I've read a lot of teen fare recently, and while I love it, I thought I'd return to my English roots and read something a little more academic, a little more classic. As, somehow, I have never read any Camus (how does that happen when you have a master's in English??). I decided to read Albert Camus' The Stranger, which I knew my brother loved (and it had been recommended to him by Mr. Milliken, a high school English teacher that we had both had and loved).
Before I continue, here's a few other books/plays I am somewhat embarrassed to admit I have never read in my English career:
-Romeo and Juliet
-To Kill a Mockingbird
-Crime and Punishment
Maybe I should change that this winter.
Anyway, let's get back to the review. In The Stranger, we follow a man who's mother has just passed away. There is little to no grieving on his end-- rather, he moves on with his life, spending the day after on a date. Soon after, on a weekend trip to the beach with his new girlfriend and his sketchy friend, he finds that they are being followed by two men. Later, when he spots one of them on his own, he shoots him several times, and finds himself in prison and in hearings, where he finds his friends, acquaintances, and the prosecution interpreting and passing judgement on his character more than his actual crime (which feels absurd to our main character).
I don't wish to say more than that, other than the fact that this existential novel is certainly deeper than it seems at first, and I feel like I'll need to read it at least one more time to get more from it. Ah, it's times like these that I wish I was back in school so I could discuss it with others!
Now onto the fun :) Christmas is coming, and I'm sure you're focusing your spending on others rather than on yourself. I want to buy one of you a book that you've been wanting to read to make sure your reading doesn't slow down during the holidays!
Rules:
1. You must not own the book
2. You must not have read the book before.
3. The book must be under $16 (use Amazon.com as a guide)
How to enter:
1. Leave a comment telling me what the author and the name of the book you've been wanting to read is, and why you're fancying it. I'll pick a winner at random Thursday, November 29th, after 6PM EST.
I can't wait to see what books you pick! Start commenting away! :)
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