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pathomandam's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
brontherun's review against another edition
3.0
There is a great song by Jonathan Larson in tick tick BOOM that asks the question of whether you will choose to live your life with fear or love. Aside from their great scores and humor, this is why Broadway musicals are so popular – they lead us to a seemingly obvious path to attempt. Philosophy, on the other hand, has the potential to stymie us in our decisions as likely as it is to help us journey forward. Camus would have us consider a life path based on either optimism or love. Not as obvious a choice there. And regardless, Camus and other “great” philosophers are unlikely to help us get there in an reasonable amount of time, certainly not in an evening, or week, or the months it took to fully digest the volume Albert Camus Lyrical and Critical Essays .
Having read The Stranger years ago, and having being told by a teacher Camus was a genius, I had read it more to understand enough to meet the teachers expectations (i.e. pass the test), and both enjoyed it and had no reason to doubt their estimation of Camus. Now, reading his essays, I can appreciate his often brilliant writing while realizing that his philosophies and view points are not ones that I would align with my life ethos. He was a misogynist, a Francophile to an unbelievable amount, and had an ego that was so shockingly large I’m astounded that the interviewers could fit in the same room with both him and it in order to conduct the question and answer session.
However, he is a great philosopher-writer, even if I would personally deem him not a very good man. So here are a few pieces of what you can expect if you delve into the waters of his essays, which are not as warm and welcoming as the beaches of Algiers:
“For every man has a deep instinct that is neither for destruction nor creation. Simply the longing to resemble nothing.”
“Suddenly he realizes that tomorrow will be the same, and, after tomorrow, all the other days. And he is crushed by the irreparable discovery. Its ideas like this that kill one.”
“For there is only misfortune in not being loved; there is misery in not loving. All of us, today, are dying of this misery. This is because blood and hatred lay bare the heart itself; the long demand for justice exhausts even the love that gave it birth. In the clamor we live in, love is impossible and justice is not enough.”
“Someone who insists on always being right will always feel alone against everyone else; it is impossible to live with others and be right at the same time.”
Having read The Stranger years ago, and having being told by a teacher Camus was a genius, I had read it more to understand enough to meet the teachers expectations (i.e. pass the test), and both enjoyed it and had no reason to doubt their estimation of Camus. Now, reading his essays, I can appreciate his often brilliant writing while realizing that his philosophies and view points are not ones that I would align with my life ethos. He was a misogynist, a Francophile to an unbelievable amount, and had an ego that was so shockingly large I’m astounded that the interviewers could fit in the same room with both him and it in order to conduct the question and answer session.
However, he is a great philosopher-writer, even if I would personally deem him not a very good man. So here are a few pieces of what you can expect if you delve into the waters of his essays, which are not as warm and welcoming as the beaches of Algiers:
“For every man has a deep instinct that is neither for destruction nor creation. Simply the longing to resemble nothing.”
“Suddenly he realizes that tomorrow will be the same, and, after tomorrow, all the other days. And he is crushed by the irreparable discovery. Its ideas like this that kill one.”
“For there is only misfortune in not being loved; there is misery in not loving. All of us, today, are dying of this misery. This is because blood and hatred lay bare the heart itself; the long demand for justice exhausts even the love that gave it birth. In the clamor we live in, love is impossible and justice is not enough.”
“Someone who insists on always being right will always feel alone against everyone else; it is impossible to live with others and be right at the same time.”
bepeen_sakmadya's review against another edition
4.0
Saya membaca esai ini dalam bahasa Indonesia dengan judul yang berbeda: “kota-kota tanpa masa lalu”. Gaya tulisan Camus yang unik dan sulit sekali dijumpai di manapun sejauh saya membaca tipikal sejenis, membuat saya selalu berputar-putar pada garis lengkung imajiner kehidupannya.
Sebagai pembelajar pemula Camus, buku ini memuat bahasa translasi yang cukup membingungkan bagi sebagian besar pembaca, termasuk saya. Perlu waktu yang cukup untuk kemudian berlaku adil dalam membaca setiap kalimat yang direka. Tapi saat tahu maknanya, Camus nampak benar di beberapa kesempatan kalimatnya.
Sebagai pembelajar pemula Camus, buku ini memuat bahasa translasi yang cukup membingungkan bagi sebagian besar pembaca, termasuk saya. Perlu waktu yang cukup untuk kemudian berlaku adil dalam membaca setiap kalimat yang direka. Tapi saat tahu maknanya, Camus nampak benar di beberapa kesempatan kalimatnya.
deardostoevsky's review against another edition
5.0
I cannot begin to describe just how amazing this book is, perhaps a detailed review later, but even if you like Camus the tiniest bit, this book cannot be missed.
luzbella's review against another edition
3.0
The book contains a great many Camus essays and writings, which obviously are fantastic
underabrig's review against another edition
5.0
The most obvious question about this classic volume of essays is: "Who is it for?" It is made up of numerous small texts: three collections of prose essays, many book reviews, letters, and interviews. This makes it fairly clear that, as a product, is targeted towards people already familiar with Camus. This volume fills in gaps, and provides context and clarity. For example, there are many subtle and nuanced reflections on Camus' notion of 'the Absurd' without any theoretical details - it is assumed that the reader is already familiar with the concept. The texts contained in this book are enriching, and help us to deepen our already existing understanding of Camus' writings and philosophy. This is the goal of 'Lyrical and Critical Essays'.
But that in itself is a shame. There is more in this volume than what is useful to the Camus scholar. The prose collections, particularly Nuptials, are excellent on their own merits. They offer some of Camus' most expressive and vivid writing, and include meditations on the sensuousness of nature that are unmatched. Camus' naturalism in these essays evokes an expressive and vivid passion that puts the reader back in touch with the world and reaches out beyond the absurd condition of the individual in its relationship to the world, which is perhaps the most prominent common theme in Camus' narrative novels. These prose essays aim at an entirely different target than the novels and use different means to reach them while still sitting comfortably within Camus' style. Ellen Conroy Kennedy's translation is particularly valuable in this aspect, as it carries the complex and Romantic richness of Camus' descriptive voice while preserving the structural twists of Modernist stream-of-consciousness. Such a feat of translation is impressive, given that French has a tolerance for run-on sentences and compound phrases that English does not.
Though as a volume this book is most valuable to Camus' established fans, there are many elements which should appeal to anyone looking for 20th Century Romantic prose. Personally, the lyrical essays in this volume are my favourite Camus writings so far. There is a secure balance between pessimism and optimism, a meditative reflection on the historical context of looming and passing war, and a delicate fusion of Romantic and Modernist techniques. It's a rare and brilliant style, particularly amongst today's literature.
But that in itself is a shame. There is more in this volume than what is useful to the Camus scholar. The prose collections, particularly Nuptials, are excellent on their own merits. They offer some of Camus' most expressive and vivid writing, and include meditations on the sensuousness of nature that are unmatched. Camus' naturalism in these essays evokes an expressive and vivid passion that puts the reader back in touch with the world and reaches out beyond the absurd condition of the individual in its relationship to the world, which is perhaps the most prominent common theme in Camus' narrative novels. These prose essays aim at an entirely different target than the novels and use different means to reach them while still sitting comfortably within Camus' style. Ellen Conroy Kennedy's translation is particularly valuable in this aspect, as it carries the complex and Romantic richness of Camus' descriptive voice while preserving the structural twists of Modernist stream-of-consciousness. Such a feat of translation is impressive, given that French has a tolerance for run-on sentences and compound phrases that English does not.
Though as a volume this book is most valuable to Camus' established fans, there are many elements which should appeal to anyone looking for 20th Century Romantic prose. Personally, the lyrical essays in this volume are my favourite Camus writings so far. There is a secure balance between pessimism and optimism, a meditative reflection on the historical context of looming and passing war, and a delicate fusion of Romantic and Modernist techniques. It's a rare and brilliant style, particularly amongst today's literature.
100reads's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.75
I want to experience beach life in Algeria
mveldeivendran's review against another edition
5.0
"there is more love in these awkward pages than in all those that have followed.."
The title speaks for itself. Taking it from Camus himself, reading this book made me feel many things. Like an energized adolescent wanting to express all the things I felt as if it is worth expressing everything one feels in the first place. This anthology has some of his earliest published essays. Got to know about the places he lived, writers he loved and admired, about his own writings, his opinions on living during 'the most tragic times.' A much needed one personally. Not really sure but I feel one would be able to appreciate this better if they have explored most of his works of fiction and essays.
Yesterday I shared an excerpt with a new acquaintance from one of the novels that I read this year that love is not an end in itself but a process by which one gets to know another better. In that way, I love this one in particular and probably will hold this time to time again over the course of future very close to my heart. A sort of rejuvenation for my nostalgic intoxication.
Lyrical and Critical Essays (1967) ~ Albert Camus
The title speaks for itself. Taking it from Camus himself, reading this book made me feel many things. Like an energized adolescent wanting to express all the things I felt as if it is worth expressing everything one feels in the first place. This anthology has some of his earliest published essays. Got to know about the places he lived, writers he loved and admired, about his own writings, his opinions on living during 'the most tragic times.' A much needed one personally. Not really sure but I feel one would be able to appreciate this better if they have explored most of his works of fiction and essays.
Yesterday I shared an excerpt with a new acquaintance from one of the novels that I read this year that love is not an end in itself but a process by which one gets to know another better. In that way, I love this one in particular and probably will hold this time to time again over the course of future very close to my heart. A sort of rejuvenation for my nostalgic intoxication.
Lyrical and Critical Essays (1967) ~ Albert Camus