“Fiction, at the point of development at which it has arrived, demands from the writer a spirit of scrupulous abnegation.The only legitimate of all the irreconcilable antagonisms that make our life so enigmatic, so burdensome, so fascinating, so dangerous--so full of hope. They exist! And this is the only fundamental truth of fiction.”

Polish-British novelist and short story writer

Joseph Conrad was a Polish-British novelist and short story writer. He became one of the major figures in English-language fiction, even though he did not speak English fluently until his twenties. He is remembered for the force and style of his prose, and for bringing a non-English perspective into English literature. His work helped shape modern literary fiction through its precision, atmosphere, and distinctive narrative voice.