The Secret Agent

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.

I love Conrad's prose but just couldn't care less about the plot. Abandoned halfway.