The Facts About Albert Camus

The Facts About Albert Camus

French-Algerian novelist, essayist, and dramatist

 

Birth	November 7, 1913
Death	January 4, 1960
Place of Birth	Mondovi, Algeria (now Drean, Algeria)
Known for	Philosophical works exploring themes of revolt, the absurdity of human existence, and the individual’s alienation within society
Milestones	1930 Enrolled in the University of Algiers as a philosophy student and contracted tuberculosis, which kept him in poor health throughout his life
	Mid-1930s Started a small theater company and began playwriting, directing, and acting
	Late 1930s Worked as a reporter for the Alger-Républicain and in 1937 published a book of essays, L’envers et l’endroit (The Wrong Side and the Right Side, 1968)
	1942 Published his first novel L’étranger (The Stranger, 1946), and the philosophical essay Le mythe de Sisyphe (The Myth of Sisyphus, 1955)
	1943 Began writing and editing for the left-wing newspaper Combat in Paris
	1944 Published the plays Caligula (translated 1958) and Le malentendu (The Misunderstanding, 1958)
	1947 Published the novel La peste (The Plague, 1948), a story about efforts to ease the suffering brought about by an epidemic in Algiers
	1951 Published the essay L’homme révolté (The Rebel, 1951), his philosophical account of the history of revolution
	1957 Published L’exil et le royaume (Exile and the Kingdom, 1958), a collection of short stories
	1957 Won the Nobel Prize in literature
Quote	‘Mother died today. Or perhaps it was yesterday, I don’t know.’ The Stranger (1946)
Did You Know	Camus held a variety of jobs during the 1930s, including stints as a meteorologist and a car parts salesman.
	During World War II, Camus was a prominent figure in the French Resistance.
	Camus was a member of the Communist Party during the 1930s, but withdrew when he became disillusioned with its ideology.

 

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