In which I discuss Joseph Conrad’s Nostromo, a tale of political strife and striving among the upper society of a small South American republic. We explore Conrad’s depiction of South America, the tragic nature of his characters, and the relationship between our ideals and the real world we live in.

Also, a brief update on the show’s schedule: Balckwell’s Books will now come out every other Tuesday, and “Mini” episodes will just be considered regular episodes. I will still be writing/producing scripted episodes like this one, but a little less frequently (every 3-4 episodes or so). In the end, this will mean more episodes of higher quality, so it’s a win for everyone. Thanks for listening.

If you have questions, thoughts, or suggestions for future topics, please write to: Balckwellbooks [at] gmail

Books referenced:

Nostromo, Joseph Conrad

Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad

Joseph Conrad and the Fiction of Autobiography, Edward Said (offhand reference — I’ve only read one section, so I might have misrepresented his thesis…)

Tribulations of a Chinese Man in China, Jules Verne

Demian, Herman Hesse

Dream of the Red Chamber, Cao Xueqin

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit balckwell.substack.com