Author Description

The Nigger of the Narcissus is a magnificent saga of suspense, compassion, and elemental beauty--the voyage of a trim and gallant sailing ship and the tormented men who sailed her.Into this tumultuous novel Joseph Conrad crowds some of his most unforgettable characters. There is James Wait--The "Nigger" of the Narcissus--who bullied and beguiled his shipmates with his impending death; Belfast, whose Irish pugnacity and gentle devotion to Wait earned him universal respect; Wamibo, a dreamy and disheveled giant; the Cook who preached hellfire and brimstone to save the Nigger's soul' the venomous Donkin, discoursing on the rights of men; and old Singleton--wise, barbaric, and serene.Caught in a mortal struggle against the awesome fury of the sea, the Narcissus is the scene of raging hate and unpredictable tenderness, a maelstrom of emotions hurling the crew toward mutiny and disaster.