The Mirror of the Sea

By Joseph Conrad

Book Overview

First published in 1906, The Mirror of the Sea was the first of Joseph Conrad's two autobiographical memoirs. Discussing it, he called the book "a very intimate revelation. . . . I have attempted here to lay bare with the unreserve of a last hour's confession the terms of my relation with the sea, which beginning mysteriously, like any great passion the inscrutable Gods send to mortals, went on unreasoning and invincible, surviving the test of disillusion, defying the disenchantment that lurks in every day of a strenuous life; went on full of love's delight and love's anguish, facing them in open-eyed exultation without bitterness and without repining, from the first hour to the last."

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0910395349
• ISBN13: 9780910395342
• Release Date: February 1988
• Publisher: Marlboro Press
• Length: 175 Pages
• Weight: 0.58 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.3" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Wonderfully fascinating

Joseph Conrad (born Jozef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski - 1857-1924) was a Polish-born English novelist who experienced life in both the French and British navies. He took his rich experiences, and turned them into fascinating, realistic literature about life in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when colossal empires bestrode the Earth. This wonderfully fascinating book was first published in 1905 (at least that is what my 1926 edition says), and is NOT a novel. The Mirror of the Sea is a collection of autobiographical essays that were originally published as a series of magazine articles. Each essay is about Joseph Conrad's true love, the sea, covering such subjects as landfalls and departures, the nature of captains and officers, anchors, and so much more. Yes, this book shows Conrad's love of the sea, and is an excellent read, explaining how a ship worked, throughout its career. Indeed, if you are a fan of nautical books, then I must say that you really must read this book - it will give you a true understanding of what the mariners are saying and what they mean. I really enjoyed this book, and do not hesitate to recommend it.