Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves - and each other. They have inspired debate, ...
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Feb 02, 2012
Erik
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By the end of high school I was a very unhappy person and had been so since our family moved from unincorporated Kane County to Park Ridge, Illinois when I was ten. At the outset the unhappiness was basically consequent upon leaving a rural setting, small school and friendly, integrated working-class neighborhood for a reactionary suburb, large school and unfriendly upper middle-class populace whose children were, by and large, just as thoughtlessly racist and conservative as their parents were
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11 comments
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(14 people liked it)
Feb 02, 2012
Amang
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"Kiri" adalah kebutuhan tak tercegah. Itu kritik filsuf Jean Paul Sartre atas sastrawan Albert Camus. Pada tahun 1952 hampir semua media di Perancis menyoroti perdebatan antara Camus dan Sartre soal komunisme setelah Camus menerbitkan buku L'homme Revolte setahun sebelumnya. Buku ini bisa dikatakan memuat penolakan Camus atas komunisme. Sikap Camus itu oleh Sartre dikecam berada di luar sejarah.
Pada waktu itu, Marxisme seolah jadi spirit zaman. Banyak intelektual yang mengg More...
Pada waktu itu, Marxisme seolah jadi spirit zaman. Banyak intelektual yang mengg More...
20 comments
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(3 people liked it)
Feb 02, 2012
Mel
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ada yang saya sukai dari buku ini tersebar di beberapa topik don yuanisme, penaklukan, kirilov, dan sandiwara. namun yang akan saya kutip satu saja.
"selalu tiba saatnya kita harus memilih antara renungan dan tindakan. begitulah hakikatnya menjadi manusia. kepedihan2 itu mengerikan. namun untuk hati yg memiliki kebanggaan, disitu tidak mungkin ada pilihan tengah. ada tuhan atau waktu, salib atau pedang. dunia ini mempunyai arti yg lebih tinggi yg melampaui segala hiruk pikuknya a More...
"selalu tiba saatnya kita harus memilih antara renungan dan tindakan. begitulah hakikatnya menjadi manusia. kepedihan2 itu mengerikan. namun untuk hati yg memiliki kebanggaan, disitu tidak mungkin ada pilihan tengah. ada tuhan atau waktu, salib atau pedang. dunia ini mempunyai arti yg lebih tinggi yg melampaui segala hiruk pikuknya a More...
20 comments
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(1 person liked it)
Feb 02, 2012
Me lo acaban de recomendar, lo acabo de comprar. A ver qué tal está, ay que soy muy estúpida, bujú.
Pinches imbéciles incompetentes.
(lo escribí enojada esto, pero me rehúso a quitarlo, se oye bien, no? Violento... muchachos, no lean a mandeville, saca lo pioooor de ustedes).
Pinches imbéciles incompetentes.
(lo escribí enojada esto, pero me rehúso a quitarlo, se oye bien, no? Violento... muchachos, no lean a mandeville, saca lo pioooor de ustedes).
Feb 02, 2012
Mojdeh
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آنها به حق اندیشیده بودند که مجازاتی خوفناک تر از کار بیهوده و بی امید نیست...
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(1 person liked it)
Feb 02, 2012
Nazim
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My favorite myth which fits exactly into Beckett's drama. It is fascinating to examine them in relation.
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(1 person liked it)
Feb 02, 2012
David
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This should be called 'The Myth of Sisyphus: and some tagged on essays that are not really relevant'. There seems to be three travel essays, although interesting are arbitrary to the main text (however, 'Helen in Exile' is very good).
Camus' book is a stark contrast to the 'The Outsider', which although complex, uses langauge in a matter of fact way. To the point, but articulate. The Myth of Sisyphus does not. Its use of poetic language and structure can be difficult to dissect, and at times More...
Camus' book is a stark contrast to the 'The Outsider', which although complex, uses langauge in a matter of fact way. To the point, but articulate. The Myth of Sisyphus does not. Its use of poetic language and structure can be difficult to dissect, and at times More...
Feb 02, 2012
Fatima
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" تهدف الأسطورة في هذا الكتاب إلى حل مشكلة الانتحار بدون مساعدة القيم الدائمة التي هي، ربما مؤقتاً، غير موجودة أو مشوهة في أوروبا اليوم. إن الموضوع الأساسي في أسطورة سيزيف، هو هذا: من المشروع والضروري التساؤل عما إذا كان للحياة معنى، وهكذا فمن المشروع أن نواجه فكرة الانتحار وجهاً لوجه. والجواب، الذي يكمن في، ويلوح عبر المتناقضات التي تغطيه، هو هذا: حتى إذا لم يؤمن المرء بالله، فإن الانتحار غير مشروع. إن هذا الكتاب الذي ألفه كامو في عام 1940، خلال الكوارث الفرنسية والأوروبية يبين More...
Feb 02, 2012
Ugh
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Perhaps I shouldn't rate a book that I haven't finished, particularly when the reason for my not finishing it is that I found it beyond my abilities, but I think a rating might be helpful for others out there of similar ability debating whether or not to give this a try, so heck: two stars.
It's just not written in a very accessible way. Part of me wonders whether that's intentional, and if so then I suppose I ought to be annoyed enough to opt for just a one star verdict. But I also sus More...
It's just not written in a very accessible way. Part of me wonders whether that's intentional, and if so then I suppose I ought to be annoyed enough to opt for just a one star verdict. But I also sus More...
Feb 02, 2012
Rowland
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Albert Camus (1913–1960) is not a philosopher so much as a novelist with a strong philosophical bent. He is most famous for his novels of ideas, such as The Stranger and The Plague, both of which are set in the arid landscape of his native Algeria.
Camus studied philosophy at the University of Algiers, which brought him into contact with two of the major branches of twentieth century philosophy: existentialism and phenomenology. Existentialism arises from an awareness that there is no More...
Camus studied philosophy at the University of Algiers, which brought him into contact with two of the major branches of twentieth century philosophy: existentialism and phenomenology. Existentialism arises from an awareness that there is no More...
Feb 02, 2012
Tessa
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Ce petit livre nous invite à de grands projets : lire tout Dostoïevski, tout Kafka et tout Camus bien sûr. Orienter notre lecture dans l'angle de son concept philosophique (soupir).
De cet essai sur l'absurde, je retiens que l'homme révolté trouve le chemin de la liberté par la création. Créer donne à l'artiste une forme à son destin. Alors, sérieux, ignorant quels sont mes talents d'artiste, je pense que je vais me lancer dans le Scrapbooking, tiens. Question de donner libre cours à ma créativ More...
De cet essai sur l'absurde, je retiens que l'homme révolté trouve le chemin de la liberté par la création. Créer donne à l'artiste une forme à son destin. Alors, sérieux, ignorant quels sont mes talents d'artiste, je pense que je vais me lancer dans le Scrapbooking, tiens. Question de donner libre cours à ma créativ More...
Feb 02, 2012
Jeremy
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For the third time in my life I have read this book. It is a beautiful and terrifying ediface in both poetry and prose and philosophy, in that order. This is the most influential book in my life, the most fully dynamic and the most 'truthful', if that's not too against the spirit of it - which of course it is, and in my acknowledgement of that, I acknowledge the energy of the absurd that feeds that very sentiment. 71 words to Super Review. How apt! Here is the requirement to fulfill a structured
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Feb 02, 2012
Jeremy
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For the third time in my life I have read this book. It is a beautiful and terrifying ediface in both poetry and prose and philosophy, in that order. This is the most influential book in my life, the most fully dynamic and the most 'truthful', if that's not too against the spirit of it - which of course it is, and in my acknowledgement of that, I acknowledge the energy of the absurd that feeds that very sentiment. 71 words to Super Review. How apt! Here is the requirement to fulfill a structured
More...
Feb 02, 2012
Ahmad
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خدایان سیزیف را محکوم کرده بودند که دائما سنگی را به بالای کوهی بغلطاند، تا جایی که سنگ بخاطر وزنش فرو افتد. آنها فکر میکردند تنبیهی وحشتناکتر از انجام کاری عبث و بیهوده وجود ندارد. اما به گفتهء هومر، سیزیف خردمندترین و محتاط ترین موجود فانی بود. باز به گفتهء هومر، سیزیف مرگ را در زنجیر کرده بود و این فرمانروایی، خدایان را خوش نمی آمد. پس پلاتو، خدای جنگ را فرستاد تا مرگ را از دستان اشغالگرش آزاد سازد
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Feb 02, 2012
Amari
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to be frank, i was disappointed that the actual discussion of the myth itself was so brief. most of the book concerns suicide, and although it's difficult to criticize camus, i found the arguments throughout to be rather cold. camus frequently displays -- dare i say abuses? -- his talent for writing seamless, compact, seductive sentences that are easy to believe because of their syntactical beauty. however, it seems to me that statements of this sort are to be regarded with special caution. i al
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Feb 02, 2012
Pupa-ria
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i would recommend this book to anyone ho asks too many questions while finding no exit to them.
Camus writes life in watercolor beams, it will make you breathe. it will tell you that ur worry is in it's right place but not seen in the right light..."one must imagine Sisyphus happy" and that's all there is to know; presence and the freedom to chose what to accept and what to leave behind.
Even though Camus didn't stick to being rigorous in his philosophical theories, as some say More...
Camus writes life in watercolor beams, it will make you breathe. it will tell you that ur worry is in it's right place but not seen in the right light..."one must imagine Sisyphus happy" and that's all there is to know; presence and the freedom to chose what to accept and what to leave behind.
Even though Camus didn't stick to being rigorous in his philosophical theories, as some say More...
Feb 02, 2012
Metrodorus
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Apart from finding a few immediately assimilable gems, I felt like I was reading a PhD thesis which relied on the assumption of previous knowledge of key concepts.
I found that the frequent references to other philosophers' models without introduction, made the text harder to follow. The French to English translation of this edition was patchy, as if created in stages by independent translators, giving the feeling that it was written by several authors, which doesn't add coherence.
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I found that the frequent references to other philosophers' models without introduction, made the text harder to follow. The French to English translation of this edition was patchy, as if created in stages by independent translators, giving the feeling that it was written by several authors, which doesn't add coherence.
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Feb 02, 2012
Camus poses the fundamental question: is life worth living? If human existence holds no significance, what can keep us from suicide? As Camus argues, if there is no God to give meaning to our lives, humans must take on that purpose themselves. This is our absurd task, like Sisyphus forever rolling his rock up a hill, as the inevitability of death constantly overshadows us. Written during the bleakest days of the Second World War, "The Myth of Sisyphus" argues for an acceptance of reali
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Feb 02, 2012
"Le sujet de cet essai est précisément ce rapport entre l'absurde et le suicide, la mesure exacte dans laquelle le suicide est une solution à l'absurde. On peut poser en principe que pour un homme qui ne triche pas, ce qu'il croit vrai doit régler son action. La croyance dans l'absurdité de l'existence doit donc commander sa conduite. C'est une curiosité légitime de se demander, clairement et sans faux pathétique, si une conclusion de cet ordre exige que l'on quitte au plus vite une conditi
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Feb 02, 2012
Mojtaba
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این کتاب حداقل برای من ثقیله و فکر کنم یه مقدار به خاطر اینه که یه سری احساسات نویسنده رو منتقل می کنه و نه یه طرز فکر فلسفی و شاید نقطه ضعف کامو در این زمینه باشه ، شایدم ترجمه ای که من خوندم بد باشه اما بسیاری از نظرات کامو در این کتاب قال تفکر و تاثیرگذاره
Feb 02, 2012
For awhile the Indiana University Philosophy Department had the closing lines of this book on its website, along with a very cute cartoon in which a stick figure man would push a big rock up a hill and have it roll down on top of him, over and over again. Thus I became interested in the book. Unfortunately, all I can remember about the book now is its closing sentences.
(It may have been a different year that I read this, but December 2002 is my best guess.)
(It may have been a different year that I read this, but December 2002 is my best guess.)
Feb 02, 2012
Bamboo
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Didn't get past 10 pages the first time I tried to read this.
A couple years after that, in summer, I read this and it changed my life (I promise this is the only book I will attribute to "changing my life"). I'm sure I moulded a lot of it to mean whatever I needed it to mean (that's called "reading," no?), but the book basically reinforced my agnosticism and helped me agree with myself that it is an intelligent decision, not a "I don't give a shit."
A couple years after that, in summer, I read this and it changed my life (I promise this is the only book I will attribute to "changing my life"). I'm sure I moulded a lot of it to mean whatever I needed it to mean (that's called "reading," no?), but the book basically reinforced my agnosticism and helped me agree with myself that it is an intelligent decision, not a "I don't give a shit."
Feb 02, 2012
Fil
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Full of recondite reasoning and seemed to beg the question over and over again, sadly disappointing despite fascinating subject matter. On a happier note, "The Myth of Sisyphus" essay (a very small part of this book) was brilliant. Shockingly, and through a unique point of view, Camus thinks Sisyphus a happy man and convincingly argues his point. Almost, but not quite, worth reading the entire book for - almost.
Feb 02, 2012
Ronny
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Pas di kopdar ditanya buku favorit, nah ini dia yg gw sebutkan. Dunia ini absurd, tapi manusia harus terus.
Kalimat pembukanya yang paling menonjok dan menggemparkan dunia filsafat Perancis waktu pertama kali terbit:
"Sebenarnya hanya ada satu masalah falsafi yang bernar-benar serius, yakni bunuh diri. Menilai bahwa hidup itu layak atau tidak layak dijalani: itulah menjawab pertanyaan dasar filsafat."
Kalimat pembukanya yang paling menonjok dan menggemparkan dunia filsafat Perancis waktu pertama kali terbit:
"Sebenarnya hanya ada satu masalah falsafi yang bernar-benar serius, yakni bunuh diri. Menilai bahwa hidup itu layak atau tidak layak dijalani: itulah menjawab pertanyaan dasar filsafat."
Feb 02, 2012
Aaron
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Total absence of hope, continual rejection, and conscious dissatisfaction: these logical followings of the absurd are my favorite things that Albert Camus writes about. The myth itself is just a blurb, and that's too bad. Also, philosophical suicide itself seems an oversimplification as it applies to the work of those other thinkers. Keep this one at arm's length, maybe.
Feb 02, 2012
Kristina
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Für das Aha-Erlebnis gibts 5 Sterne. Das ist bei mir aber nach einigen Seiten eingetreten und danach hat sich nicht mehr viel geändert, deswegen der Abzug.
Ein Must-read mit Vorsicht! Heißt: Nichts für Leute, die in ihrer verschlossenen Welt weiterleben wollen und mit dem zufrieden sind, woran sie glauben.
(davon soll es wohl welche geben)
Ein Must-read mit Vorsicht! Heißt: Nichts für Leute, die in ihrer verschlossenen Welt weiterleben wollen und mit dem zufrieden sind, woran sie glauben.
(davon soll es wohl welche geben)
Feb 02, 2012
I was surprised that he was not negative at choosing life. i thought that it was all about suicide as the absurd answer (or protest) to life. It is in every an essential book for anyone interesting in existentialism, and in my view everyone should be interested in existentialism since it at least poses some very worthwhile questions.
Feb 02, 2012
Niratisaya
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Terkadang selesai membaca tidak selalu identik dengan selesai memahami. Pemahaman tidak selalu datang dengan satu kali baca-misalnya dengan buku ini. Some books need tender treatment as we read it, just like with human. We wouldn't be able to read someone only from one encounter, or a mere acquaintance of few years.
Feb 02, 2012
Irwan
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Buku ini yang pertama kali mengenalkanku pada kisah Sisifus dan bagaimana kisah ini menjadi sebuah perumpamaan filosofis tentang absurditas.
Sisifus dengan nasibnya punya dua pilihan: bunuh diri atau berpura-pura bahagia.
Betapa sering kisah ini kupakai dalam berbagai obrolanku sejak saat itu.
Sisifus dengan nasibnya punya dua pilihan: bunuh diri atau berpura-pura bahagia.
Betapa sering kisah ini kupakai dalam berbagai obrolanku sejak saat itu.
Feb 02, 2012
Le Matt
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Fantastic insight on the common conundrum of living in spite of the absurd world. To abandon hope is to live in each ephemeral moment to its fullest. The man who understands the limit of his rationale against the incomprehensible world is truly free to act out his volition.
