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Sat in a cafe, with The Outsider resting on the table next to my coffee, I was surprised when an old lady tapped me on the shoulder, pointed to the book and said "what a jem". The Outsider is one of those books that you wouldn't change in any way. It is short (it can be easily read in day), says no more than it needs to, and puts across its message with its content and tone. I would liken it to Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, in this regard. As an existentialist novel, you might expect it to be heavy on ideas, intellectualism and difficult concepts. Where The Outsider triumphs over, say, Waiting for Godot by Beckett is that the philosophy doesn't impair the story's entertainment value. The narrative, in fact, serves the underlying concept very well, without feeling contrived or obvious. The unpretentious nature of Mersault, the book's anti-hero, helps this also. I purchased this book expecting to feel intimidated by it, but I wasn't. That the pressures of society described in the book have changed, mutated and grown in the decades since the book was written only makes it the greater touchstone for our awareness of personal and external reference points. What I mean is, it's still very relevant. Don't hesitate to buy this book. It is essential. It won't cost you a lot, it won't take up much of your time, but it will make you question things that maybe you take for granted.Read full review
You need to stick to Camus but it is worth it as a study of the human condition. Don't expect a 'page turner' however.
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