A happy death by Albert Camus

"A happy death" by Albert Camus, translated from French to English by Richard Howard. This edition of the book is published by Penguin Modern classics in 2013 (first published in 1971 and has 106 pages.

Patrice Mersault, kills a man, but is not arrested. Then he sets out to search meaning of life. Search of happiness. 

Why does he kill? How does it impact him? What does his search reveal? Does he get a happy death?

Marsault wants a lot from life but his eight hour job does not allow him what he seeks. He wants to find the meaning of life,  discover life. In search of happiness Patrice travels from Marseille, Prague, Breslau, Vienna, Genoa and back to Algiers; attempting various life styles. Here he leads a life, close to nature doing nothing. A life that will lead to a happy death. A death without any wishes and regrets. 

Characters are vivid.  Zagreus, who has earned a fortune, to live a happy life but lost both legs immediately after disallowing him the pressures he had earned and confining him to a chair got life.  Cardona, the barrel maker, who is uncouth,  loves his dead mother who he teased and  harassed all the life. Lived with his sister who also left him one day due to his behavior. He remembers his dead mother and cries. Marthe, who is very beautiful,  had ten lovers before Marsault but is falling in love with him. Three young girls, adopted by Patrice. Dr. Bernard who doesn't speak much. Perez, the one armed fisher. 

Some of the sentences in this book are profound. E.g. 'There is a risk of being loved and that would keep me from being happy', 'While his imagination and vanity had given her too much importance,  his pride had given her too little', 'Doubtless that path opened a way which leads to supreme art of doing nothing', 'What matters - all that matters,  really - is the will to happiness', He would find a reason for dying in what had been his whole reason for living'. 

It's a very different writing style. He writes only what is essential, doing away with necessity of fillers and background text. Direct cut to chase. Separating wheat from the chaff! Author has explained what Albert sees from his balcony one afternoon to night through evening. It's so simple yet so vivid.  

This book is heavy. It has a lot of philosophy, abstract concepts, meta physical thoughts etc. Only serious readers should attempt reading it. Casual readers will be quick to abandon. 

Albert Camus was born in Algeria and worked in France. He was part of  resistance to German occupation of France. He is winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature. This novel was published posthumously. 

Font used for this edition is small. Thus the number of pages must have reduced. The cover picture is apt for the book title. 

The book is basically the journey of self discovery of a young man.

Why did I read this book? Recommended by Shirish Karve.

What I didn't like? Abstract. 

What did I like? Way to look at life. 

Read if you have time and interest.