Joseph Conrad's last overtly political novel, Under Western Eyes is considered to be one of his greatest works. Set in pre-Revolutionary Russia, the novel tells the story of a young student involuntarily involved in an assassination and explores themes of terrorism, surveillance, and the suffering of ordinary people caught up in political strife.

The critical introduction and appendices to this Broadview Edition provide context for Conrad's political views, as well as Eastern European anarchism and terrorism. Appendices include Conrad's letters on the novel's composition, reviews of the novel, and contemporary accounts of a political assassination.