Heart of Darkness is based upon Joseph Conradâs own experience in the Congo; âit is,â as he remarks in his 1916 authorâs note to Youth: A Narrative and Two Other Stories, âexperience pushed a little (and only very little) beyond the actual facts.â Unlike many other editions, this new edition of Conradâs most famous tale focuses on the time in which Conrad was himself in the Congo, while also exploring the differences between his reported experiences and their reshaping in fiction.\n\nThis edition includes an extensive selection of Conradâs correspondence and autobiographical writing, as well as contemporary accounts of the Congo from other writers. Contemporary reviews situate Heart of Darkness in its literary contexts.