Why people recommend it
THE PLAGUE by Albert Camus is an existentialist novel chronicling a devastating epidemic in an Algerian city and exploring human solidarity, suffering, and the absurdity of existence. Lex Fridman recommended the book on The Joe Rogan Experience, highlighting its post-World War II perspective and existential themes, and later included it in reading lists on his own podcast alongside other dystopian literature. Ryan Holiday described the novel on The Daily Stoic as a striking work for the modern era, while Alex O’Connor discussed its reception as a major later piece by the author on Modern Wisdom. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. shared a personal anecdote on The Joe Rogan Experience about receiving the book from his father during a period of deep personal reassessment. Additionally, Barry Barish mentioned on the Lex Fridman Podcast that he reread the novel during isolation, viewing it ultimately as a book about love, while Sheldon Solomon quoted its poignant final line about human resilience.
Who recommended it
- Lex Fridman Recommended
- Ryan Holiday Discussed
- Alex O’Connor Discussed
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Discussed
- Barry Barish Discussed
- Sheldon Solomon Discussed
- Massimo Pigliucci Discussed
Lex Fridman — 4 mentions
“Of course, "The Trial" is a work of fiction, but I think it is often useful to go to the surreal world of literature, even of the over-the-top dystopian variety like "1984," "Animal Farm," "Brave New World," "The Trial," "The Castle," "Metamorphosis," even "The Plague" by Albert Camus...”
“have you read the plague by kamu by any chance years ago years ago i have to read it again”
“or reading the plague by Camus like almost kind of telling narratives and stories”
“plus there's a book I recommend people read is um by Albert Camus called the plague that he wrote right after World War two is I don't know if you know if he is he's like an existentialist philosopher”
Ryan Holiday — 1 mention
“Well I think both The Fall and The Plague are two striking books for this moment.”
Alex O’Connor — 1 mention
“Oh, it's the difficult first album of of the outsider and and it's it's and it is, you know, I I've I like the mythosis partly because it's so counterintuitive, but some of his later works, things like The Plague, The Plague is an amazing novel. It sort of is it it became like a bestseller for obvious reasons.”
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — 1 mention
“my father gave me a book and the book was a book by Camu um who was one of his favorite writer my father after my uncle's death went through a period of kind of reassessment of his own sort of relationship with God and with the Catholic church and religion”
Barry Barish — 1 mention
“it was i decided to reread camous the plague oh yeah that's a great book it's a great book and it's right now to read it it's fine i think that book is about love”
Sheldon Solomon — 1 mention
“i will tell you the last line of the plague we learn in times of pestilence that there's more to admire in men than to despise”
Massimo Pigliucci — 1 mention
“one of the best-selling books is canoes the plague not surprisingly right”