In 1960, French author Albert Camus died at the age of 46 in a car accident. Prior to his death, Camus published a number of great works like The Stranger and The Myth of Sisyphus. He was also working a brand new novel entitled The First Man, which was ultimately published in its unfinished form in 1994.
The First Man tells the story of a man named Jacques Cormery from his birth to his middle aged years. Primarily, though, the book follows Jacques as he tries to find more information about his father, Henri, who died when Jacques was just a little baby. At its core, The First Man is the story of a man who ventures into his past to better understand himself and his history.
Like most of Camus' other novels, The First Man received very positive reviews when it was released (and was an "instant bestseller") - and continues to receive very positive reviews to this day. Publisher's Weekly, for example, absolutely adored the book, writing that "It's likely that no amount of reworking, however, would have disguised the novel's most compelling aspect: the warmth and humanity of its author's spirit. BOMC and QPB selections."
