A Happy Death
Product ID: 10732591
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The first novel from the Nobel Prize-winning author lays the foundation for The Stranger, telling the story of an Algerian clerk who kills a man in cold blood. In A Happy Death , written when Albert Camus was in his early twenties and retrieved from his private papers following his death in 1960, revealed himself to an extent that he never would in his later fiction. For if A Happy Death is the study of a rule-bound being shattering the fetters of his existence, it is also a remarkably candid portrait of its author as a young man. As the novel follows the protagonist, Patrice Mersault, to his victim's house -- and then, fleeing, in a journey that takes him through stages of exile, hedonism, privation, and death -it gives us a glimpse into the imagination of one of the great writers of the twentieth century. For here is the young Camus himself, in love with the sea and sun, enraptured by women yet disdainful of romantic love, and already formulating the philosophy of action and moral responsibility that would make him central to the thought of our time. Translated from the French by Richard Howard Review: Camus In Metamorphosis - Camus' book "A Happy Death" was never published in his lifetime. Camus was very specific and deliberate as to when he would publish what. This novel, the first written by Camus, has been published after being reclaimed from his papers. The question that comes to mind then, is "Why did Camus never publish this work?" It seems that the book was a transitional writing for Camus. It allowed him to move forward from the life he had always thought about, to the life he believed he lived in, that being an "existential" existence. In reading the book, one finds that Mersault, the protagonist, seems to have too many moments of happiness as compared to other protagonists in Camus' other publications. This in fact, is probably an autobiographical reflection of Camus' early life, and the book, a work to allow him to metamorphosize, transform his vision into what came next, "The Stranger." The beauty of the novel is recognizing this transition and then, with such recognition, comes the ability to apply those thought patterns and feelings to Camus' later works, seeing how he transformed from a "regular" human being, to an "existentialist" one who has the feeling of being unique, and apart from others and the world around him. The book gives valuable insight into Camus' mental process as he moves from where he was, to where he will go. For Camus readers, the book is truly a MUST. And for anyone with an interest in the "Existential" genre, it is truly an enlightening piece of literature. Review: Wonderful book! - Really enjoyed this book
| Best Sellers Rank | #45,216 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #27 in French Literature (Books) #35 in Absurdist Fiction (Books) #1,496 in Classic Literature & Fiction |
| Customer Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 stars 602 Reviews |
J**N
Camus In Metamorphosis
Camus' book "A Happy Death" was never published in his lifetime. Camus was very specific and deliberate as to when he would publish what. This novel, the first written by Camus, has been published after being reclaimed from his papers. The question that comes to mind then, is "Why did Camus never publish this work?" It seems that the book was a transitional writing for Camus. It allowed him to move forward from the life he had always thought about, to the life he believed he lived in, that being an "existential" existence. In reading the book, one finds that Mersault, the protagonist, seems to have too many moments of happiness as compared to other protagonists in Camus' other publications. This in fact, is probably an autobiographical reflection of Camus' early life, and the book, a work to allow him to metamorphosize, transform his vision into what came next, "The Stranger." The beauty of the novel is recognizing this transition and then, with such recognition, comes the ability to apply those thought patterns and feelings to Camus' later works, seeing how he transformed from a "regular" human being, to an "existentialist" one who has the feeling of being unique, and apart from others and the world around him. The book gives valuable insight into Camus' mental process as he moves from where he was, to where he will go. For Camus readers, the book is truly a MUST. And for anyone with an interest in the "Existential" genre, it is truly an enlightening piece of literature.
C**Y
Wonderful book!
Really enjoyed this book
B**M
A Happy Death
Too wordy but not bad.
A**O
very nice!
came really fast, incredibly satisfied. book came in good condition and is in fact new. i do think the package should come with bubble wrap for extra protection as it came with nothing
A**R
A journey into Camus' mind
This book is all over the place, but I don't read Camus for coherency. I read Camus to get into a Camusian state of mind, to see things as meaninglessly as he does. Mersault lives for nothing; he appreciates the night and the sea, but knows they're meaningless too. He lives and meets death with open hands, because it too is meaningless, and that only makes his life more free and beautiful. This book was not meant to be published, which allowed Camus to be less organized, but also less reserved, and provides another rare opportunity to glimpse into the ways of the absurd man who is detached from life and lives for nothing, and that is enough to happily fill his heart, at the cost of unrelenting effort to will consciousness and lucidity.
X**3
Quick delivery
It’s a book, it was new as requested. It is on my list to read. It will be read sometime this year. Can’t say when.
J**N
Did not match the displayed cover.
Mine did not match the black and white cover displayed. I was trying to get the matching set. Great book though.
C**Y
A HAPPY DEATH is a longer read than THE STRANGER
This book, published after Camus's untimely death, has been alleged to be an early edition of THE STRANGER. A HAPPY DEATH is a longer read than THE STRANGER, but goes into a lot more depth as the main character undergoes an existential journey. Once the novel concludes, it is immediately apparent why it was titled as so. I won't give any spoilers, but I highly suggest the book to lovers of Camus or anyone interested in various dogma's of existentialism. This book seems to imply that life is about finding your own happiness, of course without reading like a self-help/inspirational book. Camus is an outstanding writer and one of my personal favorites.
H**R
Gerne wieder
alles gut
M**R
Avoid this translation!
Very bad translation! There is no fluidity in the translated sentences and the used vocabulary made things worse! I did not enjoy reading this book at all. It was a complete waste of time. We are always looking for happiness and for what we might think will make us happy and satisfied, but the writing failed to convey this simple message and kept going into too many details that were never necessary. One moment you might imagine and feel what the writer was describing just to find yourself somewhere else a moment later! Very disappointing to see the Camus name on book.
T**N
First class philosophy of absurdisism
As always with Albert Camus, this book is a good starting point for those only hearing of Camus. A philosopher, a teacher, lover.
S**F
Excellently
Great book arrived on time!
A**A
A happy death
I love this book because of how it deals with absurdist thoughts and themes .
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