Albert Camus

A man's confessions reveal his perception of justice and his own downfall

The Fall

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“One plays at being immortal and after a few weeks one doesn’t even know whether or not one can hang until the next day”

Elegantly styled, Camus’ profoundly disturbing novel of a Parisian lawyer’s confessions is a searing study of modern amorality.

Source: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/23468/the-fall-by-albert-camus/9780307827814

It took me almost a week to finish this book, which was such a shock for me as it was such a short one. 

I can, however, say that taking the time to read this book is the best decision I could have made rather than rushing to finish it in an afternoon or a weekend.

The only reason I can say this is a four star read and not a five star is that it took me a good twenty pages to really get into this book, but afterwards I loved it completely. The narrative style was so fascinating to me, and I loved how as the reader I was in conversation with Clamence the entire time. The commentary on guilt, suicide, and even slavery was so fascinating to read and definitely showcased how nuanced such dark topics can become.  

What really spoke to me, however, was how my own actions were called into question. It left me thinking about how pure my intentions are whenever I do anything, and it had me reflecting on my past actions as far as I can remember. It truly made me rethink everything, and if I had ever even acted in a way that was not selfish no matter how selfless it may seem. It made me sit back and think about how, no matter what, deep down there is likely to be a self-serving motivation for every action I take no matter how far I have buried it. 

I truly believe Camus has made use of every single word in this novel, and the translation has done its justice in how compact and raw the hits thrown at the reader are. His philosophies are truly fascinating, and I wish I could peer into his mind just for a moment so I could understand every thought that has ever crossed him.

If you are to read this I would highly recommend taking your time. Do not be fooled by how short it is, because its impact will be lost if you read it too quickly.

Definitely one of the most interesting and powerful books I have read in a while.

iris may

It took me almost a week to finish this book, which was such a shock for me as it was such a short one. 
I can, however, say that taking the time to read this book is the best decision I could have made rather than rushing to finish it in an afternoon or a weekend.

The only reason I can say this is a four star read and not a five star is that it took me a good twenty pages to really get into this book, but afterwards I loved it completely. The narrative style was so fascinating to me, and I loved how as the reader I was in conversation with Clamence the entire time. The commentary on guilt, suicide, and even slavery was so fascinating to read and definitely showcased how nuanced such dark topics can become.  

What really spoke to me, however, was how my own actions were called into question. It left me thinking about how pure my intentions are whenever I do anything, and it had me reflecting on my past actions as far as I can remember. It truly made me rethink everything, and if I had ever even acted in a way that was not selfish no matter how selfless it may seem. It made me sit back and think about how, no matter what, deep down there is likely to be a self-serving motivation for every action I take no matter how far I have buried it. 

I truly believe Camus has made use of every single word in this novel, and the translation has done its justice in how compact and raw the hits thrown at the reader are. His philosophies are truly fascinating, and I wish I could peer into his mind just for a moment so I could understand every thought that has ever crossed him.

If you are to read this I would highly recommend taking your time. Do not be fooled by how short it is, because its impact will be lost if you read it too quickly.

Definitely one of the most interesting and powerful books I have read in a while.

"Sur le pont, je passai derrière une forme penchée sur le parapet, et qui semblait regarder le fleuve. De plus près, je distinguai une mince jeune femme, habillée de noir. Entre les cheveux sombres et le col du manteau, on voyait seulement une nuque, fraîche et mouillée, à laquelle je fus sensible. Mais je poursuivis ma route, après une hésitation. [...] J'avais déjà parcouru une cinquantaine de mètres à peu près, lorsque j'entendis le bruit, qui, malgré la distance, me parut formidable dans le silence nocturne, d'un corps qui s'abat sur l'eau. Je m'arrêtai net, mais sans me retourner. Presque aussitôt, j'entendis un cri, plusieurs fois répété, qui descendait lui aussi le fleuve, puis s'éteignit brusquement."

La Chute

giuli

armoni mayes

The Fall is in a close second to A Happy Death, which is my favorite of Camus. Anyways, of course this book was phenomenal although i can admit some bias because i got my philosophical look on life from Camus so the more i read the more i believe! 

The Fall follows a man called Jean-Baptiste and the events leading to his downfall–and arguably ‘resurrection’. He tells the story to some random guy he met in a bar, but we the reader are essentially the stand in character. He describes his life before the turmoil began-to which he says that he was an honest, virtuous man who held the respect of a lot of people due to his job being a lawyer. Baptiste also tells us that he was only pretending to be a good person so that other people would think he was a good person. The big trigger point for his new point of view was not helping a young woman who jumped in the water from a bridge, committing suicide, because he himself was afraid that he’d die too. But that is all i say for my synopsis. 

Jean-Baptiste begins on his journey to destroy himself, because this event has changed his perspective on what it is to be innocent or guilty. Around this time Camus also makes a case against suicide–essentially saying that people will forget you so what was the point {this is a key point of absurdism, camus raises it often in Myth of Sisphyus}. Anyways, Jean-Baptiste decides that he must judge himself in order to prevent others from judging him. This leads him down to what he would call his own “freedom”. Because he is now conscious that all men are guilty and do not want to be judged but continues to judges others, he is now essentially better and higher than everyone else…again. 

Nevertheless I have nothing more to add to the conversation on this book because it’s already been hashed over so many times. If you want to get into Camus i think you should start with The Stranger, then A Happy Death, then The Fall, and finally the Myth of Sisphyus.

“There, without seeming to, I would let fly a forbidden expression: ‘Thank God…’ I would say, or more simply: “‘My God…’ You know what shy little children our cafe atheists are.”

He got me that made me laugh but overall this was kinda lame……. I’ve never experienced a story written in this perspective and in theory it makes you a self insert, so he’s rambling to you and supposing you relate to his base human feelings on life and connection and passion??? And sometimes I do!!! But the cover having reviews saying it speaks of the human condition feels dorky sorry 

Bailee Strong

“There, without seeming to, I would let fly a forbidden expression: ‘Thank God…’ I would say, or more simply: “‘My God…’ You know what shy little children our cafe atheists are.”

He got me that made me laugh but overall this was kinda lame……. I’ve never experienced a story written in this perspective and in theory it makes you a self insert, so he’s rambling to you and supposing you relate to his base human feelings on life and connection and passion??? And sometimes I do!!! But the cover having reviews saying it speaks of the human condition feels dorky sorry 

Sarah Sammis

I've read other works by Camus and enjoyed them. I can't say that of "The Fall." It's written in the same style as "Notes from Underground" in that it is a one on one dialog with the assumed reader of the novel. This type of narrative rarely works well and it certainly didn't work here for me.

When all the window dressing is pulled away from this thankfully short novel (only about 50 pages), the story comes down to nothing more than a recollection of the narrators "fall" from grace and his exile.

a gorgeous read, didn’t want to leave him alone i was such a good friend listening to his stories..

Lila R E

this is a seriously mentally ill individual

Stan D

fuck sake

I know that this book means a lot to many people, but why does this fall in my lap at the exact time dust settles on big decisions and that I feel somewhat confident in whatever it is that I do wandering this earth. What so now I am not only supposed to accept what is, look forward to what will be, but also seriously reflect on what was. God dammit, I have been so good at operating in shadows of emotions, of being able to forgive because I am so forgetful, acting primarily on vanity, on boredom. Catch-22s abound in this frustrating, beautifully written novel that hit home. The purists among you will judge me for not reading it in French; to them, I say, I have already judged myself for it so you can leave me be.

Hannah Yang

Wow. The Fall was admittedly difficult for me to get into. This was my first stream-of-consciousness read, as well as my first Camus. But it was so beautifully written, absolutely filled with nuggets of wisdom about morality and conscience, and the ending was just brilliant. It is definitely a book that will make you think, which will call into question your own motivations and sources of delight; as Clamence makes his judgements, he invites you to make your own. I think the Nation testimony on the back of my copy describes Camus's work most accurately: "spare and lucid [...], burning with with [...], a monologue on the human condition". This last clause is especially true: every part of The Fall is unfortunately believable and possibly even relatable to some readers. Clamence's wry reflections and remarks on his fellow men may be uncomfortable to read but they are hardly controversial.

This was a particularly interesting for me as I read it right after finishing Anna Karenina, which is another stunning commentary on humanity, morality, and faith. It is remarkable that Camus seems to create just as vivid a picture of mankind—although certainly a less romantic and more scathing version of it—in a sixth of the number of pages (though, of course, this does not lessen my admiration of Tolstoy at all). The difference between the representations of human motivations and feelings (or perhaps a lack thereof) in this more modern text and Tolstoy's novel is also striking; did the modern man somehow lose his conscience? Or have we always been this way, and are now more aware of the fact? Is there any hope for all of us judges, or has something—be it our past actions, our fellow people, or some kind of structure of society—sealed our fate?

As a note, I think The Fall would be most riveting and enjoyable if read in chunks over five days, so that you receive the same experience as Clamence's 'client'. This book is truly an experience, and it is one that I will surely return to in the future (as I think some of Clamence's commentary may be lost on me with my limited life experiences).

Matt Stedjan

Arjo Gupto

The most astonishingly original opinion on the human condition. Albert Camus' "The Fall" is a dissection of life and the nature of the human beings that live it. It is the best thing any writer can ever want to have with him forever. More important than a thesaurus, this will book will explain everything and anything to anybody seeking answers about themselves and those who surround them. One of the most important texts on life, this side of Ovid's Metamorphoses and can definitely breathe the same air as Ernest Hemingway's 'Old Man and The Sea" and Charles Dickens' "A Tale Of Two Cities".

Emmett

Starts off slow but builds into a potent, unflinching picture of the worst of human nature. Strip away the layers of performance and civility and one (like Camus' character) arrives at the heart of darkness. Reading The Fall is having a mirror held so closely up to one's face that one may squirm at the oft-buried, forgotten things about the self that cannot withstand the glare of scrutiny and admission. The reader sometimes flinches in disgust, sometimes can only nod mutely. It is like having one's self explained to by someone, an ambiguous and uncomfortable position of baring one's shortcomings and yet, by virtue of being shared, rendered palatable - although this irony is also pre-empted and exposed. Camus' world is bleakly pessimistic - where human virtue is unattainable, a sham, a promise that is eventually broken - and unafraid of laughing almost helplessly at itself. Where there is neither god nor the devil, humans have only to contend with themselves, but their depths are more than enough.

A philosophical novel described by fellow existentialist Sartre as 'perhaps the most beautiful and the least understood' of his novels, Albert Camus' The Fall is translated by Robin Buss in Penguin Modern Classics. Jean-Baptiste Clamence is a soul in turmoil. Over several drunken nights in an Amsterdam bar, he regales a chance acquaintance with his story. From this successful former lawyer and seemingly model citizen a compelling, self-loathing catalogue of guilt, hypocrisy and alienation pours forth. The Fall (1956) is a brilliant portrayal of a man who has glimpsed the hollowness of his existence. But beyond depicting one man's disillusionment, Camus's novel exposes the universal human condition and its absurdities - for our innocence that, once lost, can never be recaptured ... Albert Camus (1913-60) is the author of a number of best-selling and highly influential works, all of which are published by Penguin. They include The Fall, The Outsider and The First Man. Awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1957, Camus is remembered as one of the few writers to have shaped the intellectual climate of post-war France, but beyond that, his fame has been international. If you enjoyed The Fall, you might like Jean-Paul Sartre's Nausea, also available in Penguin Modern Classics. 'An irresistibly brilliant examination of modern conscience' The New York Times 'Camus is the accused, his own prosecutor and advocate. The Fall might have been called "The Last Judgement" ' Olivier Todd

Amber Rozan Lubbers

It’s a book I would reread in some years from now. You dive into it, it is very absurd but it keeps you wanting to read more and makes you gasps at what is said.

Zoë Schaefer

I need a break from this type of French literature. Sorry, France.

Maria-Stefania Popa

“Fiecare vrea neapărat să i se întâmple ceva; așa se explică cele mai multe dintre legămintele omenești. Fiecare vrea să i se întâmple ceva, chiar dacă acel ceva înseamnă servitute fără dragoste, război sau moarte. Trăiască, așadar, înmormântările!”

Gerda Šalengaitė

Jėzus Kristus jautėsi kaltas dėl to, kad per jį buvo nužudyta šitiek berniukų kūdikių. Dėl to nubaudė save ir leidosi nukryžiuojamas. O šiaip, žemai kritęs į viršų nebepakilsi ir ėsi žemės dulkes.

«Sur le pont, je passai derrière une forme penchée sur le parapet, et qui semblait regarder le fleuve. De plus près, je distinguai une mince jeune femme, habillée de noir. Entre les cheveux sombres et le col du manteau, on voyait seulement une nuque, fraîche et mouillée, à laquelle je fus sensible. Mais je poursuivis ma route, après une hésitation. [...] J'avais déjà parcouru une cinquantaine de mètres à peu près, lorsque j'entendis le bruit, qui, malgré la distance, me parut formidable dans le silence nocturne, d'un corps qui s'abat sur l'eau. Je m'arrêtai net, mais sans me retourner. Presque aussitôt, j'entendis un cri, plusieurs fois répété, qui descendait lui aussi le fleuve, puis s'éteignit brusquement.»

La chute

Heather

J'ai beaucoup aimé La Chute d'Albert Camus, et je suis contente d'avoir choisit ce classique comme mon premier de 2019.
Je trouve sa plume la plus belle lorsqu'il fait des descriptions de villes. 

" Amsterdam endormie dans la nuit blanche, les canaux de jade sombre sous les petits ponts neigeux, les rues désertes, mes pas étouffés, ce sera la pureté, fugitive, avant la boue de demain. 
Voyez les énormes flocons qui s'ébouriffent contre les vitres. Ce sont les colombes, sûrement. "

Ce petit livre est dense d'informations, et un commentaire de cet oeuvre et de ces implications aurait été un vrai plus pour son expérience.

Rob Brogan

If you aren't used to Camus or aren't prepared to dive into it at full speed, this can be hard to get through. I tried reading it bit by bit and I abandoned it. Then a year later I read it through in two nights. I think better than The Stranger, but that may be because the message is more obvious and presented in dialectic narrative.

The Fall (Penguin Modern Classics)

Benjamin Harlow

La Chute, a brief, controversial, and profound novel, was the summit of Camus' career as a great literary artist, master of a precise and luminous style, a writer who tells an absorbing story and illuminates "the problems of the human conscience in our time."

This edition of Camus' last novel brings to intermediate French classes and unabridged twentieth century classic. It includes notes, exercises, questionnaires, and vocabulary. The questionnaires are particularly useful for class discussion in French Composition; topics at the end of each section may be used for practice in idiomatic expression of the written language. For expansion and enrichment of vocabulary; special exercises focus attention on the key words of Camus' text and on words essential to further reading in French literature.
(back cover)

The Fall

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