Vintage audio tape recording from the 1960's capturing an American professor (Cheryl Lynn Fishman) giving a classroom lecture (in France and in French) on Albert Camus' classic novella, "L'Estranger." A daunting task, for sure, and most likely a step in the lecturer's work toward her PhD or perhaps her other post-doctorate work. This lecture is on Chapter 5, Part Two, of the book wherein Meursault is in prison awaiting his execution and is having epiphany after epiphany, but all too late to do much good. He is guilty of "not playing the game" and has been unwittingly forced into a "moral collaboration" with the executioner (as well as the rest of society). 

In the 60's The Stranger was one of the hottest bits of literature being read and studied and I even had it assigned in my high school English class. I certainly did not understand its depth at that time, but latched on to the word "existentialism" as being my fundamental belief system without really understanding what it meant (it just felt right!). I recently re-read it with a better appreciation of Camus' style and standpoint and I tried to get my (ex) wife to read it as she was going through an existential crisis. She refused. We were soon divorced. Her loss. 

About this work Camus wrote: "In our society any man who does not weep at his mother's funeral runs the risk of being sentenced to death." (And, I might add, "...for one reason or another!") The Stranger has long been considered a classic of 20th-century literature and Le Monde ranks it as number one on its top 100 Books of the Century. 

I cannot vouch for exactly what is on this tape, or how it sounds, because I do not have a player for it. However, I can vouch for its source being from the estate of a languages professor at Lewis & Clark College contemporaneous to the time of this recording. All the other materials from this estate have been very well cared for over the years and I guarantee this tape will play well and hold interesting material. 

Also included is a bonus tape titled "French Radio Programs" which were most likely recorded by Ms Fishman while in France teaching this course. It should be fascinating!

SPOILER ALERT: WE ARE ALL GUILTY!