Polish · 1857–1924
Polish-British novelist who wrote English prose of dense, moral complexity. Born Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski in Russian-occupied Poland, he spent twenty years in the merchant marine before becoming a writer in his late thirties. Heart of Darkness, Lord Jim, Nostromo, The Secret Agent—the novels examine honor, imperialism, and human weakness. He wrote in his third language and created a style like no other—layered, elliptical, probing. His reputation fluctuates; his influence on modernism is undeniable.