‘Books Are an Integral Part of One’s Life’: Evaluating the Evidence of Conrad’s Reading

Abstract

In a critical examination of the rich repository of empirical evidence of Conrad’s reading, what Conrad read and where are closely read and explored, including changes over time and space. The reliability of this evidence mostly from his own letters, and first and third person memoirs, and the value and limitations of databases, such as the Reading Experience Database 1450–1945 (UKRED) are evaluated. The records of what, where and when Conrad read are surveyed, including genres read, and childhood and adolescent reading in Poland. The reading which went unrecorded because he was too deeply engaged in a text, reading which had a profound impact on his creative life, is examined. Finally, a critical examination of Conrad’s personal library highlights the gap between ownership of books and evidence of reading.