Product Description
Collected for the first time in English, 41 of Albert Camus's Combat essays trace the evolution of moral and political themes central to his literary works ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Good essays, but collected better elsewhere
I liked the essays, but I liked them better in the more fleshed out "Camus at Combat," which in my opinion has better translations for the English reader.

See where Camus got his ideas for his later work.
I am sad to see no other reviews of this book on Amazon. This is a well written book full of essays written by Albert Camus for the frenchresistance paper Combat. Like the title suggests Albert Camus is faced'Between Hell And Reason' with what he and the world was faced against.Much like Orwell's "Homage To Catalonia" we see the writer in hisearly age before his written his major works and going off into the abyssof war. We see them mold ideas which mostly are more radical and lesscomplicated which they would use later to write "masterpieces".

The essays start with the liberation of Paris. The topics throughout thebook go from self critique of the paper to responses of major figures inthe war.My favorite essays were the ones that pointed out how false andfake the press were during the war. Camus however doesn't just criticizeother figures and press, he self-critques his own paper Combat. Camus isvery honest and isn't just filled with meaningless words. He really meanswhat he says and doesn't say it if it's not true. Mostly when I readpolitical essays and other works of the same nature, I mostly feelalienated and disagree but with "Between Hell And Reason" I couldunderstand and really believe what Camus said. Very few political pieces dothat to me.

This edition of "Between Hell And Reason" has a bigintroduction with translator's notes and footnotes for the essays. Anyonewho wants to really study Albert Camus could use a lot from this edition of"Between Hell And Reason." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Where is the question and qualification?
The small essays in this work are filled with Camus- like observations and perceptions on the harsh desert reality of his native - land. Camus is a poetic- philosopher and his prose has an aphoristic compactness. It also has a stance and authority which I found in reading this a bit off- putting. Why? Perhaps it is the certainty, the declaritive clarity of the voice which bothers me here. The sentences come as if they are edicts from up-high without nuance, qualification, humility. It is all certain answer, and not to my mind enough question.
... Read more

Product Description
Reflecting the profound influence he continues to exert on popular consciousness, Camus examines the complete body of works of French author and philosopher Albert Camus, providing a comprehensive analysis of Camus’ most important works—most notably The Myth of Sisyphus, The Stranger, The Fall, The Plague, and The Rebel—within the framework of his basic ethical orientation.

• Makes Camus’ concerns clear in terms that will resonate with contemporary readers
• Reveals the unity and integrity of Camus’ writings and political activities
• Discusses Camus’ ongoing relevance by showing how he prefigures many postmodern positions in philosophy, literature, and politics

Customer Reviews (4)

Brilliant Thoughts Leading Everywhere
Most of the kernels in Camus's notebooks could be the seeds for short stories or even novels. He was brilliant and far less sombre in these notes than in the great novels and essays. For those who think Camus merely a son of Kafka, these errant thoughts provide showers of sparks for the mind.

through the looking glass
This book is definately reserved for the true Camus lover. It's mostly just a collection of jumbled thoughts, not for anyone looking to be entertained. It gives great insight into his everyday life and if imagining how Camus lived is as fascinating to you as it is to me then you will love this book.

A Little Gem
A wonderful collection of the random thoughts of a brilliant writer..he later used these notes to createhis masterpieces, unforgettable and poignant, a treasure to have in one's library.

don't bother
Larry McMurtry once wrote that one should never set out to read everything written by a particular author.Of course that was Larry McMurtry and I have come to realize that he was right about himself and many other authors."Notebooks 1935-1942" is evidence that it is true even about Albert Camus.Enthralled by "The Stranger" and "The Plague", I set out to read everything by this author.I blamed myself for not enjoying his complicated essays.I also blame myself for thinking that this collection of random thoughts, scenarios, and quotes would be worth the time it took to read it.There are occassional observations of note but they are lost in the lack of continuity of thought.The art of literature lies not in having great ideas.The art of literature lies in creating stories and scenarios that enable the reader to discoverthe truths the author would like discovered.

For students of Camus there could be some benefits in reading this "book".The first part of the notebook generally focuses on material used in "A Happy Death" while the very latter part of the notebook generally focuses on material used in "The Plague".

So many Books, so little time.Don't waste your time on this one. ... Read more

Product Description
Patrick McCarthy places The Stranger in the context of a French and French-Algerian history and culture, examines the way the work undermines traditional concepts of fiction, and explores the parallels (and more importantly the contrasts) between Camus and Sartre. His account provides a useful companion to The Stranger for students and general readers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

This is NOT L'Etranger!
For anyone else who might purchase this erroneously:This is someone's analysis of Camus' work, not the work itself.

This is NOT Camus's Stranger!!!
CAVEAT EMPTOR!!!The listing is VERY unclear on this point:this IS NOT the text of Camus' The Stranger.It is a literary criticism of Camus' work!!I skimmed through it, and it appears to be an interesting analysis, but if you are looking for the actual book, THIS IS NOT IT!!!

This Kindle edition is by Patrick McCarthy not by Camus
The description and customer reviews provided with this Kindle edition refer to Camus's The Stranger not to this book, which is Patrick McCarthy's analysis of The Stranger. I purchased it thinking that McCarthy was the translator. That is not correct. This volume does not contain Camus's book, which is apparently not available for the Kindle.

NOT WHAT IT APPEARS TO BE!
This book is NOT Camus's "The Stranger"!It is a literary review of the work, and NOT the work itself.If you are looking to read Camus's "The Stranger" DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK!I feel that Amazon should refund/not charge for those who buy this book thinking they are going to read Camus!

NOT CAMUS "THE STRANGER" NOT NOT NOT!

A book about the book
Stupid me - I thought I was buying a translation of The Stranger.This is an analysis and commentary.Well done, but not what I intended. ... Read more

Product Description
Reflecting the profound influence he continues to exert on popular consciousness, Camus examines the complete body of works of French author and philosopher Albert Camus, providing a comprehensive analysis of Camus’ most important works—most notably The Myth of Sisyphus, The Stranger, The Fall, The Plague, and The Rebel—within the framework of his basic ethical orientation.

• Makes Camus’ concerns clear in terms that will resonate with contemporary readers
• Reveals the unity and integrity of Camus’ writings and political activities
• Discusses Camus’ ongoing relevance by showing how he prefigures many postmodern positions in philosophy, literature, and politics

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

A Unique Perspective
A long time student of Camus' works, I thought I knew everything there was to know about this man.However, this book along with "Albert Camus and the Minister" have left me with a fresh perspective on Camus.Not to say that it destroys the image of the man that other works personify, but it does work to fill in the gaps and in some cases bring to light new things about a well known man, of whom little is truely known. ... Read more

Product Description
"Caligula" reveals some aspects of the existential notion of the absurd' by portraying an emperor so mighty and so desperate in his search for freedom that he inevitably destroys gods, men and himself. The dramatic impetus of "Cross Purpose", however, comes from the tension between consent to and refusal of man's absurdity; it is the tragedy of a man who returns home to his mother and sister without revealing his identity to them. By the time of "The Just" and "The Possessed", refusal and rebellion have taken over, and in these overtly political plays (the latter based on Dostoyevsky's "The Devils") Camus dramatizes action and revolt in the name of liberty. ... Read more