Albert Camus's The Stranger

by Harold Bloom

Provides analyses of Camus's "The Stranger" by Jean-Paul Sartre, William M. Manly, Stephen E. Bonner, and other scholars and writers.

Genres: Fiction, Philosophy, Literary Criticism, Classics, Literature

168 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 2000

About the author

Harold Bloom was an American literary critic and the Sterling Professor of Humanities at Yale University. In 2017, Bloom was called "probably the most famous literary critic in the English-speaking world." After publishing his first book in 1959, Bloom wrote more than 50 books, including over 40 books of literary criticism, several books discussing religion, and one novel. He edited hundreds of anthologies concerning numerous literary and philosophical figures for the Chelsea House publishing firm. Bloom's books have been translated into more than 40 languages. He was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 1995.
Bloom was a defender of the traditional Western canon at a time when literature departments were focusing on what he derided as the "school of resentment" (multiculturalists, feminists, Marxists, and others). He was educated at Yale University, the University of Cambridge, and Cornell University.

Reviews

[ميقات الراجحي · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not think that I will seek refuge again for this book
Time after time I stand next to him !!
Albert Camus was able to make (Absurdism) meaning in the world of the novel and not only French.
You should read all the books of the novelist (Albert Camus) They represent a complete series during his literary career.

[Rosalía · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was required to read this in school and was so disturbed, I couldn't put it down. I like to think humanity is understanding and compassionate but this book really altered that feeling and began the knowledge of the harsh reality of discrimination and selfishness.

[Muriel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came across this while browsing the 800s in my local library and thought, "why not?" because The Stranger is a book I still reread regularly. It offers brief, interesting insights but nothing I haven't already come across before in other books. There are references to several texts I'd like to follow up with though: "The Makropulos Case: Reflections on the Tedium of Immortality" from Problems of the Self by Bernard Williams, Karel Capek's The Makropulos Case, and "L'Etranger and 'Metaphysical Anxiety' by Frantz Favre.

[Colleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

How on earth is this such a celebrated book? I got halfway through and gave up. The main character is absolutely emotionless and dull, and the story is just meandering all over the place. Definitely not what I expected from the descriptions.

[Niratisaya · Rating 4 out of 5]

one of the books I need, critical view on The Stranger by Albert Camus.
helps me to see things out of Camus' simple writing, but has extraordinary inside each words (though I read the translation due to my inability of French, but still...! :D

8 years ago I merely see this book as a weird reading, when my best friend recommended it to me. but now, I notice it more that psychological matter. and this book deepen my insight.

[Momina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fortunately, I found the MCI of this one! Hoping it covers more ground than this little guide. But I did enjoy Sartre's little commentary and the discussion on the narrative of the novel. Not too bad this one.

(P.S. Some librarian needs to separate this guide from the MCI. They've been added as two editions in the same series. Being a "librarian" myself, I should fix this glitch but I'm too lazy. :P)

[Alice Ishrat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alright, so I'm almost in the second part of the book, and what I noticed about Mersault is that he has no feelings. he doesn't know how love feels. I'm not sure why he acts like this, and why he does not want to take an advantage of changing his life. I hope to find out why he is this type of person.

[Chelsea Lawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've had Camus' The Stranger on my to-read list for a while and this was a good way to read it. I like the theme- the main character is an "absurdist," meaning he thinks nothing matters, but all the little moments in the book do end up determining his fate in the end. But one could have a much longer discussion from there..

[Kristi Thompson]

Albert Camus's The Stranger / edited and with an introduction by Harold Bloom (2001)

[Marty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, but very well written. On the depressing side, but worth the read

[Christi · Rating 4 out of 5]

An oddly linear story about a man who is entirely detached from society and maintains no emotion in his personal relationships.

[Olivia Putyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very distressing.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite Amazing

[Akshay Vaidya · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very nicely written book. Extremely poignant and Albert Camus has brilliantly covered the key philosophical elements- absurdism, Existentialism in a single concise text.

[Bebe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book on CD

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Camus won a Nobel prize for this work of philosophical writing.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!

[Maddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A favorite, like most of Camus novels.