The Outsider
Colin Wilson
Diversion Publishing Corp.
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