Cover of Typhoon

Typhoon

by Joseph Conrad

First published
1902
Reading level
Plain English
Price
Free

About the book

"Typhoon" by Joseph Conrad is a novella written in 1899 and serialized in 1902. Captain MacWhirr commands the steamer Nan-Shan straight into a devastating Pacific typhoon, refusing to change course despite the mounting danger. Though emotionally distant from his crew and family, and lacking imagination, his unyielding determination against overwhelming natural forces commands unexpected respect. Conrad innovatively portrays the shift from sail to steam while employing a startling narrative technique—leaping forward in time at the story's climax, challenging readers to imagine how the ship survived the storm's fury.

  • Sea stories
  • Ship captains
  • Adventure stories
  • Typhoons

Updated September 2026. Public domain in the USA. Text and summary from Project Gutenberg eBook #1142. Typhoon on Wikipedia.

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