书目

LordJim

内容简介

WhenLordJimfirstappearedin1900,manytookJosephConradtotaskforcouchinganentirenovelintheformofanextendedconversation——arippinggoodyarn,ifyoulike.(OnecriticinTheAcademycomplainedthatthenarrator“wastellingthatafter-dinnerstorytohiscompanionsforelevensolidhours.”)Conraddefendedhismethod,insistingthatpeoplereallydotalkforthatlong,andlistenaswell.Infacthischattymasterworkrequiresnodefense——itoffersupnotonlylinguisticpleasuresbutatimelessexplorationofmorality.TheeponymousJimisayoung,good-looking,genial,andnaivewater-clerkonthePatna,acargoshipplyingAsianwaters.Heis,wearetold,“thekindoffellowyouwould,onthestrengthofhislooks,leaveinchargeofthedeck.”Healsoharborsromanticfantasiesofadventureandheroism——whicharepromptlyscuttledonenightwhentheshipcollideswithanobstacleandbeginstosink.Actingonimpulse,Jimjumpsoverboardandlandsinalifeboat,whichhappenstobebearingtheunscrupulouscaptainandhiscohortsawayfromthedisaster.ThePatna,however,managestostayafloat.Thefounderingvesselistowedintoport——andsincetheofficershavestrategicallyvanished,Jimislefttostandtrialforabandoningtheshipandits800passengers.

作者简介

JosephConradwasbornintheUkrainein1857andgrewupunderTsaristautocracy.In1874ConradtravelledtoMarseilles,whereheservedinFrenchmerchantvesselsbeforejoiningaBritishshipin1878asanapprentice.In1886heobtainedBritishnationality.Eightyearslaterhelefttheseatodevotehimselftowriting,publishinghisfirstnovel,Almayer'sFolly,in1895.ThefollowingyearhesettledinKent,whereheproducedwithinfifteenyearssuchmodernclassicsasYouth,HeartofDarkness,LordJim,Typhoon,Nostromo,TheSecretAgentandUnderWesternEyes.Hecontinuedtowriteuntilhisdeathin1924.

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