Classics · Literary
The Stranger
Bestseller: about 10 million copies (estimate)Meursault, a detached clerk in French Algeria, attends his mother's funeral without grief and, soon after, commits a killing on a beach. His trial turns less on the act than on how he behaves.
Facts last checked 2026-10-16
- First published
- 1942
- Pace
- Slow
- Length
- Short
- Pages
- 134
- Format
- Standalone
Read this if you want a short, cold classic of existentialist fiction.
Skip this if you want an emotional connection to the narrator; he is deliberately flat.
The feel
Content warnings
Also reported by Hardcover readers:
Quick answers about The Stranger
- What is The Stranger about?
- Meursault, a detached clerk in French Algeria, attends his mother's funeral without grief and, soon after, commits a killing on a beach. His trial turns less on the act than on how he behaves.
- Who should read The Stranger?
- Read it if you want a short, cold classic of existentialist fiction. Skip it if you want an emotional connection to the narrator; he is deliberately flat.
- How long and how fast is The Stranger?
- It is a slow-paced, short read of about 134 pages, first published in 1942.
- Does The Stranger have content warnings?
- Content we flag: Death, Violence.
- Can I borrow The Stranger for free?
- Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends The Stranger; the borrow button above searches it for you.
- What should I read after The Stranger?
- Readers who liked it often move on to The Plague, Crime and Punishment, The Metamorphosis.
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Where to get it
| Store | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Borrow free | ||
| Libby / OverDrive | Free with a library card | Borrow free with Libby from Libby / OverDrive |
| Print, new | ||
| Amazon | Check price | Buy new from Amazon |
| Ebook | ||
| Kobo | Check price | Buy ebook from Kobo |
| Google Play Books | Check price | Buy ebook from Google Play Books |
| Audiobook | ||
| Audible | Check price | Buy audiobook from Audible |
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