This was a bittersweet reading experience.

On one hand, there was the pure joy of witnessing Camus' thought process. We could see how he developed his characters, the margin notes, and the thrill of journeying with him as he retraced his roots in his childhood days in Algeria and sought to make meaning out of it. This part was truly sublime.

On the other hand, and perhaps a mutant third hand, was the realization while reading that it was Camus' last book. He died before completing it, and from the margin notes, one could tell that the end product would have been a masterpiece. The sadness at the untimely departure of such a great soul cannot be easily shaken away. It reminded me of the time when I was reading the obituaries of the Iranian Mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani, who died at the tender age of 40. The crushing sadness that she had passed away before her time and that Maths research had been set back by the cruel dealings of fate.

If only Camus had taken the train... maybe he did in one of Everett's many worlds... Well, heroes have only two exit strategies: either too early before their time or stick around too long and see themselves become villains. Camus and Maryam were dealt the former, and that's just life. We are thankful, though, for having had them, and may they rest in eternal peace.

In my opinion, Albert Camus describes the details very well. It's as if you can feel that moment yourself.

His writing has a unique charm that draws the reader in and makes them experience the story on a deeper level.

Camus has a remarkable ability to bring the characters and their emotions to life, making it easy for the reader to empathize with them.

Whether it's through his vivid descriptions of the setting or his in-depth exploration of the characters' thoughts and feelings, Camus manages to create a world that is both captivating and thought-provoking.

His works are not only entertaining but also offer valuable insights into the human condition and the meaning of life.

Overall, I believe that Albert Camus is a masterful writer whose works deserve to be read and studied.

In this unfinished novel, Camus presents a deeply poignant and exquisitely detailed semi-autographical portrayal of a childhood spent in Algeria.

The inclusion of the notes within makes it abundantly clear that this was initially envisioned as a component of a far more ambitious literary endeavor.

However, despite its incomplete state, what remains is remarkably readable and deeply moving.

Camus' vivid descriptions bring to life the landscapes, people, and experiences of his Algerian childhood, allowing the reader to step into his world and gain a profound understanding of his formative years.

The unfinished nature of the work only adds to its allure, leaving the reader with a sense of curiosity and a desire to know more about what might have been.

Overall, this novel offers a unique and captivating glimpse into the mind and life of one of the greatest literary figures of the 20th century.

It is truly sad that it has ended up as a fragment. The lengths and leaps in the text could have been filled, as the notes at the end of the book provide information. The notes themselves! What we have here is the book of a youth, but what is lacking is the book about the Algerian uprising and Camus' perspective on it. What a pity that this (!) book was not written further. "Christ did not come as far as Algeria," it says in a fragment at the end; that says it all. And then there are the side remarks about J.'s life with four women at the same time - he lived "thus an empty life". The comparison with de Beauvoir's "Ménage a trois" could have been exciting... But never mind. The fragment is here, and it is a touching book about growing up in poverty. It almost seems as if the series of almost sociological life memories, dedicated to class differences and the formative power of origin (most recently "Return to Reims" by Didier Eribon!), began with Camus. While reading, I understood why Camus and Sartre could not understand each other (which I had always regretted until then). What worlds lie between the two, between the bourgeois child and the child of an illiterate! So what? Camus shines through loving descriptions of his sometimes disabled or emotionally restricted relatives due to poverty, especially of his uncle, mother, and grandmother. And he shines through the translation with his precise, dryly poetic language. The "love" (for the all-too-human) incidentally springs from a deep gratitude that the narrator also feels towards his elementary school teacher and expresses in later letters to him. The old man's reply letter (both in the appendix) to his most famous pupil, whom he still does not prefer over the others, is a telling testimony of successful pedagogy by a professional. Just for that, the reading was worthwhile. Yes, and because it is about Africa, about the rain, about Algiers... Whether the palm tree in front of the airport where I cut my name in 1970 still stands? ;-) Well, that doesn't belong here. Whoever likes to enjoy literature beyond excitement and pure entertainment at its highest level should read "The First Man". Five stars because it is highly recommended great literature!

This is an outstanding book that caters to two distinct audiences. Firstly, it is a must-read for those eager to deepen their understanding of Camus. Secondly, it is a delight for those who have a penchant for his writing style. The book, unfortunately, remained unfinished. However, in his daughter's introduction, a more intimate side of the writer is unveiled, one that goes beyond what is usually presented in a completed manuscript.

Despite the presence of missing words, the writing retains its strength. It revolves around several key themes - Algeria, childhood, poverty, and politics. Camus has an extraordinary ability to write with such succinctness and empathy, even in his first draft. This is evident in passages like the one describing his family's outlook: "..they looked on life with a resigned suspicion; they loved it as animals do, but they knew from experience that it would regularly give birth to disaster without even showing any sign that it was carrying it."

Another powerful example is when he comments on his family's dread of unemployment: "That explained why these workers... who in their daily lives were the most tolerant of men, were always xenophobes on labor issues, accusing in turn the Italians, the Spaniards.... and finally the whole world of stealing their work - an attitude that is certainly disconcerting to those intellectuals who theorize about the proletariat, and yet very human and surely excusable."

Overall, this book offers a unique and valuable perspective on Camus and his work.

Citi pe mormânt data nașterii tatălui său, pe care descoperi cu prilejul acela că n-o cunoștea. Apoi citi cele două date, 1885-1914, și făcu un calcul mașinal.

Brusc, îl izbi un gând care-l zgudui aproape fizic. Avea patruzeci de ani. Omul înmormântat sub lespedea aceea și care fusese tatăl său era mai tânăr decât el.

Și valul de tandrețe și de milă care-i umplu brusc inima nu era mișcarea sufletească ce-l poartă pe fiu spre amintirea tatălui dispărut, ci compasiunea emoționată pe care un om matur o resimte în fața copilului pe nedrept asasinat - ceva ce nu era în ordinea firească a lucrurilor și, la drept vorbind, nu exista nici o ordine, ci doar nebunie și haos acolo unde fiul era mai în vârstă decât tatăl.

Înșiruirea timpului însuși se sfărâma în jurul lui, nemișcat între acele morminte pe care nu le mai vedea, iar anii încetau să se mai orânduiască urmând acel mare fluviu care curge spre propriul capăt.

He stood there, looking at the grave, his mind racing. The discovery that he didn't know his father's birth date had come as a shock. As he calculated the years, 1885 to 1914, a thought hit him like a physical blow. He was forty years old, and the man buried beneath that slab, his father, was younger than him.

The wave of tenderness and pity that suddenly filled his heart was not the spiritual movement that leads a son to remember his departed father, but the emotional compassion that a mature man feels in the face of a child unjustly slain. It was something that defied the natural order of things. In fact, there was no order at all, only madness and chaos where the son was older than the father.

The very fabric of time seemed to shatter around him as he stood motionless among those graves he could no longer see. The years ceased to arrange themselves in any meaningful way, following that great river that flows towards its own end.

This is a story about groups of people in the vast and not very hospitable continent of Africa;

about the complex relationships of a motherland with its people;

about the close impact of war and political differences and...

Africa, a land full of mysteries and challenges, is home to diverse ethnic groups. Their lives are intertwined with the land, facing various difficulties and struggles. The motherland, although rich in resources, often fails to provide a prosperous and peaceful life for its people due to war, political unrest, and social inequality.

These issues have a profound impact on the relationships between different groups and between the people and the land. The story unfolds, revealing the hopes, dreams, and disappointments of the people in this harsh environment, as they strive to find their place and make a better future for themselves and their families.

“Because,” Cormery continued, “when I was extremely young, astonishingly foolish, and incredibly alone … you took notice of me. And, in a seemingly effortless way, you opened for me the door to everything that I hold dear in this world.”

At that tender age, Cormery felt adrift and lost. But then this person came along, and without making a big show of it, they changed his life. Their simple act of paying attention was like a ray of light in the darkness. It was as if they knew exactly what he needed, even if he himself didn't. And by doing so, they introduced him to all the wonderful things that would come to mean so much to him.

This moment was etched in Cormery's memory, a reminder of the power of a kind gesture and the impact it can have on someone's life. It was a turning point, a moment that set him on a new path and filled him with a sense of hope and possibility.

However, if I were Albert Camus' wife and these scattered writings that had enough key points for their completion came into my hands, instead of blindly being loyal to this scattering, I would take up the pen myself and create an effect from such a proud thought that was behind these writings, which would be more worthy than all these scattered writings!

I would not simply accept the status quo of the scattered works. I would strive to understand the essence and intention behind them. Maybe there were some unfinished ideas or concepts that needed further exploration and development.

By taking the initiative to engage with these writings, I could bring out their true potential and make them more coherent and meaningful. I might add my own perspectives and interpretations, which could enrich the overall content and give it a new dimension.

In this way, I would not only be doing justice to Albert Camus' original thoughts but also contributing to the evolution and dissemination of his ideas. The result could be a more comprehensive and impactful body of work that would have a greater influence on the literary world and beyond.

4.5

Thoughts:

On page 332, one of the notes Camus has on his manuscript is that the book has to end unfinished. It has to stay open. In a cruel irony, this has been the case; the book will remain eternally unfinished. And yet it is this aspect that, in my opinion, contributes to the quality of the story. One of the criticisms I have acquired of Camus thus far is the constant use of the “sad troubled man who is sad and troubled but also a man-whore and fucks many women.” From the information gathered from the notes collected at the end of the book, it seems to me that this book would have gone in this direction had Camus had the chance to finish it. However, the book doesn't have this.

Which brings me to my first point. The reason I am not giving this a full 5 stars and am sticking to 4.5 is that I fear that large parts of what I loved about this book would not have made the final cut if Camus actually did finish it. Maybe this is me doing exactly what I would implore you not to do, but it feels wrong to completely ignore this aspect. And so, 4.5 it is.

On that note: there are those who argue that this book ought not to have been published at all because it was never actually finished. I strongly disagree. I feel there is no point in focusing on the flaws in unfinished writing when we know that it couldn't be finished in the first place. If this book had not been published, the world would have missed out on incredible storytelling, and I would have missed out on a wonderful experience.

First of all, I am absolutely in love with the description of the childhood. It is no secret that Camus is a talented writer with a gift for prose, but it must be said that the way he manages to convey an atmosphere is truly unmatched. Feeling, heat, environment, and people – all of it is flawlessly translated onto paper in a way that is almost magical.

The second thing that really struck me about this book is that it is a (personal) history told through people, rather than just events. Considering the fact that most of the book still concerns his childhood and not yet his adulthood, this fits extremely well. Children perceive the world around them through the people around them in a way that adults do not. Camus limits your view to the day-to-day and, by doing so, gives you the eyes of his main character. You see what is meant to be shown. And it is bitterly beautiful.

Quote:
"And then he knew that war was no good, because vanquishing a man is as bitter as being vanquished."

Camus started writing this novel after winning the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1957. However, due to his unexpected death in 1960, the novel remained unfinished. The manuscript of the novel was found in the mud at the accident site; Camus was carrying this draft with him. 34 years after his death, in 1994, it was published by the author's daughter, Catherine Camus. I'm glad it was published. Camus had hoped that this novel would be a masterpiece. Although it was unfinished, in my opinion, it is the best novel the author has written so far.

Tahsin Yücel, the master who translated the novel into our language, also wrote a satisfying preface for the novel. Yücel pointed out that "The First Man" can be evaluated as an "autobiographical novel", "a family novel", "a coming-of-age novel (bildungsroman)", "the father's novel", "the novel of Algeria", and "the novel of the Algerian War of Independence". In the novel, the passionate, poor, yet happy, proud, and honest childhood and adolescence years of the protagonist Jacques Cormery are told. When telling about Jacques, who is now in his 40s according to the present time of the novel, flashbacks are used to give place to his childhood and adolescence years. Moreover, the lines Camus wrote about poverty and wealth are also heartbreaking. These years are told in such a sincere, simple, and heartfelt language that one cannot read them without feeling sad and emotional.

So far, along with this novel, I have read all of Camus' novels (The Stranger, The Fall, The Plague, The Happy Death, and The First Man). While reading these novels, I always felt that I was reading parts of Camus' life story. In Camus' novels other than "The First Man", we do not encounter the father figure, and we see a shadowy mother figure in all of them. In this novel ("The First Man"), there is again a shadowy mother figure, but this time the protagonist Jacques is following in his father's footsteps: "In Search of the Lost Father". According to the feelings I got, Camus also touches on this subject in the work called "The Rebel" and "The Myth of Sisyphus" that I will read next month. I'm waiting with curiosity

Albert Camus' "The First Man" is an incomplete and relatively unknown work, sitting somewhere between a family novel and a bildungsroman. The cumbersome footnotes reveal the text in all its incompleteness. However, despite this minor hindrance, the book is truly enjoyable.

Jacques' family, the first man, represents a mix of poverty and ignorance grappling with a misfit son. He has above-average intelligence and must study. Moreover, he is forced to come to terms with the shadow of a father who died in war and is now forgotten by all.

Jacques' growth and the daily problems of his family serve as a pretext for reflection on profound meanings that can be extended to all men who, like the first, have been forced to live in search of unknown roots.

Here I have conducted a more detailed analysis: https://chiaracls.altervista.org/il-p...

This work offers a unique perspective on the human condition, exploring themes such as identity, family, and the search for meaning in a fragmented world. Camus' writing style, though perhaps a bit rough around the edges due to its incomplete nature, still manages to engage the reader and draw them into the story.

Overall, "The First Man" is a hidden gem that deserves more attention from readers and scholars alike. It provides valuable insights into Camus' thought and his view of the human experience.