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The Secret Agent: A Simple Tale is an anarchist spy fiction novel by Polish-British author Joseph Conrad, first published on 12 September 1907. The story is set in Soho, London in 1886 and deals with Mr. Adolf Verloc and his work as a spy for an unnamed country (presumably Russia). The Secret Agent is one of Conrad's later political novels in which he moved away from his former tales of seafaring. The novel is dedicated to H. G. Wells and deals broadly with anarchism, espionage, and terrorism. It also deals with exploitation of the vulnerable in Verloc's relationship with his brother-in-law Stevie, who has an intellectual disability. Conrad’s gloomy portrait of London depicted in the novel was influenced by Charles Dickens’ Bleak House.
The novel was modified as a stage play by Conrad himself and has since been adapted for film, TV, radio and opera.
The Secret Agent has come to be considered one of Conrad's finest novels. The Independent calls it one of Conrad's great city novels" whilst The New York Times insists that it is "the most brilliant novelistic study of terrorism.” The Pequod called the book “one of Joseph Conrad's best books,” and rated the book a 9.5 out of 10.0.” In a 2016 review, The National Review said the book “may be the first great novel of global terrorism.”
The Secret Agent influenced Ted Kaczynski, also known as the Unabomber. He was a great fan and as an adolescent kept a copy at his bedside.
Because of its terrorism theme, it was one of the three works of literature most cited in the American media two weeks after the September 11 attacks.
THE SECRET AGENT
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