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Albert Camus
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Lyrical and Critical Essays Mass Market Paperback – September 12, 1970

by Albert Camus (Author), Philip Thody (Editor), Ellen Conroy Kennedy (Translator)
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“Here now, for the first time in a complete English translation, we have Camus’s three little volumes of essays, plus a selection of his critical comments on literature and his own place in it. As might be expected, the main interest of these writings is that they illuminate new facets of his usual subject matter.”—The New York Times Book Review
 
“A new single work for American readers that stands among the very finest.”—The Nation
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  1. Print length
    384 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Vintage
  4. Publication date
    September 12, 1970
  5. Dimensions
    4.3 x 1.03 x 7.22 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0394708520
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0394708522
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Lyrical And Critical Essays

"The literary output of Albert Camus was exceptionally concentrated and well organized, so that each part of it throws light on the other parts.... Here now, for the first time in a complete English translation, we have Camus' three little volumes of essays, plus a selection of his critical comments on literature and on his own place in it. As might be expected, the main interest of these writings is that they illuminate new facets of his usual subject matter."

-- John Weightman, The New York Times Book Review

"The work of Albert Camus began to achieve international recognition after World War II, and from then until his death in 1960 no author was a greater articulator of the general reevaluation of human action that took place in the best literature of this period... because those works are so intense, so occupied with the themes of a civilization, it is good to have small, sometimes rough pieces which show a great writer close to the stuff of experience he would later refine and set into parables for an age. For it was his ability to stay near the plain, uncelebrated habits of life that gave Camus' art its peculiar strength and his thought its hard humanity."

-- Jack Richardson, Book World

"Some of the pieces have been translated individually before, but several of the best have not, and the complete sequence forms what is in effect a new, single work for American readers that stands among his very finest."

-- Donald Lazere, The Nation

From the Back Cover

Lyrical And Critical Essays

"The literary output of Albert Camus was exceptionally concentrated and well organized, so that each part of it throws light on the other parts.... Here now, for the first time in a complete English translation, we have Camus' three little volumes of essays, plus a selection of his critical comments on literature and on his own place in it. As might be expected, the main interest of these writings is that they illuminate new facets of his usual subject matter."

-- John Weightman, The New York Times Book Review

"The work of Albert Camus began to achieve international recognition after World War II, and from then until his death in 1960 no author was a greater articulator of the general reevaluation of human action that took place in the best literature of this period... because those works are so intense, so occupied with the themes of a civilization, it is good to have small, sometimes rough pieces which show a great writer close to the stuff of experience he would later refine and set into parables for an age. For it was his ability to stay near the plain, uncelebrated habits of life that gave Camus' art its peculiar strength and his thought its hard humanity."

-- Jack Richardson, Book World

"Some of the pieces have been translated individually before, but several of the best have not, and the complete sequence forms what is in effect a new, single work for American readers that stands among his very finest."

-- Donald Lazere, The Nation

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Vintage (September 12, 1970)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 384 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0394708520
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0394708522
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8.8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.3 x 1.03 x 7.22 inches
  • Customer Reviews:

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Albert Camus

Albert Camus

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Albert Camus (French: [albɛʁ kamy]; 7 November 1913 - 4 January 1960) was a French philosopher, author, and journalist. His views contributed to the rise of the philosophy known as absurdism. He wrote in his essay The Rebel that his whole life was devoted to opposing the philosophy of nihilism while still delving deeply into individual freedom. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1957.

Camus did not consider himself to be an existentialist despite usually being classified as one, even in his lifetime. In a 1945 interview, Camus rejected any ideological associations: ""No, I am not an existentialist. Sartre and I are always surprised to see our names linked..."".

Camus was born in Algeria to a Pied-Noir family, and studied at the University of Algiers from which he graduated in 1936. In 1949, Camus founded the Group for International Liaisons to ""denounce two ideologies found in both the USSR and the USA"".

Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Photo by Photograph by United Press International [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
190 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Gypsy Samuels
5.0 out of 5 stars Lyrical yes...profound...no
Reviewed in the United States on December 17, 2013
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This is a good book to read to receive more insight into Camus' lighter and more romantic visions of his youth and his thoughts in general. You can pick this book up at almost anytime and receive a thoughtful slice of his life that will make you view your own life differently. Not just for classes but for you.
7 people found this helpful
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Lee C. Browne
5.0 out of 5 stars Old English Teacher Writes a Review
Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2013
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After many years past my first love affair with books by Albert Camus, a college prof at U. of Montana recommended this collection. How wonderful. He is as new and fresh as he was in those bygone days. Thank you.
12 people found this helpful
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Amazon customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely lyrical read
Reviewed in the United States on December 23, 2017
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I love how darkly the text is printed, in this edition. It does justice to the wonderful, wise words within.
8 people found this helpful
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Dougr
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome thought material
Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2017
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I am new to Camus, but absolutely loving his writing. It's fairly easy to read, interesting, deep at times which I enjoy. Makes you think
6 people found this helpful
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Kevin Michael OSullivan
4.0 out of 5 stars A great collection, lacking footnotes.
Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2021
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The book contains a great many Camus essays and writings, which obviously are fantastic. We are not here to review Camus however- if you like Camus, you will like the book, otherwise this will not change your mind.

The organization of the book is fine, the text quite legible and balanced between the tiny print that sometimes damns philosophy texts to being difficult to parse, while not bloating the size of the book with excess pages due to spacing. It's a paperback, the binding is fine as is the outer cover seal. Pages turn easy, I have identified no misprints.

Why I have dissented with 5/5 reviewers is because there is almost no reference material included. Camus has a "Rick and Morty" predilection for referencing what is now obscure literature and history unless one is, admittedly, much better read than myself. If your background is Philosophy and not Literature or History, you may find yourself constantly referring to Google as a guide. It's a bit annoying and removes one from the work.

"Personal Essays", a different publication of Camus' works, saw fit to include multiple footnotes highlighting what these references were and also some context with them. It is undoubtedly superior. Camus will reference Rastignac, and Gogol's Klestakoff, and if you have no idea who those people are you, too, may find benefit in grabbing both this book and the "Personal Essays" publication of his works. There is overlap indeed but what a convenience to have the immediate references for the less erudite, as myself.

All of that being said you can't really go wrong here. And the typeset is better in this than "Personal Essays". This could have been 5/5 however if it'd just done that smallest bit more of work and given some context to Camus' comments.
12 people found this helpful
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Robert T. Crandall
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book
Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2013
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This book contains some of Camus' very early writings, along with interviews of him. This is well worth the price for anyone interested in Camus' early life and his love of the theatre.
3 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Ice ball
Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2017
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Love the ice balls goes great in my gin old fashioned !!!
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Top reviews from other countries

amoscat
5.0 out of 5 stars Such a good thinker
Reviewed in Canada on December 1, 2021
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Wonderful writer, you feel like you're conversing with a very thoughtful friend.
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Joyce, UK
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Service
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 28, 2024
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Arrived in good time and in immaculate condition - thank you!
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Dariia Dmytruk
5.0 out of 5 stars Literature of the highest quality
Reviewed in Germany on August 3, 2023
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An excellent writer and a wonderful foreword from the editor.
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Soumeek
5.0 out of 5 stars Book of insights into human mind
Reviewed in India on December 29, 2020
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It's a fabulous book...full of insights that delve into the human mind
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Mats Nallman
5.0 out of 5 stars Essay Experience
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 15, 2020
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Excellent collection of essays, with very useful commentaries and footnotes. Gives a deeper understanding of the literary works of Camus, and provides an insight into the mind of the man. These essays also evoke Camus experience of the Algerian landscape that he loves, and give the reader the feeling of being there together with him. I read the book sitting on my balcony in the Swedish countryside, but felt transferred to a seaside town by the Mediterranian.
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Mats Nallman
5.0 out of 5 stars Essay Experience
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 15, 2020
Excellent collection of essays, with very useful commentaries and footnotes. Gives a deeper understanding of the literary works of Camus, and provides an insight into the mind of the man. These essays also evoke Camus experience of the Algerian landscape that he loves, and give the reader the feeling of being there together with him. I read the book sitting on my balcony in the Swedish countryside, but felt transferred to a seaside town by the Mediterranian.
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One person found this helpful
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