Heart of Darkness
Product ID: 186311216
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A new edition of Heart of Darkness , the 1899 masterpiece by Polish-British novelist Joseph Conrad about a voyage up the Congo River into the Heart of Africa. The story is narrated by Charles Marlow, recalling his obsessive quest to locate the ivory trader Kurtz, who has become ensconced deep in the jungle managing a remote outpost. As he ventures further and further down the Congo, Marlow finds himself and his surroundings become increasingly untethered. 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. Literary critic Harold Bloom wrote that Heart of Darkness had been analysed more than any other work of literature that is studied in universities and colleges, which he attributed to Conrad's “unique propensity for ambiguity.” Joseph Conrad (1857-1924) was a Polish-British writer, regarded by many as one of the finest English-language novelists of the 20th century. An early modernist, his narrative style, anti-heroic characters, and focus on the psychological lives of his protagonists were extremely influential on other authors. Conrad's experience as a Polish emigre to Great Britain also brought a unique perspective to his novels, often set on the outskirts of the British Empire with a focus on the costs of imperialism and colonialism. Among his most popular and influential works were Heart of Darkness (1899), Lord Jim (1900), Typhoon (1902), Nostromo (1904), The Secret Agent (1907), and Under Western Eyes (1911). Review: Must read! - Captivating to read Review: Outstanding - The book itself is quite sturdy. The print is nice & large. The binding is solid. I've bend this book back & forth, for comfort to read, & the spine won't snap. The story is outstanding. If you are a die-hard fan of Apocalypse Now, you'll enjoy Heart Of Darkness. Although it's a short book, it is quite dense. I even had to look up a few words, despite having a decent vocabulary. It's written in the 1st person, which I loved. Spoiler!: If you are in love with the 2 different endings of Apocalypse Now, you may be surprised by this 3rd ending. It is nothing like the movie versions. I won't ruin it for you but... this book version is quite anticlimactic, if you prefer an action-packed ending, similar to the one in one of the movie versions. So be prepared. Other than that, it's great.
| Best Sellers Rank | #7,088 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #223 in Classic Literature & Fiction |
| Customer Reviews | 4.3 out of 5 stars 2,955 Reviews |
A**N
Must read!
Captivating to read
B**M
Outstanding
The book itself is quite sturdy. The print is nice & large. The binding is solid. I've bend this book back & forth, for comfort to read, & the spine won't snap. The story is outstanding. If you are a die-hard fan of Apocalypse Now, you'll enjoy Heart Of Darkness. Although it's a short book, it is quite dense. I even had to look up a few words, despite having a decent vocabulary. It's written in the 1st person, which I loved. Spoiler!: If you are in love with the 2 different endings of Apocalypse Now, you may be surprised by this 3rd ending. It is nothing like the movie versions. I won't ruin it for you but... this book version is quite anticlimactic, if you prefer an action-packed ending, similar to the one in one of the movie versions. So be prepared. Other than that, it's great.
N**K
The book arrived dented unfortunately, but didn't change the text within.
I would give 5 stars, but since this is Amazon and shipping does indeed matter, I will say that the book arrived dented on the cover and a bit on the spine. Other than that, the text and printing look gorgeous for a tiny novella like this one, and the page density was more than easy on the eyes. I must also point out the fact that, unless you're a real nerd about this stuff like me, this book is NOT ANNOTATED. Which means, you will in fact be raw-dogging the WAW (words as written). This is important for a piece like this, since there's plenty of outdated terms, phrases, and words that unless you have a dictionary with you the duration of the reading you will not understand a lot of the where's, the who's, and the what's in here. Other than that, I DEFINITELY RECOMMEND THIS PIECE.
W**K
A dark work
The phrase and title the heart of darkness speaks to two things. O e is the darkness of the jungle , dark in its depth and dark in struggle between people of different color. The other is the darkness in the soul of mankind. The book is a constant clash between the two. There are no winners.
R**I
Disappointing
I was told this was one of the best books ever, so I bought it. Sure it was nicely written, and the story wasn't horrible. But the book did nothing for me. I did like that it was relatively short. It was okay, but nothing special
S**T
A Powerful and Thought-Provoking Classic
Heart of Darkness is a haunting and brilliantly written novella that explores the depths of human nature and the consequences of imperialism. Joseph Conrad’s storytelling is layered and atmospheric, drawing you into a journey that is both physical and psychological. The language is rich and compelling, and the themes are just as relevant today as when it was first published. It’s a short read, but one that lingers long after you finish the final page. Highly recommended for anyone who appreciates classic literature with depth and complexity. A must-read!
R**R
A real classic, written in the "classic" form. Get out a dictionary!
A good short read. And a classic. I'd suggest this be in high school libraries but some of the language would confuse "modern-day" students. The British author is a bit loquacious with his archaic verbiage, but I got out my Encyclopedia Brittanica and that helped. Takes a certain kind of person to enjoy this. I recommend it just because it's a classic. (Not to be confused with Heart of Darkness bar on Street 51 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia!)
D**R
Wait Until You're Old Enough
Why would anyone make a 15-year old, a high school sophomore read this book? I didn't have any understanding of life, love or death when I was that young...hell, I'm 68 now, and the Heart of Darkness that Conrad described is only now of interest to me. Wait until you get older to read and understand this book!
R**F
A terrible tale of Belgian colonialism
classic Victorian novel yet has aged well. Critical for anyone who wants to understand the colonial history of Central Africa. Read it alongside "King Leopold's Ghost by Adam Hochshchild. A terrible tale but worth learning about.
D**N
Heart of Darkness was the inspiration for the movie Apocalypse Now
Colonialism may always start with the best of intentions but it inevitably descends into greed and lust for power.
M**Y
Aus version of book is good quality
Unlike the reviews from other countries, the book available on Amazon AU is printed by Amazon AU and is well done. The font choice is suitable, the paper it's printed on is of a good thickness and there are page numbers (it seems that many people from other countries get a very different version of the book than us here in Aus). If you want a copy of this book, this is a perfectly good one.
P**R
Dated
It has dated. Too dense
S**T
Cheap Reprint
Cheap reprint done by Amazon, layout looks like it’s done by a 5 year old. Shameful to sell an inferior product like this. Tiny book as well, daylight robbery at 20 EUR
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