Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
An Outpost of Progress  By  cover art

An Outpost of Progress

By: Joseph Conrad
Narrated by: Mike Vendetti
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $8.55

Buy for $8.55

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Award-winning narrator Mike Vendetti reads this Joseph Conrad classic tale of two white traders, Carlier and Kayerts, comical and pathetic, who move from polite society to the Congo, where they hope to become wealthy on the "Dark Continent" by spreading commerce and civilization to black Africa. But as was often the case, the longer they are away from civilization, the more the refinements of civilization slip away, along with their sanity.

Like modern society in general, Conrad suggests, Kayerts and Carlier lack "all independent thought, all initiative", and once they are taken from the customary social rituals and institutions that support them, they are powerless. The men are overwhelmed by their own emptiness. They are unable to describe what they are feeling, but they know they've changed, and not for the better. They are descending into confusion, fear, and loathing. Sparked by an argument over sugar, Carlier gives way to his emotions, calling Kayerts a "slave-dealer". Kayerts is unable to accept the truth and responds violently.

Public Domain (P)2016 Mike Vendetti

What listeners say about An Outpost of Progress

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    7
  • 4 Stars
    3
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    7
  • 4 Stars
    1
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    8
  • 4 Stars
    2
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A masterpiece of short fiction

Loved it! It is an exceptional, underrated story, written by an often misunderstood author, performed exquisitely in precisely the manner of tone which the novel suggests. Wonderful!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful