The Shadow-Line / Tales of Unrest

This 1920 edition collects two Conrad works: "The Shadow-Line" and "Tales of Unrest." Conrad's author's note defends the novella against supernatural interpretation, explaining that Mr. Burns's superstitious beliefs stem from psychological shock rather than actual supernatural events. He clarifies the title refers to the transition from carefree youth to maturity, written during the First World War. The narrative begins in an Eastern port where the unnamed protagonist, serving on an Arab-owned steamship, impulsively abandons his position and comfortable shipboard life despite his captain's understanding and colleagues' disapproval. The psychological realism emphasizes the protagonist's inexplicable restlessness and search for meaning, characteristic of Conrad's maritime fiction exploring human consciousness and moral experience at sea.