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The Secret Agent

By Joseph Conrad
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad is a compelling tale of espionage and betrayal set in Victorian London. It follows the life of Mr Verloc, a secret agent who gets entangled in a dangerous plot to bomb the Greenwich Observatory. Through its exploration of political intrigue, the book delves into themes of anarchism, terrorism, and the complexities of human morality.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This story may appeal to you if you're intrigued by tales of political intrigue and espionage, set in a richly atmospheric London backdrop. The narrative explores themes of betrayal, anarchism, and the complexities of human motives, all crafted with Joseph Conrad's characteristic psychological depth and narrative skill.

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The Secret Agent

An attack on the Greenwich Observatory in 1894 masterminded by Verloc, a Russian spy working for the police, and ostensibly a member of an anarchist group in Soho. His masters instruct him to discredit the anarchists in a humiliating fashion, and when his evil plan goes horribly awry, Verloc must deal with the repercussions of his actions.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Published alongside other Conrad's works, on the 150th anniversary of his birth.

In the only novel Conrad set in London, The Secret Agent communicates a profoundly ironic view of human affairs. The story is woven around an attack on the Greenwich Observatory in 1894, masterminded by Verloc, a Russian spy working for the police and ostensibly a member of an anarchist group in Soho. His masters instruct him to discredit the anarchists in a humiliating fashion, and when his evil plan goes horribly awry, Verloc must deal with the repercussions of his actions.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad is highly praised as a significant work blending a detective story with political intrigue. Critics like Ford Madox Ford and Thomas Mann appreciate its status as a thrilling crime story intertwined with political themes. F. R. Leavis considers it one of Conrad’s masterpieces, while Paul Theroux highlights its pioneering role as a political thriller, reflecting Conrad's personal struggles and societal observations through its dream-like narrative and complex characters.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780141441580

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 02 August 2007

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Contributors:

  • Edited by Michael Newton

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 18.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 197.0mm

Weight: 237g

Pages: 320

Collections

Fiction General Fiction Joseph Conrad Literary Fiction Penguin Books Penguin Classics

About the Author

Joseph Conrad was born in the Ukraine in 1857 and grew up under Tsarist autocracy. In 1874 Conrad travelled to Marseilles, where he served in French merchant vessels before joining a British ship in 1878 as an apprentice. In 1886 he obtained British nationality. Eight years later he left the sea to devote himself to writing, publishing his first novel, Almayer's Folly, in 1895. The following year he settled in Kent, where he produced within fifteen years such modern classics as Youth, Heart of Darkness, Lord Jim, Typhoon, Nostromo, The Secret Agent and Under Western Eyes. He continued to write until his death in 1924. J. H. Stape is the author of The Several Lives of Joseph Conrad (1996) and Conrad's Notes on Life and Letters (2004).

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