The Thumbnail Book Reviews
by John Q McDonald --- 17 February 1998
by Joseph Conrad
This interwoven tale would lend itself well to a taped or live reading, as the story is narrated by a character who observes the life of one Lord Jim. Jim is a character full of romantic dreams of life on the seas, but who is paralyzed by his own fear. The adventures of others come from their own inherent calls to action, but Jim's life, leading from a doomed ship to a remote jungle village, is tainted by his inaction. Conrad uses Jim's misadventures as a rich foundation for description of many colorful characters in the world of southseas shipping. A subtle criticism, too, runs through the story, as Jim's aristocratic haughtiness and inactivity are invoked at times of his greatest weakness.
Also by Joseph Conrad: [The Secret Agent]