Contained within this volume are two of Joseph Conrad's great tales of the sea, "The Nigger of the 'Narcissus'" and "The Secret Sharer." Drawing from his own experiences as a seaman, Conrad's writing is rich with the details of a life lived at sea. In "The Nigger of the 'Narcissus'" a ship's crew struggles with morale as a black member of the crew lay dying. In the shorter work "The Secret Sharer" a captain on his night watch discovers an officer that has come aboard has been accused of a murder. In both works through the context of a voyage at sea Conrad masterfully explores the psychological and moral issues that are at the heart of mankind.