In a world filled with pseudo intellectuals, Camus is one of those rare lights which provide insight into your own self with unflinching honesty. His book, The Fall, using his own words elsewhere, is like the harsh sun, casting no shadow.
Truth be told, I was so uncomfortable reading the book that I actually thought of ditching the entire excersize quite a few times. But then something pulled me back and no matter how much I tried, I had to complete the entire thing. All those who wish to read this book should be forewarned that once they do read this, they may feel utterly exposed and undefended, a feeling that I had and that too more than once.
The protagonst of the story, a lawyer by profession narrates the story of his life to a chance acquaintance at a pub in Amsterdam. And isnt it quite a story. A parable of lies, deciet, shameless self-gratification, hedonism, and uncontrolled ego. As you go through the book, priceless sentences jump out at you, not so that you can commit them to your memory but so that you do not miss them in your haste to ignore the self loathing that is insiduously grasping you.
I will, as a policy not expose the plot of the book as every word is a jem worth treasuring. Just remember that once you are done with the perusal of this book, dont give to anyone else for a reading. They just might discover the kind of person that you are.
A priceless idea from the book- There are three kinds of people in the world. One who shout "love me", the second who shout "dont love me" and the third who shout "dont love me but be faithful".
Pricelss and painfully true.