Extract from The Stranger by Camus, pt. I

"Mother died today. Or, maybe, yesterday; I can’t be sure. The telegram from the Home says: YOUR MOTHER PASSED AWAY. FUNERAL TOMORROW. DEEP SYMPATHY. Which leaves the matter doubtful; it could have been yesterday."

"Never in my life had I seen anyone so clearly as I saw these people; not a detail of their clothes or features escaped me. And yet I couldn’t hear them, and it was hard to believe they really existed."

"What struck me most about their faces was that one couldn’t see their eyes, only a dull glow in a sort of nest of wrinkles."

"For a moment I had an absurd impression that they had come to sit in judgment on me."

"I had nothing to say, and the silence lasted quite a while"

"To my surprise each of them shook hands with me, as though this night together, in which we hadn’t exchanged a word, had created a kind of intimacy between us."

"Now, in the full glare of the morning sun, with everything shimmering in the heat haze, there was something inhuman, discouraging, about this landscape."

"He was walking with carefully measured steps, economizing every gesture."

"..and I pictured myself going straight to bed and sleeping twelve hours at a stretch."

"I remembered it was a Sunday, and that put me off; I’ve never cared for Sundays."

"After that I stayed in bed until noon, smoking cigarettes. I decided not to lunch at Céleste’s restaurant as I usually did; they’d be sure to pester me with questions, and I dislike being questioned. So I fried some eggs and ate them off the pan. I did without bread as there wasn’t any left, and I couldn’t be bothered going down to buy it."

"It occurred to me that somehow I’d got through another Sunday, that Mother now was buried, and tomorrow I’d be going back to work as usual. Really, nothing in my life had changed."

"Before leaving for lunch I washed my hands. I always enjoyed doing this at midday. In the evening it was less pleasant, as the roller towel, after being used by so many people, was sopping wet. I once brought this to my employer’s notice. It was regrettable, he agreed—but, to his mind, a mere detail."

I really enjoyed reading this book. I was able to identify with the character on some deep level, plus the uncommon descriptions and the attention which was drawn to details was quite amazing. This might be the first book I'm considering re-reading.