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1800s: Almayer’s Folly is Conrad’s first novel. Now annotated.
1800s: Almayer’s Folly is Conrad’s first novel. Now annotated.
Almayer’s Folly, published in 1895, is Joseph Conrad’s first novel. Set in the late 19th century, it centers on the life of the Dutch trader Kaspar Almayer in the Borneo jungle and his relationship to his mixed heritage daughter Nina.
This Book is annotated (it contains a detailed biography of the author). An active Table of Contents has been added by the publisher for a better customer experience.
Almayer’s Folly charts the progress of poor Dutch trader Kaspar Almayer in the Borneo jungle. He dreams of finding a hidden gold mine and becoming a very rich man. He understands that the British are to conquer the Pantai River, and so he builds a large, lavish house near here so he can welcome the invaders. However, the conquest never takes place, and the house remains unfinished. This then becomes known as “Almayer’s Folly”.
The novel also explores issues of race and culture – Almayer is a white European, married to a native Malayan; they have one daughter named Nina. He fails to find wealth and sinks into a depression so he starts to go out on long trips, but eventually he stops doing so and stays home with his hopeless daydreams of becoming rich.
Destination : Borneo, Indonesia Author/Guide: Joseph Conrad Departure Time: 1800s
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