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The Plague - Albert Camus

Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2013 11:13 am
by ant
Has anyone read this book?
I did I quick search here and failed to find a discussion about it.

I've been wanting to read Albert Camus and finally got started this weekend.
I'm almost finished The Plague.
So far I haven't been disappointed. Camus' "absurdism" is fascinating.

Re: The Plague - Albert Camus

Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2013 3:44 pm
by President Camacho
I looooooved The Stranger or L'Etranger. Loved it. I'll try to find this book.

Re: The Plague - Albert Camus

Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2013 5:00 pm
by ant
I plan on reading that one next.

Re: The Plague - Albert Camus

Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 12:50 am
by Suzanne
I looove Camus. I read "The Plague" many years ago and I also find his writing style amazing and refreshing. I will need to check out "The Stranger". Camus reminds me of Samuel Becket, Becket wrote plays in the absurd style.

Re: The Plague - Albert Camus

Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 4:36 pm
by Kevin
I'm reading this book right now. The residents have just become aware somewhat of the gravity of the situation. I'm approximately one third of the way through it and am finding it to be an excellent story. I will be adding The Stranger to the To Read list! I vaguely recall reading "The Myth of Sisyphus" and thinking that he makes a lot of sense and isn't so absurd as he is claimed to be!

Re: The Plague - Albert Camus

Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 4:44 pm
by ant
Kevin wrote:I'm reading this book right now. The residents have just become aware somewhat of the gravity of the situation. I'm approximately one third of the way through it and am finding it to be an excellent story. I will be adding The Stranger to the To Read list! I vaguely recall reading "The Myth of Sisyphus" and thinking that he makes a lot of sense and isn't so absurd as he is claimed to be!

I finished The Plague this morning!

Please let me know your thoughts as you advance through the story.
I'm really glad I stopped putting it on the back burner. It really was great. Some very powerful moments.

Re: The Plague - Albert Camus

Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 7:13 pm
by Kevin
My initial thought regarding the book - 'phew.' I was concerned it would be a hard book to follow - absurdism and so on - but it has shown itself to be quite straightforward. I am not currently up to struggling through a difficult read! I had to place Pynchon on the back burner actually... maybe next time.

Here is a passage I particularly like:

“The evil that is in the world always comes of ignorance, and good intentions may do as much harm as malevolence, if they lack understanding. On the whole, men are more good than bad; that, however, isn’t the real point. But they are more or less ignorant, and it is this that we call vice or virtue; the most incorrigible vice being that of an ignorance that fancies it knows everything and therefore claims for itself the right to kill. The soul of the murderer is blind; and there can be no true goodness nor true love without the utmost clear-sightedness.”

Our moment of zen. Well, so who is the narrator? I wonder what the purpose is of the mysterious nature of the writer. The priest's sermon. I don't see how God can have the utmost clear-sightedness. The futility of the struggle against the plague. It's not futile while it's happening. You're dead, but there can be so much in the meantime. It's a book of struggle.

Re: The Plague - Albert Camus

Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 11:14 pm
by ant
Some good thoughts and a great quote from the book.

The real plague actually exists in the heart of the common man.

i need to stop right there because you arent quite finished yet.

i need to ask you your opinion on a few of the characters.

Re: The Plague - Albert Camus

Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 12:45 am
by Kevin
My reading has been very slight these last few weeks. I am still plugging away at it though and have now reached part 5. Yes, the plague exists in the heart of humanity, and there is quite the competition for who can kill the most. They all have their reasons, (even God) and thus the unity of oppression, suffering, exploitation and so on... this book is preaching to my choir on this this topic.

As for the characters I can't muster much interest in them since to me they all seem cardboard cutouts. I'm fine with that as I don't think they are meant to be real persons. They function well enough as symptoms of the plague.

Re: The Plague - Albert Camus

Posted: Fri May 17, 2013 8:39 pm
by adogsreligion
I remember reading this book back in 1998 and thoroughly enjoying it. My favourite, though, was A Happy Death. The Myth of Sisyphus is among the most influential books I've read, with one of the most memorable quotes: "God giving a meaning to life far surpasses in attractiveness the ability to behave badly with impunity. The choice would not be hard to make. But there is no choice, and that is where the bitterness comes in."