Cover -- Half-title -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- Foreword -- Acknowledgements -- CHAPTER 1 Joseph Conrad: alienation and commitment -- NOTES -- CHAPTER 2 Almayer's Folly : introduction -- THE BEGINNINGS: BORNEO, 1887 AND LONDON, 1889 -- THE WRITING: 1889-95 -- The Manuscript: 1889-94 -- The Typescript, Acceptance, and Publication: 1894-95 -- The Author's Note: 1895 -- THE RECEPTION OF ALMAYER'S FOLLY -- THE NOVEL -- Language -- Literary influences -- Point of view, theme, and meaning -- NOTES -- CHPATER 3 Conrad criticism and The Nigger of the 'Narcissus' -- I -- II -- III -- CHPATER 4 Conrad's Heart of Darkness and the critics -- NOTES -- CHAPTER 5 Comedy and humour in Typhoon -- I -- II -- III -- NOTES -- CHAPTER 6 The political and social background of The Secret Agent -- NOTES -- CHAPTER 7 'The Secret Sharer': introduction -- CHAPTER 8 Conrad, James and Chance -- I -- II -- III -- NOTES -- CHAPATER 9 Story and idea in Conrad's The Shadow-Line -- I -- II -- III -- IV -- NOTES -- CHAPTER 10 The decline of the decline: notes on Conrad's reputation -- NOTES -- CHAPTER Around Conrad's grave in the Canterbury cemetery - a retrospect -- CHAPTER 12 'The Bridge over the River Kwai' as myth -- THE REAL BRIDGES -- THE MYTH BEGINS -- THE MOVIE -- REINCARNATION ON THE KWAI -- THE MYTH AND THE REALITY -- Index.