The Secret Agent

The Secret Agent is based loosely on a real explosion which took place on the grounds of the Greenwich Observatory in 1894. Conrad wrote the short novel in 1907, three years after the publication of one of his masterpieces, Nostromo. Because of its theme of terrorist activity, it is surprisingly topical. The book is on reading lists at many high schools and colleges and has been adapted for stage, film, television, and even opera. - Ian G. Wilson