In an auction, a copy of "The Stranger" by Albert Camus was purchased for 656,000 euros.
In April 1940, a manuscript was created, but based on expert judgments, it was obtained two years after the release of the novel in 1942. It's possible that Camus penned it on behalf of a well-to-do literary aficionado, as his funds were running low at the time. The numerous inconsistencies with another preserved manuscript, as well as the amusing doodles by the writer on the edges, hint at this. As the auction catalog detailed, "The history of the manuscript remains a mystery."
The manuscript switched hands in 1958 and 1991 during auctions. Originally, "The Stranger" had a print run of 4400 copies, but following WWII, it soon became a thriving bestseller.
The opening line of the main character Meursault, a French resident in Algeria who shot an Arab for inexplicable motives, reads, "Today my mother has died. Or maybe yesterday, I'm not sure."
Read also:
- At the auction, a highly valuable manuscript of "The Stranger" by Albert Camus was sold for an extraordinary 656,000 euros.
- Despite being a renowned author, Albert Camus sometimes relied on financial assistance, as evidenced by a possible unfinished manuscript created in 1940, which was later sold.
- During one of his many stays in Paris, Camus may have worked on the mysterious manuscript, which contained humorous doodles and distinctive writing inconsistencies, as seen in the auction catalog.
- In a fascinating turn of events, Camus' unpublished manuscript, estimated to be worth 656,000 euros, was purchased at auction, a significant figure clearly reflecting the high value placed on literature from Albert Camus.
- The 1940 manuscript, which showcases amusing doodles and inconsistencies, is one of Camus' lesser-known works but still commands a staggering price of 656,000 euros when it goes up for auction.
