Richard Curle

Richard Curle (1883–1968) was a Scottish author, traveller and bibliophile. He was a frequent correspondent of the novelist Joseph Conrad for whom he acted as an assistant during the novelist's later years. He produced some of the earliest critical and biographical writing on Conrad.

Richard Henry Parnell Curle was born near Melrose in the county of Roxburghshire, Scotland. After leaving Wellington College in 1901 he established himself as a journalist and writer in London. From 1905 he worked in publishing, and was introduced to Joseph Conrad through Edward Garnett's Mont Blanc circle.

In his early career he wrote leaders for such newspapers as the Pretoria News (South Africa), The Rangoon Times (Burma), and The Daily Mail (London). He also wrote articles for other newspapers and magazines, short stories, and books of fiction and non-fiction.

In 1912 Curle was introduced to Joseph Conrad and, as a consequence of their long-standing friendship, much of Curle's writings and correspondence with colleagues and friends reflects his considerable knowledge of Conrad and his works. Many of his books analyze Conrad's life, personality and works. After Conrad's death, Curle published a heavily modified version of Conrad's diaries describing his experiences in Congo, as well as an edition of his correspondence with Conrad. He served as one of Conrad's literary executors.

Curle aided Conrad's career by introducing him to editors, dealers, and collectors. He also arranged projects that helped Conrad financially, such as writing the Preface to Curle's 1923 book of essays, Into the East.

Conrad dedicated his novel The Arrow of Gold to Curle.

• Aspects of George Meredith (1908)
• Shadows Out of the Crowd (1912)
• Joseph Conrad: A Study (1914)
• Life is a Dream (1914)
• The Echo of Voices... (1917)
• Wanderings: A Book of Travel and Reminiscence (1920)
• Into the East: Notes on Burma and Malaya (1923)
• Last Twelve Years of Joseph Conrad (1928)
• One and the Other (1928)
• Collecting American First Editions (1930)
• Corruption (1933)
• Caravansary and Conversation (1937)
• Characters of Dostoevsky (1950)
• Atmosphere of Places (1951)
• Joseph Conrad and His Characters (1957)