For a layman, what’s a good, accessible introduction to Camus’ work on absurdity?
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It would be useful if you could say something more about your own background and what kind of level you are looking for.– user2953Commented May 23, 2018 at 6:54
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1You can start from Albert Camus and then try a dedicated book : David Sherman, Camus, Wiley-Blackwell (2008).– Mauro ALLEGRANZACommented May 23, 2018 at 7:06
2 Answers
You can't go wrong by reading Camus himself, especially "The Myth of Sisyphus".
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@Not_Here Excuse me? Read the question again. Why is what I wrote not an answer to that question?– user33399Commented May 27, 2018 at 4:03
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1Probably, Not_Here takes the question to be specifically about secondary literature. However, a recommendation for a specific starting point in primary literature indeed answers the question as well. The question needs to be refined, anyway.– user2953Commented May 27, 2018 at 7:39
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@Keelan "introduction to Camus’ work on absurdity" In no sense of the English language does the phrase "introduction to
specific work
" mean the actual work itself. Saying "his work itself is good" is a comment, not an answer to the question.– Not_HereCommented May 29, 2018 at 7:06 -
@Not_Here The question was for an accessible introduction to Camus' work on absurdity. Camus' opus has many tomes on the subject, and some of them not so simple. His "Myth of Sisyphus" is very accessible, and a great introduction to the subject. Saying that "the Myth of Sisyphus" is a great introduction to the rest, and more complex, of Camus' work on absurdity is a perfectly reasonable answer to the question-your take on the English language notwithstanding.– user33399Commented May 29, 2018 at 9:38
In addition to Herman Hofman's recommendation to read Camus, here are a few places providing information about Camus and topics associated with him.
Aronson, Ronald, "Albert Camus", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2017 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = <https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2017/entries/camus/>.
David Simpson's "Albert Camus (1913-1969)" in the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
The Wikipedia article on Camus may also be helpful.
All three of these articles provide bibliographies where more information can be found. These three sources, being encyclopedias, are also good for other topics besides Camus.
Having more than one source is good in case one finds one of the sources inaccessible or for some reason confusing.