Lee (the Book Butcher)'s Reviews > Lord Jim

Joseph Conrad is one of the greatest writers to ever write in English. It amazes me greatly that the polish author was able to write so fluently in a language he did not learn until his twenties. But it seems to me that he will fall on the wrong side of social critic. this was on my 100 greatest book poster and i found it odd that they chose this rather that his more famous, more controversial work Heart of Darkness. truth is if you got a social issue you can easily use this a fodder for race equality or gender equality. But I'm not that guy! Although i don't agree with his viewpoints i think they are accurate of his time and social position.

Jim (last name withheld) a English born, blue eyed, blond haired, strong clergyman son and described often as one of us. Is a first mate on a passenger ship of Muslim emigrates and abandoned ship with the other white officer. I'll get that out of the way the idea of dark skin people needing Whites to manage them is a constant theme. As someone with Cherokee/creek native American blood who family is only 3 generation off the reservation i can attest to that kind of mentality in historical terms. If i can tough through the narrative so can you. yes i cringed every time it was brought up and my rating reflects that. Any who, if you read classics you know this brings Jim dishonor and in those days Dishonor is worse that death! So Jim spends most of the novel in shame running from his guilt. He ends up in a native city and somehow runs the show on sheer weight of his overwhelming whiteness. There he meets a girl who is just waiting for a strong man to sweep her off her feet! Tragedy happens and the story ends.

This is a tragedy and a tough read. But Conrad the master of the Victorian European mind makes this a must read! It's also a nautical tale if that's your thing!