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The Plague, The Fall, Exile and The Kingdom and Selected Essays
(Book Jacket Status: Jacketed)
From one of the most brilliant and influential thinkers of the twentieth century–two novels, six short stories, and a pair of essays in a single volume. In both his essays and his fiction, Albert Camus (1913—1960) de-ployed his lyric eloquence in defense against despair, providing an affirmation of the brave assertion of humanity in the face of a universe devoid of order or meaning.
The Plague–written in 1947 and still profoundly relevant–is a riveting tale of horror, survival, and resilience in the face of a devastating epidemic. The Fall (1956), which takes the form of an astonishing confession by a French lawyer in a seedy Amsterdam bar, is a haunting parable of modern conscience in the face of evil. The six stories of Exile and the Kingdom (1957) represent Camus at the height of his narrative powers, masterfully depicting his characters–from a renegade missionary to an adulterous wife –at decisive moments of revelation. Set beside their fictional counterparts, Camus’s famous essays “The Myth of Sisyphus” and “Reflections on the Guillotine” are all the more powerful and philosophically daring, confirming his towering place in twentieth-century thought.
From one of the most brilliant and influential thinkers of the twentieth century–two novels, six short stories, and a pair of essays in a single volume. In both his essays and his fiction, Albert Camus (1913—1960) de-ployed his lyric eloquence in defense against despair, providing an affirmation of the brave assertion of humanity in the face of a universe devoid of order or meaning.
The Plague–written in 1947 and still profoundly relevant–is a riveting tale of horror, survival, and resilience in the face of a devastating epidemic. The Fall (1956), which takes the form of an astonishing confession by a French lawyer in a seedy Amsterdam bar, is a haunting parable of modern conscience in the face of evil. The six stories of Exile and the Kingdom (1957) represent Camus at the height of his narrative powers, masterfully depicting his characters–from a renegade missionary to an adulterous wife –at decisive moments of revelation. Set beside their fictional counterparts, Camus’s famous essays “The Myth of Sisyphus” and “Reflections on the Guillotine” are all the more powerful and philosophically daring, confirming his towering place in twentieth-century thought.
704 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2004
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About the author
Albert Camus
1,075 books37.7k 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
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
March 9, 2023
🐀 I’ve reviewed The Outsider and The Plague at length with my reviews attached to other editions as is GR’s annoying habit. Here I’ll just say The Plague is part thriller and part horror and part theodicy - which is the discussion of God and human suffering. Recommended.
October 8, 2020
Consisting of two novellas (The Plague and The Fall), a collection of short stories (Exile And The Kingdom) and two essays (The Myth Of Sisyphus and Reflections On The Guillotine), this is a compendium which gives you a full scope of Camus’ excellence as a writer.
It would make for a perfect beginner’s point, so I highly recommend it to anybody who has yet to read any of his work.
I have long considered The Myth Of Sisyphus to be one of the most important philosophical texts ever written. Reflections is one of the most important texts against capital punishment.
I shall review Sisyphus and Reflections in full one day.
It would make for a perfect beginner’s point, so I highly recommend it to anybody who has yet to read any of his work.
I have long considered The Myth Of Sisyphus to be one of the most important philosophical texts ever written. Reflections is one of the most important texts against capital punishment.
I shall review Sisyphus and Reflections in full one day.
May 21, 2024
3.5 Stars!
Review for THE MYTH OF SISYPHUS
If you don’t laugh you’ll cry is possibly a good as any way to sum up the gist of this essay, and that’s a comforting thought, a bit like the old Buddhist line of thinking about coming from nothing and going back to nothing and coming to terms with the fact we’re already dead anyway so there’s no point in worrying about…I feel I’m going off the point here…
This was interesting, though I didn't come away with any profound or life altering insights like many others appear to have, but this was an enjoyable, worthwhile and dare I say an uplifting read?…let’s just go with that shall we.
May 1, 2020
Camus is the only writer who I continue to like, even when I may not always understand him. The Stranger was the first existential, absurd novel I ever read and the bizarre, alien feeling it sprouted me in me lingered and left me dazed for days.
This collection is the same, if somehow more lyrical(and wordy), but stamped with Camus signature style of vagueness, strangeness and of something being not quite right. The Plague is the most concrete and traditionally stylized of them all, while The Fall is the most existential. The most profound work continues to be The Myth of Sisyphus, which is an immeasurable contribution to philosophy.
This collection is the same, if somehow more lyrical(and wordy), but stamped with Camus signature style of vagueness, strangeness and of something being not quite right. The Plague is the most concrete and traditionally stylized of them all, while The Fall is the most existential. The most profound work continues to be The Myth of Sisyphus, which is an immeasurable contribution to philosophy.
May 9, 2008
I read The Plague, but I couldn't find that book listed on its own. It's a great book that had a profound effect on me in college. It was the first book I "had to read" in a literature class. I was so innocent, and this book opened my eyes to pain, suffering, death, tragedy... real life! I went on to be an English major. This book may have turned me in that direction.
January 2, 2015
Camus' THE FALL continues to haunt. It is the ghost of Augustinianism--and is itself haunted by an Augustinian option.
January 27, 2024
Full disclosure, I did not read the essays included at the end of this collection. I intended to but wasn’t really feeling it after I started the first one and realized I’m not in school anymore so I shouldn’t have to read academic writing that I don’t want to read. Having said that, I enjoyed the novellas/short stories that made up the rest of this—classic Camus. I’ll be sure to update this review if I ever do read the essays.
May 9, 2022
Thoughts of a noted thinker. His imagination of The Plague is consistent with its reality, as we are seeing with our current plague, Covid 19. The Myth of Sisyphus is the reality of the absurdity of life. Reflections on the Guillotine is convincing argument against administrative murder.
June 25, 2022
A philosopher ranting
June 3, 2024
The Plague is simply must read for anyone in the world today older than 15 years old -- hence with good memory of the coronavirus pandemic. Humanity shines through, is my biggest takeaway.
The Fall is good. The short stories were quite good as well. The essays... eh. Skipped the essay on absurdism in Kafka, with the memory that the writer of the introduction suggested that Camus almost certainly misread Kafka.
The Fall is good. The short stories were quite good as well. The essays... eh. Skipped the essay on absurdism in Kafka, with the memory that the writer of the introduction suggested that Camus almost certainly misread Kafka.
December 21, 2024
Contains a number of works outside the more popular works of Camus.
In “Reflections on the Guillotine”, Camus shared his heart-felt argument against beheading and death penalty in general: Society does not believe the exemplary value of execution, otherwise, Camus argues, it should show the head. He describes various reasons against the death penalty: the potential error from jury, the cruelty (e.g., eye-whiteness account of body jumping after beheading), that no one can be absolute judge, and that the state commits more crimes and is even less qualified to be that judge. He also argues that fear of death is insufficient to overcome emotion for murders. Real reason of death penalty is really tradition.
Among the short stories in “Exile and the Kingdom”, the one titled “The Guest” is particularly unique.
In “Reflections on the Guillotine”, Camus shared his heart-felt argument against beheading and death penalty in general: Society does not believe the exemplary value of execution, otherwise, Camus argues, it should show the head. He describes various reasons against the death penalty: the potential error from jury, the cruelty (e.g., eye-whiteness account of body jumping after beheading), that no one can be absolute judge, and that the state commits more crimes and is even less qualified to be that judge. He also argues that fear of death is insufficient to overcome emotion for murders. Real reason of death penalty is really tradition.
Among the short stories in “Exile and the Kingdom”, the one titled “The Guest” is particularly unique.
December 30, 2023
The plague may be the most impactful novel I have ever read.
June 4, 2021
First and foremost, at the very least you should try to find a different translation of The Plague. This one, by Stuart Gilbert, is almost 70 years old but still has jarringly obvious errors (“his case continued doubtful”).
I first tried reading The Plague maybe 15 years ago, and I now remember why I stopped. It starts strong, then really becomes a slog through the middle. However, I am happy to report that it ends strong as well. But even those are relative terms.
I didn’t find anything terribly compelling in it, even now, having lived through a pandemic. The characters aren’t that interesting, the morality is either inscrutable (Tarrou’s speech about everything being pestilence or man?) or too on the nose (Rambert’s decision to volunteer with the ambulances rather than escape the town). Still, it’s not too long, and I’m glad I finally finished it.
I first tried reading The Plague maybe 15 years ago, and I now remember why I stopped. It starts strong, then really becomes a slog through the middle. However, I am happy to report that it ends strong as well. But even those are relative terms.
I didn’t find anything terribly compelling in it, even now, having lived through a pandemic. The characters aren’t that interesting, the morality is either inscrutable (Tarrou’s speech about everything being pestilence or man?) or too on the nose (Rambert’s decision to volunteer with the ambulances rather than escape the town). Still, it’s not too long, and I’m glad I finally finished it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 2, 2021
FEuuuuh!!!
It took around 2 months to read it. Awesome read. The time has nothing to do with the quality of work. Every word is to be cherished in this book. Whether it's the world of The Plague or soliloquy of the advocate in The Fall or the intelligent voice behind the essay condemning guillotine or questioning the very method of existence, Albert Camus is so clear about what he is trying to find and how he is going to deliver it.
Albert Camus' words are so clear and appear drenched in a light that doesn't let you get lost in the diverse jungle of philosophy. And the intensity of his thoughts- you can literally feel that intensity penetrating deep into your mind and changing gears of your perceiving and compelling you to see the world in a new light.
It took around 2 months to read it. Awesome read. The time has nothing to do with the quality of work. Every word is to be cherished in this book. Whether it's the world of The Plague or soliloquy of the advocate in The Fall or the intelligent voice behind the essay condemning guillotine or questioning the very method of existence, Albert Camus is so clear about what he is trying to find and how he is going to deliver it.
Albert Camus' words are so clear and appear drenched in a light that doesn't let you get lost in the diverse jungle of philosophy. And the intensity of his thoughts- you can literally feel that intensity penetrating deep into your mind and changing gears of your perceiving and compelling you to see the world in a new light.
October 15, 2018
The Plague: Boring, speckled with inconsequential sequences, unrealistic and just runs into sand at the end. Excellent as a intellectually-looking inventory for your bedside table that lasts a very long time.
The Fall: Interesting stylistically and intellectually from start as a dialogue reduced to a first person monologue, but eventually it just goes on rambling until you loose all capacity to pay attention.
I am done with Camus.
The Fall: Interesting stylistically and intellectually from start as a dialogue reduced to a first person monologue, but eventually it just goes on rambling until you loose all capacity to pay attention.
I am done with Camus.
February 1, 2009
This is why I don't like riding in cars.
July 27, 2020
Need to reread the Myth of Sysyphus again...here Camus discusses Husserl, Heidigger, Kafka and few other existentialist..so hard going ...
The fall , my second reading , is an absolute gem ....
The fall , my second reading , is an absolute gem ....
June 16, 2025
A bit tricky to rate multiple different stories/genres together but these are my thoughts. Worthy noting I had no interest in thinking about the philosophical ideas behind lots of this lol so maybe someone else would get a lot more out of it.
The Plague: this was the standout story of the book. The imagery was excellent and I think Camus excellently captured the feeling of quarantine. It was interesting to read this in view of Covid and how the public reacted to that too.
The Fall: I'm not huge on the first person style of this and the story wasn't nearly as good as the Plague. Still a good read though nothing too special.
The short stories: The two that stood out for me were The Renegade and The Artist at Work. The former was quite a confusing read so I had to re-go over some stuff but I thought the content was thought-provoking. The latter just had some unexpected turns and a sense of melancholy that grew through the tale that I appreciated. The rest of the stories were meh.
The essays: I started one of these but then gave up. Way too dense and not what I want to be reading. Philosophy is ew
The Plague: this was the standout story of the book. The imagery was excellent and I think Camus excellently captured the feeling of quarantine. It was interesting to read this in view of Covid and how the public reacted to that too.
The Fall: I'm not huge on the first person style of this and the story wasn't nearly as good as the Plague. Still a good read though nothing too special.
The short stories: The two that stood out for me were The Renegade and The Artist at Work. The former was quite a confusing read so I had to re-go over some stuff but I thought the content was thought-provoking. The latter just had some unexpected turns and a sense of melancholy that grew through the tale that I appreciated. The rest of the stories were meh.
The essays: I started one of these but then gave up. Way too dense and not what I want to be reading. Philosophy is ew
July 24, 2025
it’s an anthology so it’s hard to rank. it’s okay. camus is certainly not a writer that speaks to me. i enjoyed reflections on the guillotine the most.
the plague: 3.5/5
would have had a very different reaction/interpretation to this if i'd read it before covid. but i have ptsd
the fall: okay... *3/5*
exile and the kingdom: *2.5/5* i enjoyed the silent men and the guest. the rest were snoozefests
the myth of sisyphus: 3.25* if you liked ocr year 1 religious studies a level then this is for you. unfortunately i found that a bit boring, likewise with this. i will say however that this was better than his fiction so albert camus the philosopher >>>> albert camus the writer
reflections on the guillotine: *4/5* BIG slay. a great opinion piece on the death penalty. engaging
the plague: 3.5/5
would have had a very different reaction/interpretation to this if i'd read it before covid. but i have ptsd
the fall: okay... *3/5*
exile and the kingdom: *2.5/5* i enjoyed the silent men and the guest. the rest were snoozefests
the myth of sisyphus: 3.25* if you liked ocr year 1 religious studies a level then this is for you. unfortunately i found that a bit boring, likewise with this. i will say however that this was better than his fiction so albert camus the philosopher >>>> albert camus the writer
reflections on the guillotine: *4/5* BIG slay. a great opinion piece on the death penalty. engaging
February 10, 2025
I do like Camus' story, and find it very timely in terms of how much it parallels our experiences with COVID, but am giving this English-language version a very low score for the poor quality of the translation. Gilbert, working in a much different time, took great liberties with the text (inserting text that doesn't exist in the original French-language version), making this a less-than-ideal rendition of what Camus wrote. The much more recent translation (copyright 2021) from Laura Marris is far more faithful to the original and is a pleasure to read.
March 6, 2025
Myth of Sisyphus aside, my favorite work from this book was Exile and the Kingdom. Especially recommend reading "The renegade" from Exile and the Kingdom - my favorite short story. The plague is also a good read and worth checking out if you enjoyed the stranger. The Fall is confusing - not my favorite read, but the second person perspective makes for an interesting literary experience.
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June 23, 2024daddy Camus <33333
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January 24, 2025Very absurd translation. Only read the plague, myth of sisyphus, 2 stories from exile.
February 5, 2025
The rating is mostly for The Plague but the other pieces were also interesting
March 31, 2025
So much resonates for those that experienced covington lockdowns. But deeper than that is the visceral survival response and internal machinations that culminate in the ending.
December 15, 2025
50 stars for 'The Myth of Sisyphus'.
August 16, 2014
I'm at a bit of loss on how to discuss Camus, but I shall address his stories in the order that they appear.
There are many parts of The Plague that hold great promise for an interesting novel and even an interesting reflection on the philosophies and nature of man, however a lot of it gets lost in the pages upon pages of philosophical discourse that break up the actual characterizations and plot. I still enjoyed the story but there were moments where it just got bogged down attempting to explain the philosophical to me rather than letting me experience it fully through the characters and plot of the book.
Similarly there is an interesting concept in The Fall, but again it often seems to get bogged down in itself, seeming going on for pages without introducing new concepts or advancing the plot. I think ultimately this is one of Camus' weaker works. It strikes me as another example of why philosophers rarely make for good authors or novelists. It's often needlessly unclear and over repetitive.
Exile and The Kingdom is a wonderful collection of extremely readable short stories. Some of them are a bit hard to decipher in totality, but the message doesn't get lost in the shorter stories like it does in The Fall. Similar to my feelings on Hemingway, I think the short stories are really the best work of Camus.
The essays on Absurdism are quite interesting, though honestly the only parts I truly enjoyed and didn't find to be trying were the ones where Camus explains the absurd by reviewing the works of Dostoevsky and Kafka. Using literary classics as a way to explain his concepts was a good choice and really helped with overall understanding of Camus' beliefs.
Finally, Reflections on the Guillotine was probably the highlight of this collection, for me anyway. Camus leaves the heavy and trying language of philosophy to present an argument against capital punishment that appeals to reason and logic rather than a confusing collection of philosophical beliefs.
There are many parts of The Plague that hold great promise for an interesting novel and even an interesting reflection on the philosophies and nature of man, however a lot of it gets lost in the pages upon pages of philosophical discourse that break up the actual characterizations and plot. I still enjoyed the story but there were moments where it just got bogged down attempting to explain the philosophical to me rather than letting me experience it fully through the characters and plot of the book.
Similarly there is an interesting concept in The Fall, but again it often seems to get bogged down in itself, seeming going on for pages without introducing new concepts or advancing the plot. I think ultimately this is one of Camus' weaker works. It strikes me as another example of why philosophers rarely make for good authors or novelists. It's often needlessly unclear and over repetitive.
Exile and The Kingdom is a wonderful collection of extremely readable short stories. Some of them are a bit hard to decipher in totality, but the message doesn't get lost in the shorter stories like it does in The Fall. Similar to my feelings on Hemingway, I think the short stories are really the best work of Camus.
The essays on Absurdism are quite interesting, though honestly the only parts I truly enjoyed and didn't find to be trying were the ones where Camus explains the absurd by reviewing the works of Dostoevsky and Kafka. Using literary classics as a way to explain his concepts was a good choice and really helped with overall understanding of Camus' beliefs.
Finally, Reflections on the Guillotine was probably the highlight of this collection, for me anyway. Camus leaves the heavy and trying language of philosophy to present an argument against capital punishment that appeals to reason and logic rather than a confusing collection of philosophical beliefs.
July 2, 2014
It's hard to know what to say about a writer like Camus. I've enjoyed his writing since reading "the Stranger" back in high school. Although "the Plague" is regarded as one of his finest works, I actually ended up enjoying "the Fall" the most. "The Exile and the Kingdom" were also very enjoyable.
There are two essays included in this collection: "the Myth of Sisyphus," which I've read before and "Reflection on the Guillotine." The latter is an especially poignant read with regards to capital punishment in the United States and the botched execution of an inmate several weeks ago.
In my opinion, Sisyphus is the best work to read when trying to explain existentialism to someone. Even though Camus himself would disagree with this assessment, his account of Sisyphus's eternal task and the worthiness of that struggle is what helped me really understand existentialism.
Although this wasn't an easy collection to read through (it took me a couple of months to finish everything), I feel enriched from the experience. If you're like me and you try to balance your literary diet and you're interested in existential writing, consider adding this one to your list.
There are two essays included in this collection: "the Myth of Sisyphus," which I've read before and "Reflection on the Guillotine." The latter is an especially poignant read with regards to capital punishment in the United States and the botched execution of an inmate several weeks ago.
In my opinion, Sisyphus is the best work to read when trying to explain existentialism to someone. Even though Camus himself would disagree with this assessment, his account of Sisyphus's eternal task and the worthiness of that struggle is what helped me really understand existentialism.
Although this wasn't an easy collection to read through (it took me a couple of months to finish everything), I feel enriched from the experience. If you're like me and you try to balance your literary diet and you're interested in existential writing, consider adding this one to your list.
February 16, 2011
Feb 2011: "The Myth of Sisyphus", 2 of 5. The absurdity of living and the logical necessity of suicide-- should be right up my ally, but I just couldn't get into this. One thing I did feel throughout was that the writing was very clunky and awkward; I'm inclined to point my finger at the translator, but since I cannot go to the original, and I (perhaps without foundation) assume Everyman's is using the translation de rigueur, it might just be clunky and awkward. Whenever my understanding started gaining some momentum, the direction of this essay would just roll right back down to the beginning, and it was always a struggle to get going again. Maybe Camus was just pulling a funny one on stubborn readers like me.
Dec 2009: The Plague , 3.5 of 5. Fun to read in these days of 11-step handwashing posters in public restrooms and other attempts to inflate public obsession/paranoia of colds and flus.
Dec 2009: The Plague , 3.5 of 5. Fun to read in these days of 11-step handwashing posters in public restrooms and other attempts to inflate public obsession/paranoia of colds and flus.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews