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Almayer's Folly: A Story of an Eastern River (Modern Library Classics)
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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.912
EAN: 9780375760143
ISBN: 0375760148
Label: Modern Library
Manufacturer: Modern Library
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 208
Publication Date: October 08, 2002
Publisher: Modern Library
Release Date: October 08, 2002
Studio: Modern Library
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Editorial Review:
Almayer’s Folly, Joseph Conrad’s first novel, is a tale of personal tragedy as well as a broader meditation on the evils of colonialism. Set in the lush jungle of Borneo in the late 1800s, it tells of the Dutch merchant Kaspar Almayer, whose dreams of riches for his beloved daughter, Nina, collapse under the weight of his own greed and prejudice. Nadine Gordimer writes in her Introduction, “Conrad’s writing is lifelong questioning . . . What was ‘Almayer’s Folly’? The pretentious house never lived in? His obsession with gold? His obsessive love for his daughter, whose progenitors, the Malay race, he despised? All three?” Conrad established in Almayer’s Folly the themes of betrayal, isolation, and colonialism that he would explore throughout the rest of his life and work.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - The hypocrisy of the white man
This excellent short novel is very representative for Joseph Conrad's work. Its main theme of the foolish, dangerous and deadly dreams of colonialists was also treated in his short story `An Outpost of Progress' (in 'Tales of Unrest') and in his masterpiece `Heart of Darkness'.
The main character in this story dreams of finding a mysterious treasure in order to be able to return to his homeland and live for the rest of his life in `untold wealth'.
For the indigenous, he is not ... Read More
Rating: - A Visually Astounding Masterwork
Almayer's Folly was Joseph Conrad's first novel. I have nothing to compare it to, as I have not read his signature work, Heart of Darkness, nor any of his other lesser known stories and novels. I came into the possession of Almayer's Folly by chance; one of my friend's mothers had taken the book from the DISCARD pile in the library and urged me to take it from her.
I'm glad that fate has brought me this book. It's the story of Almayer-- a Dutchman who has been born and raised in Colonial ... Read More
Rating:  - Overblown Romance, Unsympathetic Tragedy
This book by Conrad is a love story and a tragedy. The tragedy of Nina's father, Almayer--and the love story of Dain and Nina.
But Almayer's Folly is not as great a book as Lord Jim or Nigger of the 'Narcissus,' which are among the great masterpieces of literature.
There are several problems with Conrad's novel. For one thing, Almayer is not sympathetic enough to be a tragic hero. He just comes across as a real jerk. For another, the love story of Dain and Nina is so overblown and romantic ... Read More
Rating: - Almayer's rut
An alternative title for this novel could be Amayer's rut.
For that is the situation that the main protagonist in this novel finds himself in. Almayer is a European trader living in a
trading post somewhere in Indonesia or Malaysia with his daughter,a product of mixed marriage.
Almayer dreams of escaping to Europe after making himself wealthy and bringing his daughter with him also.
But as time drags on it becomes obvious that he is going nowhere with his life. He is not getting richer ... Read More
Rating: - whitebedreamin
Almayer's folly is a powerful beginning to Conrad's second profession, writing. Since the story was written so close to Conrad's adventurous youth (the spring for his most powerful works), it provides the rawest expression of Conrad's views. Almayer, the prototype of Tuan Jim, takes the "leap" when he marries the Malay captive for promised wealth. This transgression drops his character into contact with the cold truths of nature; truths which dispel any artificial illusions or meanings. For Almayer, ... Read More
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