In 'The Stranger', Albert Camus introduces us to Meursault, an emotionally detached man whose life spirals into chaos after he commits an inexplicable act of violence. Set against the stark backdrop of Algerian existentialism, the narrative challenges our perceptions of morality and the absurdity of human existence. As Meursault faces trial, it becomes clear that society is more disturbed by his indifference than his crime. Through his alienation and confrontation with life’s meaninglessness, Camus invites readers to ponder their own existence. Will you embrace the absurd, or will you seek out reason in a chaotic world?
By Albert Camus
Published: 1989
"I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world."
With the intrigue of a psychological thriller, The Stranger—Camus's masterpiece—gives us the story of an ordinary man unwittingly drawn into a senseless murder on an Algerian beach. With an Introduction by Peter Dunwoodie; translated by Matthew Ward. Behind the subterfuge, Camus explores what he termed "the nakedness of man faced with the absurd" and describes the condition of reckless alienation and spiritual exhaustion that characterized so much of twentieth-century life. “The Stranger is a strikingly modern text and Matthew Ward’s translation will enable readers to appreciate why Camus’s stoical anti-hero and devious narrator remains one of the key expressions of a postwar Western malaise, and one of the cleverest exponents of a literature of ambiguity.” –from the Introduction by Peter Dunwoodie First published in 1946; now in translation by Matthew Ward.
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“I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world.”
The Stranger
By Albert Camus
Discover a world of knowledge through our extensive collection of book summaries.
Albert Camus (1913-1960) was a renowned French-Algerian philosopher, author, and journalist, best known for his contributions to the philosophy of absurdism. His notable works include 'The Stranger' (1942), a compelling exploration of existentialism and the absurdity of human existence; 'The Plague' (1947), which serves as an allegory for the human condition in the face of suffering; and 'The Myth of Sisyphus' (1942), where he articulates the philosophical foundation of absurdism. Camus’ writing style is characterized by clear prose, vivid imagery, and a focus on moral and existential dilemmas, often set against a backdrop of the Mediterranean landscape. He received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1957 for his significant literary contributions.
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