What do you think?
Rate this book
Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays
Delve into the philosophical musings of one of the 20th century's most influential thinkers with Albert Camus' "Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays." In this timeless collection, Camus grapples with the fundamental questions of human existence, exploring themes of absurdity, meaning, and the search for purpose in a seemingly indifferent universe.
At the heart of this collection lies Camus' iconic essay, "The Myth of Sisyphus," where he presents his concept of the the paradoxical confrontation between the human desire for meaning and the indifferent, irrational nature of the world. Drawing inspiration from the ancient Greek myth of Sisyphus, condemned to endlessly roll a boulder uphill only to watch it roll back down, Camus explores the existential struggle of humanity in the face of a universe devoid of inherent meaning or purpose.
In addition to "The Myth of Sisyphus," this collection features a selection of Camus' other essays, including "The Rebel," "Summer in Algiers," and "Hope and the Absurd in the Work of Franz Kafka," among others. Through these thought-provoking essays, Camus invites readers to confront life's inherent absurdity and embrace the freedom to create their own meaning in the midst of existential uncertainty.
With its profound insights and eloquent prose, "Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays" remains a cornerstone of existentialist philosophy and a timeless exploration of the human condition. Whether you're a seasoned philosopher or a curious reader seeking to ponder life's deepest questions, this collection offers a captivating journey into the complexities of existence and the enduring quest for meaning in an absurd world.
At the heart of this collection lies Camus' iconic essay, "The Myth of Sisyphus," where he presents his concept of the the paradoxical confrontation between the human desire for meaning and the indifferent, irrational nature of the world. Drawing inspiration from the ancient Greek myth of Sisyphus, condemned to endlessly roll a boulder uphill only to watch it roll back down, Camus explores the existential struggle of humanity in the face of a universe devoid of inherent meaning or purpose.
In addition to "The Myth of Sisyphus," this collection features a selection of Camus' other essays, including "The Rebel," "Summer in Algiers," and "Hope and the Absurd in the Work of Franz Kafka," among others. Through these thought-provoking essays, Camus invites readers to confront life's inherent absurdity and embrace the freedom to create their own meaning in the midst of existential uncertainty.
With its profound insights and eloquent prose, "Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays" remains a cornerstone of existentialist philosophy and a timeless exploration of the human condition. Whether you're a seasoned philosopher or a curious reader seeking to ponder life's deepest questions, this collection offers a captivating journey into the complexities of existence and the enduring quest for meaning in an absurd world.
163 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 26, 2024
74 people are currently reading
About the author
Albert Camus
1,080 books37.8k followersWorks, such as the novels
The Stranger
(1942) and
The Plague
(1947), of Algerian-born French writer and philosopher Albert Camus concern the absurdity of the human condition; he won the Nobel Prize of 1957 for literature.
Origin and his experiences of this representative of non-metropolitan literature in the 1930s dominated influences in his thought and work.
He also adapted plays of Pedro Calderón de la Barca, Lope de Vega, Dino Buzzati, and Requiem for a Nun of William Faulkner. One may trace his enjoyment of the theater back to his membership in l'Equipe, an Algerian group, whose "collective creation" Révolte dans les Asturies (1934) was banned for political reasons.
Of semi-proletarian parents, early attached to intellectual circles of strongly revolutionary tendencies, with a deep interest, he came at the age of 25 years in 1938; only chance prevented him from pursuing a university career in that field. The man and the times met: Camus joined the resistance movement during the occupation and after the liberation served as a columnist for the newspaper Combat.
The essay Le Mythe de Sisyphe (The Myth of Sisyphus), 1942, expounds notion of acceptance of the absurd of Camus with "the total absence of hope, which has nothing to do with despair, a continual refusal, which must not be confused with renouncement - and a conscious dissatisfaction."
Meursault, central character of L'Étranger (The Stranger), 1942, illustrates much of this essay: man as the nauseated victim of the absurd orthodoxy of habit, later - when the young killer faces execution - tempted by despair, hope, and salvation.
Besides his fiction and essays, Camus very actively produced plays in the theater (e.g., Caligula, 1944).
The time demanded his response, chiefly in his activities, but in 1947, Camus retired from political journalism.
Doctor Rieux of La Peste (The Plague), 1947, who tirelessly attends the plague-stricken citizens of Oran, enacts the revolt against a world of the absurd and of injustice, and confirms words: "We refuse to despair of mankind. Without having the unreasonable ambition to save men, we still want to serve them."
People also well know La Chute (The Fall), work of Camus in 1956.
Camus authored L'Exil et le royaume (Exile and the Kingdom) in 1957. His austere search for moral order found its aesthetic correlative in the classicism of his art. He styled of great purity, intense concentration, and rationality.
Camus died at the age of 46 years in a car accident near Sens in le Grand Fossard in the small town of Villeblevin.
Chinese 阿尔贝·加缪
Origin and his experiences of this representative of non-metropolitan literature in the 1930s dominated influences in his thought and work.
He also adapted plays of Pedro Calderón de la Barca, Lope de Vega, Dino Buzzati, and Requiem for a Nun of William Faulkner. One may trace his enjoyment of the theater back to his membership in l'Equipe, an Algerian group, whose "collective creation" Révolte dans les Asturies (1934) was banned for political reasons.
Of semi-proletarian parents, early attached to intellectual circles of strongly revolutionary tendencies, with a deep interest, he came at the age of 25 years in 1938; only chance prevented him from pursuing a university career in that field. The man and the times met: Camus joined the resistance movement during the occupation and after the liberation served as a columnist for the newspaper Combat.
The essay Le Mythe de Sisyphe (The Myth of Sisyphus), 1942, expounds notion of acceptance of the absurd of Camus with "the total absence of hope, which has nothing to do with despair, a continual refusal, which must not be confused with renouncement - and a conscious dissatisfaction."
Meursault, central character of L'Étranger (The Stranger), 1942, illustrates much of this essay: man as the nauseated victim of the absurd orthodoxy of habit, later - when the young killer faces execution - tempted by despair, hope, and salvation.
Besides his fiction and essays, Camus very actively produced plays in the theater (e.g., Caligula, 1944).
The time demanded his response, chiefly in his activities, but in 1947, Camus retired from political journalism.
Doctor Rieux of La Peste (The Plague), 1947, who tirelessly attends the plague-stricken citizens of Oran, enacts the revolt against a world of the absurd and of injustice, and confirms words: "We refuse to despair of mankind. Without having the unreasonable ambition to save men, we still want to serve them."
People also well know La Chute (The Fall), work of Camus in 1956.
Camus authored L'Exil et le royaume (Exile and the Kingdom) in 1957. His austere search for moral order found its aesthetic correlative in the classicism of his art. He styled of great purity, intense concentration, and rationality.
Camus died at the age of 46 years in a car accident near Sens in le Grand Fossard in the small town of Villeblevin.
Chinese 阿尔贝·加缪
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 30, 2025
This book walked so Everything Everywhere All At Once could fly.
TL;DR - “Nooo don’t kill yourself your so sexy aha”
_______________________________________________
Actual TL;DR - we yearn for objective meaning, but the universe provides none. The only way forward is to relish the totality of your lived experience. Act with passion. Be conscious. Grapple with life’s disharmonious moments—that is what it means to be human.
“Sisyphus, proletarian of the gods, powerless and rebellious, knows the whole extent of his wretched condition: it is what he thinks of during his descent. The lucidity that was to constitute his torture at the same time crowns his victory.”
TL;DR - “Nooo don’t kill yourself your so sexy aha”
_______________________________________________
Actual TL;DR - we yearn for objective meaning, but the universe provides none. The only way forward is to relish the totality of your lived experience. Act with passion. Be conscious. Grapple with life’s disharmonious moments—that is what it means to be human.
“Sisyphus, proletarian of the gods, powerless and rebellious, knows the whole extent of his wretched condition: it is what he thinks of during his descent. The lucidity that was to constitute his torture at the same time crowns his victory.”
December 27, 2025
I’m so incredibly disappointed by this work. I fear I didn’t understand it.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews