CityPages Kuwait June 2016 Issue June 2016 | Page 97

BOOK CLUB THE OUTSIDER This month's pick is a type of book I haven't tapped into before. It is a philosophical fiction story that was written in the 1940s; and what is more impressive is that the author of this novel is a winner of a Noble Prize in literature. The Outsider (1942) was written by FrenchAlgerian author Albert Camus. Albert was a journalist, author and philosopher, his views contributed to the rise of a philosophical school of thought known as the absurdism which refers to conflict between the human tendency to seek inherent value and meaning in life and the human inability to find any. In this context absurd does not mean "logically impossible", but rather "humanly impossible" which surfaced in the 1800s. Albert won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1957 and he was the second youngest person ever to win the prize. He had written other well-known titles such as The Rebel (1951), The Plague (1947) and The Fall (1956). He also wrote some plays such as Caligula (1938) which was later performed in 1945, as well as, The Misunderstanding (1944), The State of Siege (1948) and The Possessed (1959). The Outsider tells a story of a man who did not get affected by his mother's death and everyone was surprised by his lack of emotions. Later he commits a random act of violence and the society does not understand why does he not have any regret and his lack of emotions only makes him look even more guilty in their eyes. This book was adapted into a film under the title The Strange in 1967. This book explains the feeling of how someone could be living in a society yet feel like an outsider; he does not understand the environment and they do not understand his way of thinking, his ideas and views on life. The Outsider (1942) although it is a short story, it is truly life changing in a literary way and if the story does not make sense to any of the readers out there, Albert Camus himself will explain what was going through his mind when he wrote it at the end of the book with a letter he wrote himself. I hope you enjoy it like I did. Nada Soliman Meet Nada, our team member is simply a book savvy. Every month Nada picks her favourite book and shares with you its review. Please feel free to contact Nada to discuss your opinion or ask her opinion on your favourite book or author. [email protected] CITYPAGESKUWAIT.COM 97