Lord Jim

September 28, 2015
Conrad’s classic tale of one man’s desperate search for atonement is brought to life through an exceptional reading by Jerrom. The title character is a first mate on the small steamer Patna. A romantic, Jim holds dreams of being a hero. Those dreams are dashed when a disaster causes the crew to abandon the ship, with hundreds of passengers on board left to their own demise. Jim is subsequently brought to trial and stripped of his officer’s certificate, and the stigma of being a coward follows him, preventing him from finding any kind of peace. Jerrom delivers this story with the ease of an excellent after-dinner raconteur. His reading is relaxed, comfortable, and compelling. He expertly pulls the listener through Conrad’s dense intellectual ruminations to reveal a rich, multilayered novel about a person’s need, whatever the cost, for self-respect.

Conrad's haunting story of adventure turned tragedy portrays a young man's struggle against his own weaknesses. Because of its complex characters, shifting settings and roving points of view, Lord Jim needs an attentive and insightful narrator. Nigel Graham is just such a performer. Keeping a cool, steady tone, Graham captures the excitement and terror of the story. Listeners are lead in and out of grueling psychological sketches which run side by side with scenes of intense characterizations and action. Graham handles all with expertise. Vocal characterizations and accents are present but not overwhelming; the narrator ensures the story's continuity. J.S.G. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine