Why Camus Matters

Name: Why Camus Matters
Price: 44.99 AUD
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ISBN: 9781350512481

Matthew Sharpe (Deakin University, Australia)

$44.99

Paperback

Forthcoming
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English

Miscellaneous
11 June 2026

Philosophy; Social & political philosophy; Fascism & Nazism; Political structures: democracy

Series: Why Philosophy Matters

Albert Camus is a thinker who matters deeply for the 21st century.

Camus was a man of the Left, without believing in inevitable progress; he wrestled with nihilism but only in order to seek paths beyond it; he repudiated belief in God yet wrestled profoundly with religious questions; he defended “Western civilization” and adored the ancient Greeks, whilst denouncing reactionary politics; he explored the darkest human experiences, yet defended moderation, love and dialogue.

He matters today, firstly, because the problems he addressed remain ours: widespread cynicism and despair, democratic collapse, the rise of authoritarianisms, alienation from nature and a fascination with extremes. Secondly, because the solutions he explored to these problems were so highly original and balanced, relative to more widely-credited schools of thought: whether liberalism, Marxism, or fascism, or existentialism, postmodernism, or postcolonialism.

This book, written by an established expert on Camus’ work, can serve for new readers as an introduction to Camus’ philosophical ideas. More than another critical commentary. Why Camus Matters engages Camus in our contemporary debates, seeking in his thinking a thread out of the labyrinth of the global culture wars, and sources of democratic renewal.

By: Matthew Sharpe (Deakin University Australia)
Imprint: Miscellaneous
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 232mm, Width: 156mm, Spine: 20mm
Weight: 309g
ISBN: 9781350512481
ISBN 10: 1350512486
Series: Why Philosophy Matters
Pages: 232
Publication Date: 11 June 2026
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Matthew Sharpe is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the Australian Catholic University, Australia. He is the co-author of Philosophy as a Way of Life (Bloomsbury, 2021), coeditor of Camus amongst the Philosophers (2020), Camus, Philosophe: To Return to Our Beginnings (2015).

Reviews for Why Camus Matters

Albert Camus is not to be read, he is to be lived. In a world where the Human can feel redundant, a mere subject, Matthew Sharpe reminds us that someone saw it all and he has a way out. Camus is not for our time, he is for all times. * Professor Stan Grant, Journalist and Chair of Australian-Indigenous Belonging at Charles Sturt University, Australia *