The Nigger of the Narcissus and the Secret Sharer

Contained within this volume are two of Joseph Conrad’s great tales of the sea, “The Nigger of the ‘Narcissus'” and “The Secret Sharer.” Drawing from his own experiences as a seaman, Conrad’s writing is rich with the details of a life lived at sea. In “The Nigger of the ‘Narcissus'” a ship’s crew struggles with morale as a black member of the crew lay dying. In the shorter work “The Secret Sharer” a captain on his night watch discovers an officer that has come aboard has been accused of a murder. In both works through the context of a voyage at sea Conrad masterfully explores the psychological and moral issues that are at the heart of mankind.