“The mind of man is capable of anything-because everything is in it, all the past as well as all the future. What was there after all? Joy, fear, sorrow, devotion, valour, rage-who can tell?-but truth-truth stripped of its cloak of time. Let the fool gape and shudder-the man know, and can look on without a wink. But he must at least be as much of a man as these on the shore. He must meet the truth with his own true stuff-with his own inborn strength.”

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.