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An Outpost of Progress

Published
Jun 2013
Main Genre
General Fiction General Fiction
Pages
30

About This Book

"An Outpost of Progress" is a short story written in July 1897 by Joseph Conrad, drawing on his own experience at Congo.



The story deals with two European men, named Kayerts and Carlier, who are assigned to a trading post in a remote part of the African Jungle. There they take part in ivory trading, hoping to financially benefit the company as well as themselves. With no specific tasks or important things to be done, they both become increasingly isolated and demoralized as the time goes by. At one point in the story, the native Makola, serving as Kayerts's and Carlier's bookkeeper, initiates an exchange of slaves for ivory. Initially Kayerts and Carlier are stunned and scandalized by the idea, yet eventually they accept the deal and aid Makola for his huge profit. Both men are continuously plagued by diseases and grow very weak physically towards the end of the story. Finally, a seemingly trivial matter – sugar – sparks an irrational, uncontrolled and violent conflict between them, and ends tragically as Kayerts accidentally shoots and kills Carlier. At the end of the story, just when the company steamboat approaches the station two months later than it should have, Kayerts hangs himself out of desperation.

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First Edition Jul 2013 Createspace ISBN 1490564845
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Dec 2012 Createspace ISBN 1481115243
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May 2015 Createspace ISBN 1511998032
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May 2015 Createspace ISBN 1512280879
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May 2015 Createspace ISBN 1511998032
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Aug 2015 Createspace ISBN 1515384519
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Sep 2015 Createspace ISBN 1517441021
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Dec 2015 Createspace ISBN 1519630212
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Sep 2016 Createspace ISBN 1537454404
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Oct 2016 Createspace ISBN 1539555372
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ISBN B07B3QKSCX
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Dec 2011 Charles River Editors
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Jan 2014 Krill Press ISBN 1518321542
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Jan 2014 Kypros Press ISBN 1518364314
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Jan 2014 ISBN B00I11WFSA
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Jun 2014 Heraklion Press ISBN 1632956411
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May 2015 Magic Fairy Tales
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Apr 2017 Oregan Publishing ISBN B071Y41D8M
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Apr 2017 Oregan Publishing ISBN 1535455470
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Mar 2018 CDED ISBN B07BHNKSNT
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Mar 2018 CDED ISBN B07BWNZ8S8
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May 2018 AB Books ISBN B07D32CT3W
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Oct 2018 ISBN B07JLRPKN2
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Dec 2018 ISBN B07MB7RR96
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Aug 2019 ISBN B07WCCR6SX
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Dec 2019 ISBN B08317PTTW
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Jan 2020 ISBN B083P5CVYY
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Jan 2020 ISBN B0841R7BZY
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Jan 2020 ISBN B0843M521Y
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Audio

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Jun 2015 Smart Touch Media ISBN B00YUK2DWY
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Dec 2015 Spoken Realms ISBN B019WYB23S
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