From School Library Journal
Gr 9 Up--Part of a series devoted to the criticism and interpretation of classic literature. This anthology starts with a short biographical sketch of Conrad, followed by 19 essays that assess his themes, short works, and later novels. Each one begins with a brief summation of its main ideas and the writer's background; the readable texts average five pages in length and are broken up by subheadings. Selections represent a range of viewpoints from confirmed Conrad scholars Cedric Watts and Morton Zabel, to more contemporary experts such as Gene Phillips, who compares the film Apocalypse Now to Conrad's novella Heart of Darkness, on which it was based. Adam Gillon, past president of the Joseph Conrad Society of America, shows the continuing relevancy of the author's prose. A well-organized volume that will challenge students far more than the standard "Cliff's Notes."--Janet Woodward, Garfield High School, Seattle, WA
Copyright 1998 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
