This volume contains "Typhoon," "The Secret Sharer," "Falk," and "Amy Foster." "Typhoon", a story of a steamship and her crew beset by a tempest, is a masterpiece of descriptive virtuosity and moral irony, while "The Secret Sharer" excels in symbolic ambiguity. Both stories vividly present Conrad's abiding preoccupation with the theme of solidarity, challenged from without by the elements and from within by human doubts and fears.<br><br>Conrad's experiences as a captain of the ship <em>Otago</em> in 1888 provided material for both "The Secret Sharer" and "Falk". "Amy Foster", written in 1901, is bleak and stark in its depiction of human isolation and incomprehension.<br><br>In a range of tones extending from the sombre to the radiant, Conrad's central preoccupations are displayed at their best, strangest, and most plangent in this selection of stories.<br><br><strong>About the Series: </strong>For over 100 years <strong>Oxford World's Classics</strong> has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.