“The plague had swallowed up everything and everyone. No longer were there individual destinies; only a collective destiny, made of plague and the emotions shared by all. Strongest of these emotions was the sense of exile and of deprivation.”
So wrote Albert Camus, Nobel Prize winner for Literature, in his 1947 novel The Plague, words that well could have been written in these times.
Set in the French Algerian city of Oran, The Plague was published only two years after the end of World War II. In this novel, the plague acts as metaphor for the destruction and evil the world had just survived.
To read my reflections on Camus’ The Plague see my blog at The Times of Israel at https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/its-a-matter-of-common-decency/
Rabbi John Rosove's Blog 
Hi John,
I read The Plague several years ago for a book club. I thought it was a good novel. At that time, I hadn’t focused on Camus as a modern philosopher. I am currently auditing a course on existentialism at Portland State University and, of course, am learning about Albert Camus, among others. 2020 is a good year for reading The Plague. Thanks for your thoughts on the subject.
Oh John…you just gave away thy plot!!!! (Just kidding, I read it in college) Look forward to our meeting next month. Hope you, Barbara and the kids and granddaughter are doing well.
Ben
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