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Original & Unabridged Edition
Tablet and e-reader formatted
Short Biography is also included
15 Illustrations are included
One of the best books to read
Best fiction books of all time
Bestselling Novel
Classic historical fiction books
The Secret Agent: A Simple Tale is a novel by Joseph Conrad, published in 1907. The story is set in London in 1886 and deals with Mr. Adolf Verloc and his work as a spy for an unnamed country (presumably Russia). The Secret Agent is notable for being one of Conrad's later political novels in which he moved away from his former tales of seafaring. The novel deals broadly with anarchism, espionage and terrorism. It also deals with exploitation of the vulnerable, particularly in Verloc's relationship with his brother-in-law Stevie, who has an intellectual disability. The Secret Agent was ranked the 46th best novel of the 20th century by Modern Library. Because of its terrorism theme, it was noted as "one of the three works of literature most cited in the American media" two weeks after the September 11 attacks.
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The novel is set in London and based on real events. It has mainly two arcs: one covering Adolf Verloc's involvement with anarchism, the other exploring the life choices of his wife Winnie. Winnie had sacrificed her love-life by marrying Mr. Verloc in order to provide financial stability for her aged mother, but more importantly to support her beloved younger brother. The latter's mental illness had prevented him from living independently and earning his own money. In spite of that, Stevie was the backbone of his sister's life and the center of her affection. Therefore, when he died, her life had lost its balance and collapsed. Conrad offers no moral judgements or condemnation on Winnie's acts. This, he leaves to his readers.The plot addresses the birth and rise of Anarchism as well, and comments on how Anarchists were always dissatisfied with their society, and yet had never offered a practical solution to the problems they pointed. At the same time, the book adopts an ironic tone and a pessimistic perspective in regard of the British society. It suggests that the latter was still reeling under the effects of industrialization and the emptiness caused by the fall of religion. When it comes to Modernist techniques, Geometric images are used in the text to create order in the midst of chaos and the nothingness that Conrad was trying to depict.