The Secret Agent: A Drama in Three Acts
by Conrad, Joseph
- Used
- good
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- Good/No Jacket
- Seller
-
Johannesburg, South Africa
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
T. Werner Laurie Ltd, 1923. First Edition. Hardcover. Good/No Jacket. Rebound in full, recent leather with new end papers. Not signed, and with no limitation page. Internally, there is age-related foxing and edge wear, but the pages are otherwise complete and legible. The binding is secure. In good condition indeed, considering the age of the book. JK. Our orders are shipped using tracked courier delivery services.
Synopsis
The Secret Agent: A Simple Tale is one of Joseph Conrad’s later novels. Set in London in 1886, the novel tells the story of Adolf Verloc, a member of a largely ineffectual anarchist group who is also a secret agent, and an operation with unforeseen consequences. In his Author’s Note written in 1920, Conrad explains that the plot of the novel was inspired by the Greenwich Bomb Outrage of February 1894. In this event, explosives prematurely detonated in the hands of French anarchist named Martial Bourdin on the grounds of the Greenwich Observatory. What fascinated Conrad the most about the Greenwich Bomb Outrage was the fact that the motives remained a mystery. Through themes of espionage, anarchism, and terrorism based on horrific, but true events, The Secret Agent questions the world's capacity for reason and order in a smart, yet skeptical way. Perhaps this explains why the novel is said to be one of the three most talked-about works of literature in the media immediately after 9/11. The Secret Agent did not sell well initially, but is now considered a classic. The novel is ranked 46th on Modern Library’s “100 Best” English-language novels of the 20th century. The Secret Agent has undergone multiple adaptations for both the stage and the screen. Perhaps most notable is Alfred Hitchcock's 1936 film, Sabotage, loosely based on the novel, though many changes to the plot and characters were made. (Not to be confused with another 1936 Hitchcock film, Secret Agent, based on short stories by W. Somerset Maugham.) Fun fact: The Secret Agent is said to have greatly influenced Theodore Kaczynski, better known as the Unabomber. Kaczynski, who engaged in a nationwide bombing campaign in the US between 1978 and 1995, strongly identified with the Professor, the villain of the novel.
Read More: Identifying first editions of The Secret Agent: A Drama in Three Acts
Reviews
(Log in or Create an Account first!)
Details
- Bookseller
- Chapter 1 Books
(ZA)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 1114j
- Title
- The Secret Agent: A Drama in Three Acts
- Author
- Conrad, Joseph
- Format/Binding
- Hardcover
- Book Condition
- Used - Good
- Jacket Condition
- No Jacket
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- First Edition
- Publisher
- T. Werner Laurie Ltd
- Date Published
- 1923
- Weight
- 0.00 lbs
Terms of Sale
Chapter 1 Books
Orders usually ship within 2 business days. Shipping costs are based on books weighing 2.2 LB, or 1 KG. If your book order is heavy or oversized, we may contact you to let you know extra shipping is required.
About the Seller
Chapter 1 Books
Biblio member since 2006
Johannesburg
About Chapter 1 Books
Chapter 1 trades out of three premises that are all in the Johannesburg area. Our emphasis is on providing quality books at highly competitive prices. A large (and continuously growing) selection of our books are listed on various websites on the internet. We specialise in Modern First Editions, Rhodesiana, Africana and other rare and out of print books.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Rebound
- A book in which the pages have been bound into a covering replacing the original covering issued by the publisher.
- New
- A new book is a book previously not circulated to a buyer. Although a new book is typically free of any faults or defects, "new"...
- Jacket
- Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
Frequently asked questions
This Book’s Categories
Collecting Miniature Books
Teeny, tiny, beautiful books...the world of miniature books is one that involves a lot of imagination and craftsmanship. Dive in and see!
The American Eclipse of 2017
The path of the total eclipse of August 2017 had our offices at 99% totality - we closed the office to go watch the spectacle, but first we put together this gallery inspired by eclipses to celebrate.
