Discussion of The Stranger by Albert Camus

Members of the forum choose and read a new book every month together, and then discuss it. You can nominate a book to be book of the month using the book's page on Bookshelves. Simply click the link that says 'Nominate for book of the month' on the left side of the book's Bookshelves page near the social sharing buttons. Don't be scared to nominate, as you can change your nomination to a different book if you think of something better.
soniakhan33
Posts: 52
Joined: 07 Apr 2010, 10:19
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by soniakhan33 »

I read that book about couple days ago,its really touched my heart......
rayallen
Posts: 10
Joined: 21 Apr 2010, 20:09
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by rayallen »

Albert Camus (1913-1960) was a representative of non-metropolitan French literature. His origin in Algeria and his experiences there in the thirties were dominating influences in his thought and work. Of semi-proletarian parents, early attached to intellectual circles of strongly revolutionary tendencies, with a deep interest in philosophy (only chance prevented him from pursuing a university career in that field), he came to France at the age of twenty-five. The man and the times met: Camus joined the resistance movement during the occupation and after the liberation was a columnist for the newspaper Combat. But his journalistic activities had been chiefly a response to the demands of the time; in 1947 Camus retired from political journalism and, besides writing his fiction and essays, was very active in the theatre as producer and playwright (e.g., Caligula, 1944). He also adapted plays by Calderon, Lope de Vega, Dino Buzzati, and Faulkner's Requiem for a Nun. His love for the theatre may be traced back to his membership in L'Equipe, an Algerian theatre group, whose "collective creation" Révolte dans les Asturies (1934) was banned for political reasons.
User avatar
BookwormService
Posts: 8
Joined: 21 Jun 2010, 13:15
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by BookwormService »

I have been wanting to read Camus' "Stranger" again for a long time. It is such a powerful novel. The whole second half is truly eye opening & life changing. Just brilliant.
Davinci
Posts: 52
Joined: 25 Aug 2011, 16:41
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by Davinci »

Mandatory reading ay school. My mother tongue is French so I read it at about 12 and hated it. Really hated it. I thought it was boring nothing was happening. This was not the right age for me as I read only for plot at the time. Read it again at 20 and loved it so much I read it again a few times since then.
User avatar
Maud Fitch
Posts: 2730
Joined: 28 Feb 2011, 23:05
Favorite Author: Jasper Fforde
Favorite Book: The Eyre Affair
Bookshelf Size: 0
fav_author_id: 4856

Post by Maud Fitch »

Davinci wrote:Mandatory reading ay school. My mother tongue is French so I read it at about 12 and hated it. Really hated it. I thought it was boring nothing was happening. This was not the right age for me as I read only for plot at the time. Read it again at 20 and loved it so much I read it again a few times since then.
Yet another 'thumbs up' for mandatory school reading. It does introduce you to books you might otherwise never read.
"Every story has three sides to it - yours, mine and the facts" Foster Meharny Russell
tinybore
Posts: 5
Joined: 13 Oct 2011, 02:41
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by tinybore »

One of my fav books now, just finished reading it and I'm about to purchase more Camus books.

Many people seem to miss the point or just simply not understanding the idea of the story when saying Meursault is cold/depressed/dangerous/asshole etc, or that the book is boring or something. Try reading it again with an open mind, and ask yourself what Camus is trying to tell you :)
Well I admit not everyone can like this, but I think so many more could like this if they only wanted to :P
User avatar
Robin jackson
Posts: 151
Joined: 25 Jul 2011, 10:20
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by Robin jackson »

after long long time i have read any nice book,it is very nice book .it is my favourite book.
User avatar
paketwisatajogja75
Posts: 5
Joined: 25 Jan 2012, 22:27
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by paketwisatajogja75 »

Albert keep goin on and on..
User avatar
Mad_Butch
Posts: 3
Joined: 24 Jan 2012, 08:29
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by Mad_Butch »

sazzledazzle wrote:I read the book in school, in French.. and I have to say.. it confused me a lot. I didn't understand why Marsault led such a boring life! I found the book pretty hard to follow at some points. I think I'll need to read it again.
In general, the books that are written by existencialists are hard to understand. You have to think in a bit different way, I think
bibliofreak
Posts: 1
Joined: 13 Oct 2011, 09:22
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by bibliofreak »

It's an interesting book. I can see why some people have found it hard to understand - its certainly not as straight forward as it might seem. I've just written a review and an analysis.
User avatar
donniedarko
Posts: 38
Joined: 25 Apr 2013, 18:36
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by donniedarko »

I just finished reading the book and I loved it. I don't find it hard to grasp as many seem to, until the ending. I found his life interesting, and am intrigued into exploring more existentialism.
Scott wrote: What do you think of Meursault?
I like his simplicity and coolness. His frankness and how he does purely what he wants is almost inspiring. It's very hard for me to hate him, since we think in similar fashions. In fact he's one of my favorite characters from a book.

Scott wrote:What do you think of Meursault's refusal to become religious before his execution?
As an atheist myself, I honor for being true to his thoughts, and not changing under despair. He wasn't better against religion but thought there were more important things to spend his time on.

So yes I liked the novel, Part 1 (which seems like the place where many stopped) is much more passive and simple than part II. I enjoyed both parts though, and it was almost two different books.
User avatar
Daisy Ann
Posts: 5
Joined: 29 May 2013, 23:58
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by Daisy Ann »

I read this book many years ago...what i remember is the image of white; not white as in pure, but white as in glaring, as mentioned by vznojohana. I imagine the beach making my eyes squint. The white is uncomfortable. I also remember the main character as depressed, but indifferent. The book seemd to emulate existenialism...
Adonis Maratos
Posts: 110
Joined: 12 Feb 2014, 15:12
Favorite Author: Terry Pratchett
Favorite Book: thief of time
Bookshelf Size: 3
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-adonis-maratos.html
Latest Review: "All myths and facts about Sri Ganesh" by Raja Bhowmik
fav_author_id: 2791

Post by Adonis Maratos »

I read the outsider at the beginning of the year because of school and I must say even though i found it a good book and certainly it had a reaction and effect on me I can't say I loved it nor that I would like to read more like it. I loved the later part of the book when he's in jail and starts remembering his room more and more clearly and the way the author goes into some deep psychological 'games', it's a good book and I may not recommend it wholeheartedly but after all it's a classic, part of the canon as you might say, so if you haven't, go read it )
"We are what we repeatedly do, excellence; therefore is not an act, but a habit" - Aristotle
Latest Review: "All myths and facts about Sri Ganesh" by Raja Bhowmik
User avatar
jamespoet
Posts: 129
Joined: 25 Mar 2014, 18:12
Favorite Author: Ray Bradbury
Favorite Book: FAHRENHEIT 451
Currently Reading: THE FOREVER WAR and DANCING AZTECS
Bookshelf Size: 1
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-jamespoet.html
Latest Review: "Laikanist Times" by Dylan Malik Orchard
fav_author_id: 2498

Post by jamespoet »

I saw the book in the Barnes & Noble the other day, and I came so close to buying it. For the life of me I can't remember why I didn't...
The joys of literature transcend the evils of the world. I believe in its miraculious baptism and emotional power of the words trickling down the page. To me, there is no higher artform...
Latest Review: "Laikanist Times" by Dylan Malik Orchard
User avatar
avelchamy
Posts: 6
Joined: 30 Apr 2014, 14:11
Bookshelf Size: 0
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-avelchamy.html

Post by avelchamy »

The first half of The Stranger confused me, mostly because I did not understand what the point of the book was. All I could understand was that this guy was casually telling me about his mother's funeral. I don't think I really appreciated the book until the last few pages, and moreover until I closed the book and sat and thought for a second. That's when I really understood the simplicity and the truth of his writing. Because ultimately he was just being very honest with himself and with others. He did not believe in anything more than what he could see and feel and that was just really eye-openingly frank.
Post Reply

Return to “Book of the month”