Youth, a Narrative; and Two Other Stories is a collection of three works of short fiction by Joseph Conrad, originally serialized in Blackwood’s Magazine. The volume was published in 1902 by William Blackwood and Sons.Graver, 1969 p. 201: Appendix
The collection includes the novella "Heart of Darkness", considered one of the finest examples of modern fiction.Watt, 1977 p. 83, p. 84: “...generally reckoned the supreme example of Conrad’s importance in the modern literary tradition.”Baines, 1960 p. 225: “Heart of Darkness” described as “one of the finest short stories that have been written” according to Baines. The stories introduced the character Charles Marlow.
Stories
The three stories that appear in Youth, a Narrative were serialized in Blackwood's Magazine previous to their collection. The month and date of their first serialization appears below after the title.Graver, 1969 p. 201: Appendix
“Youth” (September, 1898) “Heart of Darkness” (February–April, 1899) “The End of the Tether” (July–September, 1902)
It was originally intended to be published in a Marlow trilogy, consisting of Youth, Heart of Darkness, and Lord Jim.
Publication Background
After the success of the short story “Youth” in 1898, publisher William Blackwood offered to include the story in a collection if Conrad could publish two more works. Conrad consented and these stories were the material for this, his second volume of short fiction.Graver, 1969 p. 120
Footnotes
Sources Baines, Jocelyn. 1960. Joseph Conrad: A Critical Biography, McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York. Graver, Laurence. 1969. Conrad’s Short Fiction. University of California Press, Berkeley, California. Watt, Ian. 1977. Impressionism and Symbolism in Heart of Darkness. The Southern Review, January 1977 in Joseph Conrad: Modern Critical Reviews, editor Harold Bloom. Chelsea House Publishers. 1987 pp. 83–99