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Title: The Myth of Sisyphus : And Other Essays by Albert Camus ISBN: 0-679-73373-6 Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 07 May, 1991 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $12.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.46 (35 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: excellent background on a writer's philosophies
Comment: The Myth of Sysiphus deals with what Camus calls the most important question a philosopher can ask: "is life worth living?" The possitive answer is to continue living, while the negative is to take one's own life. Camus discusses the relation of the "absurd world" to a person's decision to live. He also describes, in some legnth, what he means by the term "absurd world." Basically, he's talking about the world as having no meaning by itself. Man attempts to give meaning to the patterns, and chaos that he sees. So, the absurd is humankind attempting to relate to, and explain an inexplicable existence.
He says that a person (at least those who are willing to think about their world) will inevitably be faced with a situation in which the world seems to become meaningless. This is what brings up the inevitable question... "is life worth living?" Camus comes up with his own answer to this question.
This isn't as accessable as his fictional pieces ( e.g. The Stranger, or the Plague), however, it does give you excellent insight into the philosophies that run throughout his other Novels. So, if you are already a Camus reader, I would highly suggest reading The Myth of Sysiphus --and then reading his other works again. However, if you haven't been exposed to him yet, I would recomend starting with The Stranger before reading this.
Rating: 5
Summary: A beautiful and compelling work--an invitation to discomfort
Comment: It is interesting to note that, in spite of the gorgeous way in which Camus describes the joy that is the physical, immanent world, what Camus insists of the reader is no more than a challenge to what, for many people, are core notions about sadi world and its worth (or lack thereof). This book, when read closely, clears up many misconceptions held about existentialist or "absurd" thought, namely that, from an exceedingly nihilistic standpoint, the world and, by extension, life is utterly meaningless and altogether a futile endeavor devoid of hope. What Camus argues for is, contrary to uninformed assumptions, the beauty and joy inherent in the struggle of life (particularly against the notion of some ultimate/transcendent meaning that is applicable to all, and, perhaps more so, some sort of "next life" that ultimately bestows meaning on "this" life). In spite of Camus arguments, which are beautiful and compelling, I find his conflicting points regarding the inherent joy and meaning within life and the utter, ultimate hopelessness and futility which stems from its finite nature difficult to balance. Camus would, however, argue that this is as it should be, and that this contradiction is precisely what he talks about throughout the primary essay--the "absurd" (the divergence between the true and the expected/assumed/presumed) Though much of what Camus argues for is difficult and, at times, unpleasant to digest (considering their full assault on many preconcieved notions operating within the West/Christendom), I cannot help but admit that they are true. It is this criterion, whether or not something is evidently true, which serves as the impetus for his analysis; one cannot help but admire the ruthless inquisitiveness and honesty with which he asks and answers such questions of himself and of us. Strongly recommended. Camus, in addition to his evident passion for man and for life, writes gorgeous, aphoristic prose--which, I feel, is the best (or at least most pleasant) way for a philosopher to write.
Rating: 5
Summary: A few words about reading a book like this
Comment: Seriously folks, I have never read such horrible reviews on amazon.com ever. The people who are supposed to be "reviewing" this book have launched into diatribes about why Camus' philosophy is "wrong" or why they dont agree with it. This is simply ludicrous.
Camus was a brilliant Nobel winning author. To know Camus, one must read this book, along with The Stranger and The Plague. I for one will be the first to admit that I do not understand all of Camus. I do not know enough to "criticize" Camus' philosophy. The reviewers here who have tried to do so have simply shown their ignorance.
Bottom line, read this book if you would like to read Camus. O'Brien's translation is managable, if not a little choppy. Nonetheless, these are the standards of Camus that we all still read. They are the hallmarks that we use to justify Camus' brilliance.
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Title: The Stranger by ALBERT CAMUS ISBN: 0679720200 Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 13 March, 1989 List Price(USD): $9.95 |
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Title: The Fall by ALBERT CAMUS ISBN: 0679720227 Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 07 May, 1991 List Price(USD): $10.95 |
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Title: The Rebel : An Essay on Man in Revolt by Albert Camus ISBN: 0679733841 Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 01 January, 1992 List Price(USD): $12.00 |
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Title: The Plague by Albert Camus ISBN: 0679720219 Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 07 May, 1991 List Price(USD): $12.00 |
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Title: Nausea by Jean-Paul Sartre, Lloyd Alexander, H. Carruth ISBN: 0811201880 Publisher: New Directions Publishing Pub. Date: January, 1975 List Price(USD): $10.95 |
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