Heart of Darkness
Open Library readers: 3.59 / 5 from 138 ratings. Separate from ratings here.Catalogue checked 2026-10-02.
Heart of Darkness (1899) is a novella by Polish-English novelist Joseph Conrad, about a voyage up the Congo River into the Congo Free State, in the heart of Africa, by the story's narrator Charles Marlow. Marlow tells his story to friends aboard a boat anchored on the River Thames. Joseph Conrad is one of the greatest English writers, and Heart of Darkness is considered his best. His readers are brought to face our psychological selves to answer, ‘Who is the true savage?’. Originally published in 1902, Heart of Darkness remains one of this century’s most enduring works of fiction. Written several years after Joseph Conrad’s grueling sojourn in the Belgian Congo, the novel is a complex meditation on colonialism, evil, and the thin line between civilization and barbarity.
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About Heart of Darkness
A few practical answers before choosing a copy.
Bibliographic source: Open Library- Who wrote Heart of Darkness?
Heart of Darkness is by Joseph Conrad. The catalogue records its first publication in 1899. A later edition may have a different publication date on its copyright page.
- How long is Heart of Darkness?
The catalogue records 136 pages for a representative edition. Pagination varies with the publisher, format, type size and translation, so check the edition you intend to read.
