Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad tells the story of Jim, a young seaman who dreams of heroism but is haunted by a moment of cowardice. After abandoning a ship in peril, Jim must live with the shame of his actions. He seeks redemption in a remote village, where he becomes a leader, but his past soon catches up with him, forcing him to confront his guilt.

The novel explores themes of honor, guilt, and the quest for personal redemption. Conrad delves into the complexities of human nature and the weight of choices that define a man.

Excerpt:
"I have wrestled with death. It is the most unexciting contest you can imagine. It takes place in an impalpable grayness, with nothing underfoot, with nothing around, without spectators, without clamor, without glory, without the great desire of victory, without the great fear of defeat, in a sickly atmosphere of tepid skepticism, without much belief in your own right, and still less in that of your adversary."

Here’s a longer excerpt that shows Conrad's style:

"He was one of us. He had no business to be here at all, and yet he was one of us—this is what I had to keep before my mind: that he was one of us. He was an insignificant man, but then, all human beings are insignificant in the vastness of time and space. What had he done? Nothing more than many others—yet for him, it was everything."

Book details:

Title: Lord Jim

Author: Joseph Conrad

Condition: Very Good

Binding: Hardcover

Publisher: The Folio Society

Publication Date: 1996