The Outsider (The Stranger) – Albert Camus

  A man who refuses to play by society’s rules. A crime without motive. A trial that seeks to punish not just his actions, but his very nature.

Albert Camus' The Outsider (L'Étranger) is one of the most powerful and thought-provoking novels of the 20th century. First published in 1942, it embodies Camus' absurdist philosophy, challenging the expectations of morality, justice, and human nature.

The novel follows Meursault, a young Algerian man who seems detached from emotions and social conventions. When his mother dies, he feels no grief. When he gets involved in a crime, he shows no remorse. Society cannot accept his indifference, and soon, the justice system seeks not only to punish him but to make him conform. As his trial unfolds, Meursault begins to confront the absurdity of existence and ultimately embraces the "gentle indifference of the world."

A Timeless Masterpiece

Camus’ The Outsider is more than just a novel—it’s a philosophical exploration of what it means to live authentically in a world that demands meaning where none exists. A landmark of existential and absurdist literature, it remains as relevant and provocative today as it was when first published.

 Complete & Unabridged | Translated by Stuart Gilbert