THE FOLIO SOCIETY

Conrad was inspired by a true story when he wrote this complex tale of dishonour and redemption. The steamship 'Patna' carrying Muslim pilgrims on their way to Mecca, has an accident and begins to sink. Jim, along with the other officers, instinctively jumps to safety, abandoning the passengers to what seems like certain death. Yet the 'Patna' eventually makes it to port without loss of life and Jim is publicly disgraced.

Tortured by his own conscience, Jim moves ever further eastwards in his search for forgiveness until he finds himself in the remote inland settlement of Patusan. There, he wins the respect of the local Malay population, but soon the scene is set for the second great crisis of Jim's life.