This study illuminates various aspects of the relationship between Joseph Conrad's literary work and his roots in Polish and East-Central European culture. In particular, it examines various aspects of Conrad's relationship to Poland—the evolution of his attitude toward his homeland, the influence of Polish literature on his work, his reception by Polish audiences—and to Russian literature, particularly Dostoevsky and Turgenev.

This volume collects fourteen essays by scholars from the United States, Europe and beyond. It is critically diverse, containing elements of biography, psychoanalysis, film criticism, comparative literature, and sociological and philosophical interpretation. The scope of critical materials is equally wide-ranging: from considerations of Conrad's life and political attitudes to overviews of his entire oeuvre and focused studies of single literary works.