num_pages: 144
description: Is it possible to die a happy death? This is the central question of Camus's astonishing early novel, published posthumously and greeted as a major literary event. It tells the story of a young Algerian, Mersault, who defies society's rules by committing a murder and escaping punishment, then experimenting with different ways of life and finally dying a happy man. In many ways A Happy Death is a fascinating first sketch for The Outsider, but it can also be seen as a candid self-portrait, drawing on Camus's memories of his youth, travels, and early relationships. It is infused with lyrical descriptions of the sun-drenched Algiers of his childhood - the place where, eventually, Mersault is able to find peace and die 'without anger, without hatred, without regret'.
language: English
title: A Happy Death
titlecomplete: A Happy Death
characters: Patrice Mersault, Roland Zagreus
genres: 20th Century, Philosophy, Nobel Prize, French Literature, Literary Fiction, Novels, Literature, Classics, Fiction, France
ratings_count: 17101
places: Algeria
awards: awardedAt: 94723200000
name: National Book Award Finalist
category: Translation
publisher: Penguin Classics