HEART OF DARKNESS * AN OUTPOST OF PROGRESS * KARAIN * YOUTH The finest of all Conrad's tales, 'Heart of Darkness' is set in an atmosphere of mystery and mena ce, and tells of Marlow's perilous journey up the Congo River to relieve his emp loyer's agent, the renowned and formidable Mr Kurtz. What he sees on his journey , and his eventual encounter with Kurtz, horrify and perplex him, and call into question the very bases of civilization and human nature. Endlessly reinterprete d by critics and adapted for film, radio, and television, the story shows Conrad at his most intense and sophisticated. The other three tales in this volume depict corruption and obsession, and question racial assumptions. Set in the ex otic surroundings of Africa, Malaysia. and the east, they variously appraise the glamour, folly, and rapacity of imperial adventure. This revised edition uses t he English first edition texts and has a new chronology and bibliography. ABOU T THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflect s Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a we alth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading autho rities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.