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Now with voting under way and everlod not yet having "explained" his nomination, some thoughts about "Nostromo", the book I voted for, from my pov.
Conrad tells us a tall tale. It is a rich adventure with all the ingredients: South America, wealth and deprivation, political irrationality, economic rationality, revolution, love interest, tragedy all around.
Fully titled "Nostromo, A Tale of the Seaboard" the novel could well be named "The Rise and Fall of Nostromo". Nostromo is an individual who makes things happen, makes history even. And not from a position of power and/or wealth, but based upon his charisma, his mental and physical strength, the respect and trust of his peers.
There are other strong characters in the book - for instance Martin Decoud or the Viola family. But Nostromo stands head and shoulder above them all. For me he isn't a character to like. Not in the first part of the tale when he does the "right" things like a superhero, and not in the second part when he manufactures his own downfall mainly out of an understandable feeling of entitlement.
It all ends in tears.
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