Heart of Darkness
Heart of Darkness is a novella by Joseph Conrad, first serialised in Blackwood's Magazine from February to April 1899 and collected in book form by William Blackwood in 1902. Marlow recounts a steamboat journey into the African interior in search of the ivory trader Kurtz.
- Editions tracked
- 4
- First edition
- William Blackwood and Sons, 1902
- First published
- William Blackwood (Blackwood's Magazine), 1899
The first edition of Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad was published in Edinburgh by William Blackwood and Sons in 1902. We track 4 editions.
Which edition do you have?
First edition
- 1st William Blackwood and Sons1902 Hardback I own Heart of Darkness, William Blackwood and Sons 1902 Log in to want this
Later and other editions
- Several. Penguin, for instance1902 Hardback I own Heart of Darkness, Several. Penguin, for instance 1902 Log in to want this
- New American Library1950 Hardback I own Heart of Darkness, New American Library 1950 Log in to want this
- Penguin Books1973 Hardback I own Heart of Darkness, Penguin Books 1973 Log in to want this
We have not yet researched the issue points for this book. If you know how to tell the first from later printings, tell us and we will credit you once it is checked against a second source.
Awards, adaptations and setting
Awards and honours
Adaptations
- Apocalypse Now film, 1979
- Heart of Darkness television film, 1993
- Apocalypse Now Redux film, 2001
- Heart of Darkness musical
- Heart of Darkness television series
Setting and characters
- Set in
- Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Genre
- fiction literature, serialized fiction, historical fiction
Read next
- Comes after
- The Nigger of the 'Narcissus'
- Followed by
- Lord Jim
In print
- Editions recorded
- 553 on Open Library, 363 in English
- Wikipedia
- Articles in 51 languages
- Free to read
- Project Gutenberg (out of copyright in the US)
From Wikidata and Open Library, both CC0. A prize or a new adaptation often lifts demand for the first printing.
Pictures of the book
Freely licensed pictures of the work. They are not necessarily the edition you hold: check the points on each edition's page.
More by Joseph Conrad
CollectorsNot sure which edition you have, or want to tell other collectors about your copy?
Ask a question
Write a review
Read it or own it? Share what Heart of Darkness is like to read or collect.
Know what you are looking at
How to Identify a First Edition
To identify a first edition, check that your copy is the first printing of the first edition. Read the copyright …
Read the guide →6 min readBook Condition Grading: Fine to Poor Explained
Book condition grading uses a six-step trade scale: Fine, Near Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor. Collectors grade the …
Read the guide →7 min readDust Jackets Explained: Why the Jacket Drives a Book's Value
For most books published since the 1920s, the original dust jacket carries a large share of the value, often most …
Read the guide →Frequently asked questions
Who published the first edition of Heart of Darkness?
The first edition of Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad was published in Edinburgh by William Blackwood and Sons in 1902.
How many editions of Heart of Darkness are there?
We track 4 editions of Heart of Darkness, including 1 first edition. Each has its own page with how to identify it.
Did Heart of Darkness win any awards?
Yes: Heart of Darkness won the 20th Century's Greatest Hits: 100 English-Language Books of Fiction, according to Wikidata.
Has Heart of Darkness been adapted?
Yes, including Heart of Darkness (musical), Heart of Darkness (television series), Apocalypse Now Redux (film, 2001), according to Wikidata.
What should I read after Heart of Darkness?
In order, it follows The Nigger of the 'Narcissus' and it is followed by Lord Jim, according to Wikidata.
Can I read Heart of Darkness for free?
Yes: the text is out of copyright in the United States and free to read on Project Gutenberg. Collectors still pay for the first edition, which is the physical object, not the words.
Where these facts come from
- Heart of Darkness, Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
- Heart of Darkness (Q129778), Wikidata (wikidata.org)
Every fact on this page was checked against the sources listed. Checked 17 October 2026. Reviewed by Harriet Ellis; read how we check facts.