Joseph Conrad

Grade 8 Up-- Three series entries that give basic biographical facts about the subjects, impart some information about the social and political milieu in which they wrote, and discuss some of their works in light of this knowledge. While all three follow a similar format, they vary in result. Flynn and Martin both concentrate on biography, relating incidents in Orwell's and Dickens's lives to the plots of the their books. Reilly focuses on literary analysis, devoting most of his book to an in-depth study of three works he considers to be key to the understanding of Conrad. All the titles quote liberally from the writings of their subjects; readers can get acquainted with the authors' styles and their evolution from the excerpts. Overall, the writing is acceptable without being distinguished. All are heavily illustrated with photos, drawings, and engravings--some from the author's lives, some from their times, some from films made from their works. Joseph Conrad contains a rather grisly photo of Belgian atrocities in the Congo that is not particularly necessary for the understanding of his work. Utilitarian titles for students beginning to study literature. --Christine Behrmann, New York Public Library
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