Joseph Conrad, ESL Novelist (English as a Second Language)

This is a picture of Joseph Conrad or Jozef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski, author of "Lord Jim", "The Heart of Darkness" and other fiction.

English was his second language, although his writings are in English. (His first tongue was Polish.) Considered one of the greatest novelist in English, he did not learn how to speak the language until he was in his twenties, and he always had an accent.

From the Encyclopedia Britannica:

"But his initial reputation as a masterful teller of colourful adventures of the sea masked his fascination with the individual when faced with nature’s invariable unconcern, man’s frequent malevolence, and his inner battles with good and evil. To Conrad, the sea meant above all the tragedy of loneliness. A writer of complex skill and striking insight, but above all of an intensely personal vision, he has been increasingly regarded as one of the greatest English novelists."

It's interesting, his father was part of a committee that directed the Polish insurrection against Russian rule in 1863. Hmmmm ... it seems Russia is still doing the same sort of thing with Ukraine now.

The reason, I've brought up Joseph Conrad is that one of my students is from another country and was apologetic about her English. I told the person about famous writers who wrote in English even though it was their second language -- Joseph Conrad is always mentioned, and Vladmir Nabokov (author of "Lolita"), among many. 

The photo is courtesy of Wikipedia

Read also:

Creative Writing: The Importance of Sensual Writing

Creative Writing: Journal Writing and my Pink Lock and Key Diary

Creative Writing: Your Writing Work Space (In My Case, Where My Cats Hang Out)

Creative Writing: Two Important Rules

Creative Writing: Explosion and Drawing as Writing Exercises

How to Write a Novel #1

How to Write a Novel #2

This is all for now,
Cecilia