The Fall by Albrt Camus

The Fall by Albrt CamusJean Baptiste Clamence is a soul in turmoil. Over several drunken nights in an Amsterdam bar, he regales a chance acquaintance with his story. From this successful former lawyer and seemingly model citizen a compelling, self loathing catalogue of guilt, hypocrisy and alienation pours forth. The Fall (1956) is a brilliant portrayal of a man who has glimpsed the hollowness of his existence. But beyond depicting one man's disillusionment, Camus's novel

the Apprentice-style tasks

Leon finds himself falling for von Meerbach's beautiful mistress but never forgets that his real mission is to destroy the enemy

This book is essentially a teaching machine

Thirteen guests arrive for dinner at the house of Sir Charles Cartwright

he starts something on fire

* Use exercise to shift your body from fat-storing to fat-burning

and the next-door neighbours coming round for sherry in their terrible festive jumpers

Stories of Mahabharata are always intriguing with so many lessons to learn

This first English edition includes an afterword by her adopted daughter

If they were to meet on the road today

When Edward comes to

And brought him back dead