Product Description

Meursault leads an apparently unremarkable bachelor life in Algiers until he commits a random act of violence. His lack of emotion and failure to show remorse only serve to increase his guilt in the eyes of the law, and challenges the fundamental values of society – a set of rules so binding that any person breaking them is condemned as an outsider. For Meursault, this is an insult to his reason and a betrayal of his hopes; for Camus it encapsulates the absurdity of life. In The Outsider (1942), his classic existentialist novel, Camus explores the predicament of the individual who refuses to pretend and is prepared to face the indifference of the universe, courageously and alone.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2690 in Books
• Published on: 2006-07-06
• Original language: French
• Binding: Paperback
• 128 pages

About the Author
Albert Camus is the author of a number of best-selling and highly influential works, all of which are published by Penguin. They include THE FALL, THE OUTSIDER and THE FIRST MAN. He is remembered as one of the few writers to have shaped the intellectual climate of post-war France, but beyond that, his fame has been international. Translated by Joseph Laredo

Customer Reviews

Existentialism as a corollary of underived truth
An incisive diatribe on conventional rationality, this is in my opinion (and contrary to the views of one didactic reviewer)one of the most profound pieces of literature. It perambulates the existence of a man who eschews a life of corrupted, arbitrary ideology in favour of social aseity.
The writer' s terse, matter of fact treatment of the narrative correlates perfectly with his subversive philosophy that leaves an indelible mark on any reader open minded enough to accept it. The idea that our actions should always be subordinated to and permeated by the unfathomable idea of a god and a fallacious, inequitous set of rules and conventions that distort the truth to suit people' s delusions is discarded with the kind of perspicacious execution the subject deserves. All religion and politics do is teach us to repress and compartmentalise the truth in order that malevolent leviathans can divest us of our individuality and turn us into sequacious, depersonalised morons.
In summary then, take all your absurd beliefs in religion, society, maladroit music, vacuous filmmaking, sycophantic hero-worship of soulless idiots and risible faith in the infallibility of the law and flush it down the toilet where excrement belongs!

Fascinating
More of a novella this is regularly featured on such lists of books to read before you die. I personally prefer The Plague by Camus, but this is still a stunning literary work, and definitely worthy of a read.

Meursalt, the 'outsider' of the novel, tells us his brief tale. A man oddly disconnected from the rest of humanity, living on the edges of understanding in terms of social interaction, he comes across as almost autistic in his views of the world. The story takes us from the death of his mother through to his arrest for murder and the trial that ensues.

There is a letter from Camus in which he describe Meursalt as a redeemer figure and a hero whose only sin is to speak the truth of his existence. I don't think this is 100% honest, as despite his alienation there are glimpses of his connection to the world in a kind of wistful, painful manner that make one believe that maybe Meursalt is missing out. It is those brief bubbles of awareness that make him a complex and tragic figure rather than a villain.

A fascinating book, which deals with perception and justice and the nature of right and wrong.

just wanted to add my five stars in the hope of persuading you to buy this book!
i read this book a couple of days ago and its very good. the story and what it means keeps coming back to me. I think this signifies it is strong and clever book. i also want to lend it to all my friends so we can talk about it.

if you want to read something which will inspire you to think read this. if you want to read something enjoyable and really well written read this. i think basically if you can read, read this!