The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad

Inspired by an actual attempt in 1894 to blow up London's Greenwich Observatory, here is a chillingly prophetic examination of contemporary terrorism-and the literary precursor to today's espionage thriller.

On the surface, this is an enjoyable little classic book, full of twist and turns, eccentric characters, and conflict galore. However, dig a little deeper, and it is a nightmarish novel of ideas, covering topics like the game that is politics (obviously), the horror of remorse along with the madness caused by it, and the difficulty of keeping the personal separate from the professional. Conrad's concepts, which were pretty original at the time of publication, are still striking today. For me, the personal philosophies of the Professor were intriguing to say the least. Definitely worth the read.