An Introduction to Joseph Conrad

Joseph Conrad is one of the most intriguing and important modernist novelists. His writing continues to preoccupy 21^st-century readers. The rise of postcolonial studies has inspired new interest in Conrad's themes of travel, exploration, and racial and ethnic conflict. John Peters explains how these themes are explored in his major works, Nostromo, Lord Jim and Heart of Darkness, as well as his short stories. He provides an essential overview of Conrad's fascinating life and career and his approach to writing and literature.

Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" is not simply a critique of colonialism in the Congo; it is an examination of the human tendency toward self-endangering corruptibility. This collection of critical essays suggests it has taken on the power of myth.

Joseph Heller- Catch 22 (PDF)

There was a time when reading Joseph Heller's classic satire on the murderous insanity of war was nothing less than a rite of passage. Echoes of Yossarian, the wise-ass bombardier who was too smart to die but not smart enough to find a way out of his predicament, could be heard throughout the counterculture. As a result, it's impossible not to consider Catch-22 to be something of a period piece. But 40 years on, the novel's undiminished strength is its looking-glass logic.

 

Joseph Conrad and Psychological Medicine by Martin Bock

Conrads life and fiction are often read through the lens of Freudian thought, though Conrad understood his own health from a pre-Freudian perspective. "Joseph Conrad and Psychological Medicine" recovers that perspective, revises our understanding of Conrads life, and rethinks the dominant themes of his work in light of pre-Freudian medical psychology.

The series follows the brothers Sam and Dean Winchester,  who travel across the country in a black 1967 Chevrolet Impala investigating and combating paranormal events, , as well as classic supernatural creatures such as vampires, werewolves, and ghosts. Eric Kripke, the series' creator, cites Neil Gaiman's The Sandman and American Gods as influences on Supernatural, along with American Werewolf in London and Joseph Campbell's The Hero's Journey.

Parental guidance. Recommended age 14+