Joseph Conrad 
The Secret Agent (Barnes & Noble Library of Essential Reading) 

In an era not unlike our own, in which menacing acts have become commonplace, Russian spymaster Vladimir seeks to undermine England’s “sentimental regard for liberty.” His challenge is how to rouse the indignation of a population that has sunk into existential indifference under the weight of material comfort, physical security, emotional routine, and intellectual conformity.  In
The Secret Agent,
Conrad explores the confused motives of political terrorists through penetrating psychological insights, building suspense from page to page in a brilliant precursor to modern thrillers.

About the author

Joseph Conrad was born in Russian-occupied Poland in 1857. He was the son of the famous Polish patriot, radical, writer, and intellectual Apollo Korzeniowski, but lost both parents as a result of the harsh conditions of their exile by the Russian authorities. He left home at sixteen and became a ship’s captain, before becoming a prolific author. His best-known works include
Heart of Darkness, The Secret Agent, and
The Arrow of Gold.