Tag: Albert Camus

The Fall by French philosopher Albert Camus was originally published in 1956, a year before he won the Nobel Prize for literature. The novel takes place in Amsterdam where Parisian lawyer Jean-Baptiste Clamence has moved. He befriends a fellow patron at the Mexico City bar and opens up about his life with its many ups and downs.  Most notably, speaking about the parts of his life where he has not acted charitably. Or even when he does, is it to help fellow men and women or to only gain attention of others..?

It’s a fascinating story that takes place over several meetings, Clamence is charming with seemingly many lives lived. The whole story feels like it takes place in a Brassai photograph – in black and white, at night, and in the cold and damp.  Clamence’s fall from grace, his Garden of Eden, sees him turn inwards and analyze his life and its many events, his many decisions. At less than 150 pages, it’s a quick story but thoroughly thought provoking, a true work of art.  

10/10

The Stranger written by Albert Camus was first published in 1942 during the Nazi occupation of France.  The book is written in the first person of Meursault and is broken into two parts.  At the start of the book, Meursault attends his Mother’s funeral in the country.  He shows little emotion during the small, sparsely attended ceremony before returning to his home in Algiers. Several days later while at the beach with friends, he kills an Arab stranger for no apparent reason. 

The second half of the book then deals with the trial as everyone tries to figure out what made him do it.  Meursault wonders why everyone keeps trying to attach meaning to the events that lead up to the murder.  The book is highly celebrated as being one of the best novels ever written. It’s a simply written, straightforward story that is filled with far deeper meaning than what is written on the page. Far smarter people than me will say it’s a book on existentialism and absurdism.  I just found it utterly fascinating. 

10/10