Joseph Conrad 
Under Western Eyes 

‘We are in the world of Conrad’s Under Western Eyes.’ — The Guardian

Hailed as one of Joseph Conrad’s finest literary achievements, this is the story of a young man unwittingly caught in the political turmoil of pre-Revolutionary czarist Russia.

A gripping novel that ultimately questions our capacity for moral strength and the depths of human integrity. This new edition includes commentary and a reading group guide.

‘A novel crowded with enigmas & transmuted personal history.’ — The New Yorker

‘The real question for the world’s future, in Conrad’s theory, wasn’t what would happen. It was when and how.’ — Maya Jasanoff, The Dawn Watch

‘We are in the world of Conrad’s Under Western Eyes.’ — The Guardian

‘Under Western Eyes is valuable not because it came true but because it rang true even at the time, only now we can better hear the deep, sad note.’ — Clive James

About the author

Joseph Conrad was born in Berdichev, Ukraine, in 1857. After both of his parents died of tuberculosis, Conrad went to live with his uncle in Switzerland. After attending school in Krakow, he joined the French and then the British merchant marines, sailing to exotic destinations like the West Indies and the Congo, which would later become the backdrops for some of his fiction. In 1894 he settled down in England and began his literary career. In 1902 Conrad published his most famous work, Heart of Darkness, and continued to write until his death in 1924.