Why a Booktrail?
1800s: Almayer’s Folly is Conrad’s first novel. Now illustrated
Almayer’s Folly – Classic Illustrated Edition
What you need to know before your trail
Beautifully illustrated with atmospheric paintings by renowned artists, Almayer’s Folly is Conrad’s first novel. A captivating tale, it’s based on the life of a fictional Dutch trader living in the Borneo jungle with his mixed race daughter Nina.
Travel Guide
Travel to Indonesia with Joseph Conrad
Almayer’s Folly charts the progress of poor Dutch trader Kaspar Almayer in the Borneo jungle. He dreams of finding a hidden gold mine and becoming a very rich man. He understands that the British are to conquer the Pantai River, and so he builds a large, lavish house near here so he can welcome the invaders. However, the conquest never takes place, and the house remains unfinished. This then becomes known as “Almayer’s Folly”.
The novel also explores issues of race and culture – Almayer is a white European, married to a native Malayan; they have one daughter named Nina. He fails to find wealth and sinks into a depression so he starts to go out on long trips, but eventually he stops doing so and stays home with his hopeless daydreams of becoming rich.
Booktrail Boarding Pass: Almayer’s Folly – Classic Illustrated Edition
Destination : Borneo, Indonesia Author/Guide: Joseph Conrad Departure Time: 1800s
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