The Myth of Sisyphus (Vintage International)

A formative read. I actually consider it a must read for anyone — Camus guides the reader towards finding a personal meaning for their life in a troubling world, using various philosophers in the existentialist canon to illustrate his points without being pretentious. You don’t need a philosophy degree to appreciate this, because Camus has great empathy for the reader. He explains their views and how absurdism overcomes the emptiness of the modern world, embracing, and encouraging us to embrace with him, the uncertainty of purpose. This is an accessible work that’s as clever as it is intense. Ultimately, this is about the triumph of the human spirit. The subject of su*cide is heavy, but so is life. I first read it in high school and continue to revisit it every couple of years as an adult.

I’ve only read a small section but already find it fascinating. Fantastic book!

The Myth of Sisyphus doesn’t so much argue as it insists—gently but relentlessly—that meaning is not something discovered, but something carried in spite of uncertainty. What resonates most is its refusal to resolve the tension it names. The absurd is not solved; it is lived with. Camus’ voice is spare, almost clinical at times, yet underneath it runs a steady emotional current: clarity without consolation, and a strange kind of dignity in that clarity. The image of Sisyphus becomes less metaphor and more posture—an orientation toward life where persistence itself is the answer, even when the question remains open. It’s not an easy read in the emotional sense, but it is a clarifying one. The kind of book that doesn’t leave you inspired so much as re-seated in your own awareness, slightly more honest than before.

The Myth of Sisyphus is a powerful, challenging exploration of what it means to live in an absurd world. Camus’s writing is sharp, poetic, and deeply philosophical, and his central idea — that we must imagine Sisyphus happy even as he endlessly pushes his rock — is one of the most striking metaphors in modern thought. The book’s greatest strength is its clarity of vision. Camus doesn’t offer easy answers; instead, he lays out the human condition in all its contradictions — meaning, despair, rebellion, and acceptance — and invites the reader to find their own way through it. It’s a work that rewards slow reading and reflection. That said, it can be dense and academic at times, especially in the early chapters where he engages with other philosophers. The prose demands focus, and casual readers might find it heavy going. Still, The Myth of Sisyphus remains a cornerstone of existential philosophy — beautifully written, intellectually rich, and ultimately uplifting in its defiance of hopelessness. A challenging but rewarding read for anyone interested in the meaning (or absurdity) of life.

Theres an impactful lesson from this book.

This book, and Camus are both amazing. I read the stranger in High School and eventually I learned more about Camus on my own and became interested in his philosophy. Really good stuff in here that can be useful to secular and religious minded people. As for the people saying it's a hard read there's some truth to it but it's not quite as the reviews say. Camus talks about some fairly abstract concepts in this book but in his attempt at painting a accurate picture of what he's talking about, he basically uses every word in the English language. Words that I've never even seen till reading his book. But if you slow down look up some of the words and reference back to earlier pages that were building up to what he's saying on the current page it becomes fairly easy to understand what he's saying. So I'd say it's more accurate to say it's a slow read that you might best approach with a few pages each day but if you're consistent enough it's not a hard book to get through just time consuming. It's no divine comedy level difficult, it's been translated into English pretty well. Other than that it's a great book for just navigating through life and finding a reason to go on, definitely something a young adult or older teen might really get some good use out of if they're into reading philosophy. Though I will add, read the stranger first, it really builds up the structure for the philosophical ideas he brings up in this book and will make reading this a lot easier.

Incredible, wise book. As relevant now, or more so, than it was when it was written. The kind of book every thoughtful person should read if they are struggling with the absurdity of our times or of the universe.

Great book

Excelente qualidade do material. Tradução correta e sem erros. Espero que esse livro me tire a vontade de me m*t*r ou me dê coragem suficiente pra acabar com tudo :D

This book was a fascinating read. I believe that I need to read it multiple times to fully understand it. Anyways, I found it interesting how Camus saw life at that point of his life. I wonder if his point of view changed throughout the years.

Excellent presentation of this great piece of literature.

Great price

Book came perfect condition. 5/5 As far as the book itself. 1/5 I don’t understand the hype. Felt like I was just reading words and had no idea what anything meant. End of the book has a nice lesson/ realization…but this I’ve already felt and isn’t too mind blowing.