Read Our favorite answers to our July Prompt.
Want to take part next time? Read our submissions page here
1. The Myth of Sisyphus, Albert Camus
Genre – Philosophy | Written by Clementine Smith | TikTok – @thoughts8009
From the moment absurdity is recognized, it becomes a passion, the most harrowing of all.” Albert Camus’s novel-length essay The Myth of Sisyphus not only has a striking, aphoristic prose style, but it also set my perspective on persisting in the face of the Absurd, or the confrontation one has with life’s futility. Camus meditates on Sisyphus’ ceaseless strain (perpetually rolling a boulder up a mountain, and watching it fall before reaching the summit) to mirror the fruitless search for meaning in a world which offers none, in addition to the seemingly needless tasks of modern working culture, which contribute to a sense of decay when one becomes tragically conscious of it. Camus claims one should come to accept that life offers no meaning outside of what you make of it and that one can find comfort in that and continue to “live with it.” This is appealing to me. He is purely interested in whether or not one can “live without appeal,” or deliberately countenance that the world remains unreasonable and one is left without consolation of definite purpose (the boulder will roll back down regardless of efforts). Thus, one’s final option is to either succumb to or embrace that Absurd truth, in turn achieving some level of contentment (“One must imagine Sisyphus happy”). He argues why suicide is the least preferable path to pursue and that the act of suicide amounts to “confessing that life is too much for you or that you do not understand it.” Eluding hope (hope which gives meaning to your life and thus confines your life) is the ultimate goal; one should accept that life is lived all the better without meaning. Camus believes “all man has is his lucidity and his definite knowledge of the walls surrounding him,” or the awareness of the Absurd world he occupies. Despite his condition, Sisyphus is lucid to his “absurd walls” and therefore is paradoxically “superior” to his existence. The mind’s greatest need is reflected in the response to the Absurd: “a wild longing for clarity.” In the end, the whole question is whether or not one can accept a limited universe and remain firm in a refusal to hope. Overall, I seriously enjoyed Camus’ takes.
2. Six of Crows, Leigh Bardugo
Genre – YA | Written on our TikTok Post by @zuzanka
“I am sorry but that is a masterpiece. I have memorised every line, I know the details of every plot twist, I perfectly understand the logic of every character, there is nothing in the book I wouldn’t remember AND I WOULD STILL READ IT AGAIN.”
3. East of Eden , John Steinbeck
Genre – Literary Fiction | Written on our TikTok Post by @Martolina 🎀
“East of Eden changed my brain chemistry when I was 15.”
4. The Secret History, Donna Tartt
Genre – Literary Fiction | Written on our TikTok Post by @Louise🦋🦌
“I wish I could read it for the first time again.”
5. Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow, Gabrielle Zevin
Genre – Contemporary Fiction | (Chosen by one of our commenters on TikTok! )
6. Pale Fire , Vladimir Nabokov
Genre – Postmodern Fiction | Written on our TikTok Post by @Linnea Taubner
“It has my heart”
7. On the road, Jack Kerouac
Genre – Literary Fiction, Beat Literature | Written on our TikTok Post by @sbshxhshshzhdhjsh
“I think young readers really can relate to the main character’s needs and what he yearns for -to discover himself- and to be a part of community, to actually experience life. Secondly I love how travelling is a metaphor to the exploration of one’s true self- that really spoke to me 🙂 And of course it’s a book that defined a generation of the Beatnics so I personally really feel connected to that demographic’s ideals and values, they were the original punks in my opinion!! So if you’re into breaking down the status quo and want to get out of the conformity of modern times I think you should look into that book :))”
8. The Vegetarian, Han Kang
Genre – Psychological Fiction – (Chosen by one of our commenters on TikTok!)
9. Anna Karenina, A tree grows in Brooklyn, The Count of Monte Cristo
Written by @zoeeanica on TikTok
[ Further comment on The Count of Monte Cristo below ]
“Definitely worth reading!! Even if it is in a very serious tone at the beginning, it is often lightened up in a funny way by characters like Morrel and remains in your head even after years.”
That’s all! If you have any additional thoughts you want to share with us, send over your thoughts in an email to us titled: A great book I’ve read to thespyderblog@gmail.com. Thank you to everyone who took part and see you in the next one.
Best,
Spyder.
Spyder 