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Typhoon

First book edition (US)
Author	Joseph Conrad
Language	English
Genre	Adventure story
Publisher	Pall Mall Magazine
Publication date	1902
Publication place	United Kingdom
Media type	Print (hardback & paperback)
OCLC	2312277

Typhoon is a short novel by Joseph Conrad, begun in 1899 and serialized in Pall Mall Magazine in January–March 1902. Its first book publication was in New York by Putnam in 1902; it was also published in Britain in Typhoon and Other Stories by Heinemann in 1903.

Plot summary

Captain MacWhirr sails the SS Nan-Shan, a British-built steamer running under the Siamese flag, into a typhoon—a mature tropical cyclone of the northwestern part of the Pacific Ocean. Other characters include the young Jukes - most probably an alter ego of Conrad from the time he had sailed under captain John McWhirr - and Solomon Rout, the chief engineer. While Macwhirr, who, according to Conrad, "never walked on this Earth" - is emotionally estranged from his family and crew, and though he refuses to consider an alternative course to skirt the typhoon, his indomitable will in the face of a superior natural force elicits grudging admiration.

Real life connections

In 1887, Conrad worked as chief mate on the Highland Forest under Captain John McWhir, whom he portrays in the novel as "McWhirr". He drew upon this 6 months voyage for the novel.

Conrad once dictated to biographer and friend Richard Curle a list of ships he served on, and the stories they were connected to - the connections might have been minor (a single character or incident) or major (a complete voyage), Conrad did not indicate. For Typhoon he said it "suggested" the steamer John P. Best which he served on.

Joseph Conrad dedicated the book to Cunninghame Graham, a fellow writer and Scots radical who was an enthusiastic supporter of Conrad since his earliest publications.

Characters

• Captain Thomas MacWhirr, an empirical man without imagination.
• Captain Wilson from "Melita", the "storm-strategist".
• Jukes, the first mate (with no first name).
• Jukes' absent friends - second mate Jack Allen and another mate from trans-Atlantic liner (addressee of Jukes' letter).
• Solomon Rout, the chief engineer, an experienced seaman.
• Second engineer Harry and third engineer Beale.
• The boatswain.
• The second mate.
• Sailors, steward and cook of the "Nan-Shan".
• The coolies, hired workers from India and China.
• The clerk for Messrs. Bun-Hin Co.
• Mrs. Lucy MacWhirr, the Captain's wife.
• Lydia MacWhirr, the Captain's daughter and Tom MacWhirr, the Captain's son.
• Mrs. Rout, the chief engineer's wife and the elder Mrs. Rout, the chief engineer's mother.
• Messrs. Sigg and Son, the owners of the boat.
• Owners and foremen (Mr. Mr. Bates and Tait) from the building yard.

External links

• Typhoon and Other Stories, available at Internet Archive (1921 edition)
• Typhoon, available at eBooks@Adelaide

• Typhoon at Project Gutenberg
• Typhoon public domain audiobook at LibriVox

1. Jerry Allen (1965). Sea Years of Joseph Conrad. Garden City, N. Y.: Doubleday. p. 177.
2. Jerry Allen (1965). Sea Years of Joseph Conrad. Garden City, N. Y.: Doubleday. p. 322.
3. Richard Curle (1914). Joseph Conrad: A Study. Garden City, N. Y.: Doubleday. pp. 17-18.
4. Jerry Allen (1965). Sea Years of Joseph Conrad. Garden City, N. Y.: Doubleday. p. 179.
5. Jerry Allen (1965). Sea Years of Joseph Conrad. Garden City, N. Y.: Doubleday. pp. 30, 302.

• 1902 British novels
• British novellas
• Novels by Joseph Conrad
• Novels first published in serial form
• Novels set on ships
• Works originally published in The Pall Mall Magazine