JOSEPH CONRAD AND HIS CIRCLE

One hardly expects a debunking biographer from a widow -- but, in the last analysis, that is what this is. Not, of course, a depreciation of his genius, but definitely an unsavory and unflattering picture of the man, the husband, the father. From the start, she draws a picture of a selfish, tempestuous, irascible, difficult human being. And she seems to delight in building that picture, down to the last detail. Those who care nothing that an image remain intact will find this a fluent, readable and intensely human biography; Conrad fans, however, will be disappointed first with the picture of the man, second with the omission of most of the interesting data about his work.