The Outsider

Book excerpt: The classic study of alienation, existentialism, and how great artists have portrayed characters who exist on the margins of society. Published to immense acclaim in the mid-1950s, The Outsider helped make popular the literary concept of existentialism. Authors like Sartre, Kafka, Hemingway, and Dostoyevsky, as well as artists like Van Gogh and Nijinsky, delved for a deeper understanding of the human condition in their work, and Colin Wilson’s landmark book encapsulated a character found time and time again: the outsider. How does the outsider influence society? And how does society influence him? It’s a question as relevant to today’s iconic characters, from Don Draper to Voldemort, as it was when The Outsider was initially published. A fascinating study blending philosophy, psychology, and literature, Wilson’s seminal work is a must-have for those who are fascinated by the character of the outsider. “Luminously intelligent . . . A real contribution to our understanding of our deepest predicament.” —Philip Toynbee “Leaves the reader with a heightened insight into a crucial drama of the human spirit.” —Atlantic Monthly