Tristan and the Classics have a list of 10 Classics that they love. One of them is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pv5B63qe4nc.

However, I have a different perspective. I actually hated "A Personal Record". This experience has led me to approach this list with a certain degree of healthy skepticism.

I'm not sure if I will find the same value in the other Classics on their list as they do. Maybe I'll discover something new and unexpected, or maybe my initial impression will hold true.

Only time will tell as I explore these Classics and see if they can change my mind or confirm my existing views.

It will be an interesting journey of discovery and evaluation as I compare my own tastes and opinions with those of Tristan and the Classics.

"Men act badly sometimes without being much worse than others."

Given the over 1200 reviews here, there is little for me to add. This is a profound and dark exploration of conscience and humility in the face of the unyielding weakness of humanity. It is set in the context of a man, Jim, who simply desires to do right by people, regardless of who they are or where they are from. In our current age of self-entitlement and petty self-absorption (and I see no redundancy as the entitlement and absorption are two mutually-reinforcing traits, one assumed and the other chosen), many will likely find this idea repellent. The Jim in the title accidentally commits a cowardly and lethal act and endures the consequences as best he can. Instead of somehow excusing it, as might occur in today's society, he acknowledges his error and attempts to do better for humanity through a self-effacing act of penance. As it is Conrad, things take a dark turn quickly, but it is still filled with beautiful sentiments.

Conrad is a masterful stylist, and this work predates more "exploratory" modes of fiction with its strange structure, which is admittedly challenging: nested narrators and crazy time jumps. However, it is well worth the effort.

Conrad's "Lord Jim" is a complex and challenging synthesis of "psychological realism" and "philosophical romanticism."

The character of Jim represents romanticism. He is repeatedly described as such in the book. At the beginning, he dreams of heroic deeds until he fails on the Patna, facing the harsh reality. Marlow, the narrator, then takes over the romanticization of Jim.

He puts Jim, with his poetic way of life, at the center. He is almost obsessed with him.

However, Conrad deconstructs Jim in his formal conception. The character seems like an improvisation, which is confusingly presented through the text's structure with its changing perspectives.

Here are two quotes that define romanticism. It's like Faust fitting perfectly: "Steigerung des schöpferischen Ichs ins Universale, Vereinigung von Geist und Natur. Die poetische Lebensform ist wichtiger als die Form des Dichtwerks..."

Hegel's idealism is also very present in the work. The whole dilemma starts with Jim's jump from the Patna, losing his honor, pride, and self-image.

What follows is his search for his own value and integrity. The psychological realism shatters the romanticism. Jim finds refuge on Patusan, which represents an almost utopian space.

Here, he can try to live out his ideals. But Marlow's psychology comes into play. He realizes that this is important for him, not for Jim. Jim just tries to act within the limits of his idealism and refuses to leave Patusan.

"Lord Jim" is also about the exploration of the primeval fear, storytelling against forgetting. Marlow's "delusion" of getting into Jim's story can be seen as a reflection of his own insecurities.

This reflection breaks in his conversation with Stein Bahn.

Well, in the end, someone interferes, no matter how forgotten one lives. The world runs indifferently, and the boat sinks for good.

Although some passages may seem wordy, they burn in the searing heat of this existential masterpiece - of being human.

In this re-reading of Joseph Conrad's Lord Jim, I have finally unearthed what troubled me about the book during my first encounter with it - decades ago.

Quite simply, it was the fact that Marlow, the narrator, seemed to have a disproportionate influence. We are never granted the opportunity to see Jim from his own perspective, except in dialogues with Marlow and other characters. I firmly believe that Jim was entitled to his own voice, especially towards the end, when he confronts the second (and final) major crisis of his young life.

The extensive use of Marlow as the narrator bestows Lord Jim with a certain awkwardness, as if its central character did not truly merit his own point of view. Additionally, I was slightly perturbed by the fragmentation of the action surrounding the Patna disaster, as if it were being refracted through an excessive number of mirrors.

Nevertheless, it remains a great book, albeit with some inherent flaws at its core.

There is so much to say about this remarkable novel.

On one hand, it presents an exciting adventure tale that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. However, on the other hand, it also serves as a harbinger of the modern novel. Told from various points of view, it creates an almost cubist vision of one man's arduous struggle with guilt and morality.

The prose in this novel is simply beautiful, flowing gracefully and painting vivid pictures in the reader's mind. The characters are equally fascinating, each one plagued by their own inner demons. Jim, in particular, can almost be seen as a younger version of Kurtz from Heart of Darkness. But among all the characters, my personal favorites were probably Brierly, the foreboding sea captain, and Stein, surrounded by all his beautiful butterflies.

This novel is steeped in a profound sense of beauty and melancholy. The passages that describe the Patna disaster are truly devastating, leaving a lasting impact on the reader. It is, without a doubt, well worth a read.

A very different sort of read indeed. There are no time constraints imposed here. The author has the freedom to skip forward, backward, and sideways. It is entirely 'in the will' of the reader to decide whether to follow along or fold. The reader may find themselves closing the last page brimming with irresolution. This is not a composition that attempts to facilitate or ease the reader with Conrad's rendition. He, Conrad, has no obligation to the reader other than to demonstrate to himself the futility of life. The ignobility of truth, romance, or ideals becomes evident. There is an utter abnegation to ally himself with his audience, for it would unsettle the writer to be untruthful to himself. It is ultimately up to the reader to utter a 'nay' or 'yay' to this trying tome. Conrad's prose has a poetical flavor throughout, which offers the confused reader the ultimate conundrum to an already vexing tale. It challenges the reader's perception and forces them to grapple with the complex themes and ideas presented. The lack of a clear path or resolution adds to the mystery and allure of the work, making it a truly unique and thought-provoking read.

I read "Lord Jim" by Joseph Conrad with profound respect and admiration. His English writing style is truly remarkable, with superb narration that captivates the reader from start to finish. What makes it even more astonishing is that he wrote his novels in English, which was his third language. He was indeed a rare genius.

Conrad presents Jim as a man who is at the mercy of an unknown fate. To find meaning and purpose in his life, he feels compelled to live in the East, navigating through the moral, psychological, and political complexities that come his way.

Interestingly, Conrad traveled and stayed in Siam at that time. In the novel, he spells our capital as "Bankok" (p. 178) instead of the current spelling "Bangkok". I wonder why he did this. Perhaps it was the way he heard the Siamese people pronounce it. As far as I know, he had a penchant for staying at the Oriental Hotel in Bangkok, and his name has been honored with a room named after him, the Conrad Room. It is a testament to his enduring influence and the impact his works have had on literature.

Overall, "Lord Jim" is a masterpiece that not only showcases Conrad's literary prowess but also provides a fascinating exploration of the human condition and the power of fate. It is a book that I will continue to cherish and revisit for years to come.

I saw the fine film decades ago with Peter O'Toole as the protagonist, and it truly had a profound impact on me. It inspired me to finally pick up the book at a secondhand shop and embark on this literary journey.

The first third or so of the book is not an easy read. The language and the complexity of the story can be quite challenging. However, if one perseveres, they will be handsomely rewarded. Conrad's writing is intense, and he has a remarkable ability to be both clear-eyed and sympathetic towards his characters. His plot progresses with all the nuances, misunderstandings, and chaos that one would expect in actual life. As others have mentioned, the drawback is keeping track of what's going on. It does require a bit of effort on the part of the reader.

Many of the characters in the book are non-white. After all, the story is set in the Far East of a century ago, and it also includes those rootless Europeans of that era. Most of the latter seem to have literally and metaphorically washed up on the shores of isolated islands. Chief among them is Jim, who undergoes a metamorphosis that is both remarkable and tragic in the telling.

This is a work that vividly depicts the savagery among uneducated men, the hard times in tough surroundings, the touching generosity towards others, and the transcendent yet bewildered idealism. It is a powerful and thought-provoking piece of literature that continues to resonate with readers today.

Witamy w gronie najnudniejszych lektur!

This is a place where you can explore some of the most uninteresting and monotonous readings.

It might seem strange at first, but there is a certain charm in delving into the world of the dull.

Here, you can encounter texts that are so unexciting that they might make you yawn.

However, sometimes, within this boredom, there are hidden gems of knowledge or unexpected perspectives that can surprise you.

So, come and join us in this unique group of the most boring readings and see what awaits you.

You might be surprised by what you discover.

Who knows, maybe you'll find a new appreciation for the art of the uninteresting.

Joseph Conrad is the most significant English writer during the period from 1895 to 1925. Born in Poland, he became the first English-language writer to prompt the English to reflect on the role that Great Britain played in every corner of the world. Especially, he was familiar with the commercial activities of the English in the Far East.

Lord Jim is Joseph Conrad's greatest novel. (The most-read one is Heart of Darkness which is very short and thus is most suitable for literature courses in the first cycle and in secondary school.) It tells the story of a promising young officer who has a disastrous start to his career. He works on a ship carrying pilgrims who are making their haj. A storm begins. It is believed that the ship will sink. The captain, Jim and the other sailors abandon the vessel and the pilgrims on board. The crew arrive safely at the port. However, the pilgrims' boat does not sink. A British navy ship leads the boat to port and an investigation begins. Jim is disgraced. He will no longer be entitled to work on a British ship.

Jim finds a job as an agent for a merchant who owns a factory in Malaysia. Jim will go there to work for the rest of his life in the hope of redeeming himself. A group of bandits attack the factory. The bandits are repulsed but the son of the local tribal chief dies in the battle. The father demands Jim's head as a reward. For the second time in his life, Jim has to choose between a life without honor or an honorable death. This time Jim chooses honor and willingly surrenders to the executioner.

After reading this great novel, one can also download the film starring Peter O'Toole who gives one of the greatest performances of his career.

Conrad's works are often known for their complexity and depth. If you're seeking easy-to-read content, Conrad is not the author for you. His novels, like "Lord Jim," are filled with delayed understanding and a jumbled chronology, making them challenging to follow. In fact, to truly understand Conrad's works, it's often necessary to read his biography as well.

I've been reading Conrad for over 15 years, but I still struggle to fully grasp his overall philosophy. Maybe one day I'll get there, or perhaps I never will. He was an intellectual, and his works might be too profound for me. Conrad's life was marked by heaviness and darkness from an early age. However, it's admirable that he learned English while sailing, considering it was his third language. Eventually, he became a celebrated author who can teach us about the global world.

Despite my difficulties with Conrad's works, "Lord Jim" is one of his more approachable texts. It's also very content-rich and is my favorite, along with "Amy Foster" and "Secret Sharer." The novel is character-centric, focusing on Jim in great detail and highlighting the difficulty of truly knowing someone.

Jim is a quixotic character, influenced by reading and dreams of heroism. This is why I've shelved this title in my "books-stores-booksellers" category. Prompted by his fantasies, he enlists on a ship, but things don't go as he imagines.

"Lord Jim" is not just a story of one man's cowardice and its consequences. It's also a story about friendship, knowing someone, and storytelling. Marlow, the storyteller and protagonist, gathers third-hand accounts and his own knowledge about Jim. As a friend, Marlow is steadfast and looks out for Jim.

I find Jim relatable because he's a youngster who wants to be seen but lets his fantasies carry him away and avoids confronting reality. I understand this need for fantasy and the tendency to avoid facing the truth. In many ways, we all do it.

The different forms in the text, such as third-hand accounts and letters, add to the complexity of the story. Conrad's experimentation with these forms distances the narrator and us from the protagonist, making Jim remain somewhat unknowable.

Marlow is the best kind of friend, and his response to Jim is moving. In Conrad's works, friendships often have a tragic fatality, as seen in Jim's friendship with Doramin in "Lord Jim." Other works, like "Karain," also explore this theme.

Conrad's descriptions of the sea are enchanting, and the sense of humans being dwarfed by nature is ever-present. His works leave plenty of room for reflection, as the plots give way to thoughts.

Overall, "Lord Jim" is a novel with a lot of content that I enjoy returning to. Despite my mixed relationship with Conrad, this novel has always drawn me in. I've read it at least 5 times since high school, and each time something new catches my attention. Reading Conrad might be a good measure of my own growth and progress.

"Amy Foster" is another story I love. It speaks to the heart and is sympathetic towards the plight of "aliens" on foreign shores. Conrad must have felt this way too, coming from a different culture and harsh political circumstances. Yet, he did his best, and I admire him for that.

The first half of this book is arduous work. Conrad inundates you with a plethora of details without much dialogue to relieve the density. It is a highly psychological novel centered around the internal conflicts and the aftermath of past actions. In this particular case, it pertains to the staff's abandonment of a ship believed to be sinking, with hundreds of ethnic travelers on board.

This story is told from multiple viewpoints, each character undergoing significant development as they strive to come to terms with their own inner turmoil and problems.

You will discover that this novel demands a great deal of concentration and time to complete. I would definitely not recommend reading it in a place where you could easily be distracted.

I felt a sense of empathy for Jim. Before any catastrophe occurs, it is so effortless for us to believe that we could perform any heroic act necessary to overcome a calamity or threat, such as grandeur. However, the truth is that as humans, we instinctively recoil from the danger, especially when it is life-threatening. Self-preservation often prevails. In the aftermath, especially in the eyes of those who were not present at the event, it can easily be regarded as cowardice. But unless they were in a very similar situation, how can they be in a position to judge?

I myself am often an outgoing and confident individual, which is an integral part of my personality. However, there are times when I have shied away from certain situations, and afterwards, I cannot help but feel resentment towards myself. I cannot help but wonder how I would have acted if I were in Jim's shoes.

Anyway, I digress a bit here. I loathe reviewing books.

In conclusion, it is a great tale of redemption, with an enormous amount of content available for analysis, complemented by Conrad's excellent prose. It is more than understandable why this book has been labeled as one of the best books ever written.

One final note, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of comparing this to Heart of Darkness. Both were written almost simultaneously, featuring similar ethical and individual dilemmas and the same narrator!

Oh yeah, and Conrad was the best at writing sea-faring stories. Sorry, AMERICA!