebastian Junger has read this!
Finished "Typhoon" last night. A very dense and prosy tale of survival at sea and of the "luck" of a somewhat strange and saintly captain. His gifts went mostly unappreciated by all! I think I liked "Youth" better but the descriptions of the storm were appropriately thick and scary. They made it! Conrad seemed happy to make heroes out of many of the crew. I have been in the same place as the Nan-Shan was(the Formosa Strait - twice) but the weather was only slightly dirty(only the first time) and that was bad enough!
- The captain ought to have run away from the holocaust but he didn't know any better!
- The captain's solution to the money problem was the one I'd have suggested.
- The last line seems a bit much. Didn't Jukes learn ANYTHING?
Made it most of the way through "Heart of Darkness" last night. There's just no way for me to read Conrad fast. The prose is too dense - like that jungle along the banks of the Congo he keeps referring to! The tone of heavy irony is constant. I'm not at all sure what the author is getting at but it's fun to read anyway. This is my third read of this story. Marlow/Conrad is concerned with civilization: it's consequences and implications... morally speaking.
- no mention of the arrival of rivets!
Last night: "Youth" - a 5x5* story all the way. They just don't come any better - maybe "The Open Boat', a story that shares some similarities to this. Marlow the storyteller paints great word-pictures but this story is not as "heavy" as HOD. It's an adventure all the way with a bit of philosophy about life at the end. There are a couple of descriptive paragraphs here that must be among the greatest scenes in English literature: the first about the storm and the second about the burning ship. The whole thing's a masterpiece.
- The burning coal reminds me of "Tono-Bungay".
- At times the tone is almost comical - that ship is DETERMINED not to make it to Bankok!
- Another "handful of dust" as well as a verbal connection to T. S. Eliot about aging(Prufrock).
- The final sentiments are just a teeny bit trite - but heartfelt, I'm sure. Marlow certainly takes them to heart!
Now on to "Typhoon"... the stage has been set with a bit of back story about the stolid and humble Captain McWhirr. It's gonna get hairy. I'll bet Sebastian Junger has read this!
Finished "Typhoon" last night. A very dense and prosy tale of survival at sea and of the "luck" of a somewhat strange and saintly captain. His gifts went mostly unappreciated by all! I think I liked "Youth" better but the descriptions of the storm were appropriately thick and scary. They made it! Conrad seemed happy to make heroes out of many of the crew. I have been in the same place as the Nan-Shan was(the Formosa Strait - twice) but the weather was only slightly dirty(only the first time) and that was bad enough!
- The captain ought to have run away from the holocaust but he didn't know any better!
- The captain's solution to the money problem was the one I'd have suggested.
- The last line seems a bit much. Didn't Jukes learn ANYTHING?
October 31, 2017
"Typhoon" was such a great story. Just non-stop, stomach turning, and gripping. It's also not written in first person narrative so Conrad was able to really paint some beautiful scenes with his words. Again, very impressive command of the English language for it being his second language. The editor, Edward Weeks, states in his introduction that "Typhoon" is a metaphor for life, and this is quite obvious but also cleverly done. During the calm of the eye of the storm, MacWhirr advises Jukes, "They may say what they like, but the heaviest seas run with the wind. Facing it--always facing it--that's the way to get through... Keep a cool head." And while this is good and honest advice about life, MacWhirr, almost knowing that he is a character in a book, also says, "There are things you find nothing about in books." We all have to face typhoons in our lives but life will also always throw us unique challenges that we will be unprepared for. In such cases, just keep a cool head and you'll figure it out. Great curation by Weeks as well. One might think that "Youth" should come before "Heart of Darkness" but it's not as exciting as a story, and the anticipation of "Typhoon" pulls you through "Youth", and Weeks sells these stories to you in his introduction so well. This edition was among my favorite reads this year. Consider me a Conrad fan girl.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 19, 2018
HEART OF DARKNESS — Joseph Conrad is a wordy son-of-a-gun, but he does know how to tell a great story, as well as make a 90-page novella feel like an epic. I like that the book depicts the African experience in such a feverish way, kind of like Hunter S. Thompson but far more insightful and without all the drugs. Like Ayn Rand did with John Galt, Conrad has created a mysterious character that you spend most of the story dying to meet. Unlike John Galt, though, Mr. Kurtz doesn't end up having a lot to say or getting a lot of page time, and his role in the narrative is a bit disappointing. Still, this is one heck of a novel, full of symbolism for people who tune in to that sort of thing, and plenty of adventure for those just interested in the plot. Four stars.
YOUTH: A NARRATIVE — Normally, a title like that would be indicative of an absolute snoozefest, but this ended up being my favorite Conrad piece EVER. The story is that of a doomed ocean voyage, with Conrad taking a certain masochistic delight in inflicting as much damage upon the poor seagoing vessel as his fevered mind can dream up. It’s like torture porn for ships. Apart from that, Conrad also explores the relationship between courage and foolhardiness. Wonderfully written, with such on-the-nose descriptions as could only be penned by an author with firsthand experience. Five stars.
TYPHOON — Flat-out the best descriptions I’ve ever read of a ship caught up in a violent storm. Unfortunately, though, despite Conrad’s best efforts to convey excitement, this story reads like a dull slog. Three stars.
YOUTH: A NARRATIVE — Normally, a title like that would be indicative of an absolute snoozefest, but this ended up being my favorite Conrad piece EVER. The story is that of a doomed ocean voyage, with Conrad taking a certain masochistic delight in inflicting as much damage upon the poor seagoing vessel as his fevered mind can dream up. It’s like torture porn for ships. Apart from that, Conrad also explores the relationship between courage and foolhardiness. Wonderfully written, with such on-the-nose descriptions as could only be penned by an author with firsthand experience. Five stars.
TYPHOON — Flat-out the best descriptions I’ve ever read of a ship caught up in a violent storm. Unfortunately, though, despite Conrad’s best efforts to convey excitement, this story reads like a dull slog. Three stars.
July 9, 2025
1/3 (Heart of Darkness)
El final es muy bello, pero en general se me hizo una lectura algo enredosa y complicada. Además me sentí muy alejada de todo el contexto en el que Conrad vivió y escribió—demasiado oldschool en todos los sentidos.
El final es muy bello, pero en general se me hizo una lectura algo enredosa y complicada. Además me sentí muy alejada de todo el contexto en el que Conrad vivió y escribió—demasiado oldschool en todos los sentidos.
May 7, 2022
Bought this for Heart of Darkness, but enjoyed Typhoon even more.
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July 14, 2009 youth was ok. i didnt read typhoon. HOD was definetly mirrored in the movie Apolcalype Now.
August 22, 2009
re-read Typhoon & Heart of Darkness. Two of my favorite short stories.
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June 22, 20103-in-1 Anthology
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews