Books

First edition, presentation copy, inscribed by Conrad on the front free endpaper, "With the Author's compliments". Presentation copies are scarce, particularly so in this condition. The printing of the first edition was fraught with difficulties: a fire destroyed the original electrotype plates and the first impression was hastily set, which resulted in numerous typographical errors (for example, "this" for "their" on p. 26, l. 31; "absolution" for "ablution" on p. 110, l. 12; and "hate" for "fate" on p. 356, l. 26). On publication, the novel was met with "sufficient high praise to confirm him in the choice of the literary career" (ODNB). Octavo. Original green cloth, spine lettered and ruled in gilt, top edge gilt, others untrimmed. Housed in a custom green quarter morocco folding box. Title page printed in red and black. Spine ends bumped, a few minor marks to cloth, endpapers browned, inner hinged partly cracked, but firm, contents clean. A near-fine copy. Cagle A2a.1 (or 2); Wise 2; Wise, A Conrad Library, p. 2.

An Outcast of the Islands is a novel by Joseph Conrad, first published in 1896. The book follows the story of Peter Willems, a Dutch-Belgian tramp with a troubled past, who finds himself involved in treacherous local politics in a colonial setting.