---
product_id: 466012346
title: "The Plague: A new translation by Laura Marris"
price: "$38.64"
currency: USD
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 9
url: https://www.desertcart.us/products/466012346-the-plague-a-new-translation-by-laura-marris
store_origin: US
region: United States of America
---

# The Plague: A new translation by Laura Marris

**Price:** $38.64
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- **What is this?** The Plague: A new translation by Laura Marris
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## Description

desertcart.com: The Plague: A new translation by Laura Marris: 9780593082096: Camus, Albert, Marris, Laura: Books

Review: this new American translation shines light where the older British translation cast only shadows - Recent pandemic events inspired by the “novel” coronavirus cried out to me to reread my half-century-old Modern Library edition of The Plague, its black hardbound covers now faded a lusterless gray. By rereading the dog-eared pages of my copy, I hoped also to revisit the torturous thoughts of my lost youth. . I cherished this novel when I first read it 50 years ago, and upon rereading it two years ago I cherished it yet again. Alas, I did find tedious the subplots of the human melodramas enjoyed or endured by the diverse cast of minor characters, notably all male, found quarantined within the walls of this imaginary coastal city of French Algiers. In contrast, the passages about the unifying and ever-present main character, Mademoiselle (notably feminine noun) La Peste, remain brilliant distillations of the literature of existentialism for which the name “Camus” has become synonymous. But here comes a big But. Upon my 2nd reading, I found objectionable the outdated 1948 British translation marred by words and expressions whose meanings now are obscure, especially to Americans. I judged the novel as overdue for an updated American edition. This new American translation published in 2021 is precisely that overdue revision. This new translation prompted me to read the novel a 3rd time. Truly a book for our time, this new translation shines light where the older translation only cast shadows. . Nobly translated by Laura Marris, a poet and writer in her own right, Camus’ prescient novel has been accorded its definitive translation. Appropriately, Ms Marris was translating the novel when she was experiencing our covid lockdown herself. Well worth your pursuit, search online for her own literary criticism of “The Plague” published in 2022 in “The Paris Review.” She duly draws parallels to Camus’ plague and to our own decade’s so-called plague. Future editions of her translation may well include her updated essay as its Foreword.
Review: Great writing from 1947 - The plague has taken over the town of Oran, and members of the town are taking it differently. A doctor is on the front lines and comes across various people from different walks of life. Each offers a unique perspective on the plague with how they deal with it. There are a fair number of characters to keep track of, but I never had any issue keeping up. I'm sure many people will compare this with the COVID epidemic, and I can understand why they would. But the book is much more than that. The narrator purposely tries to give different points of view, how different people reacted to the situation and how they coped. It gets philosophical at some points and religious at others. I can't believe this book was written in 1947. It is written so well and the emotions portrayed are relatable today. Characters in this book do not have plot armor, but it's incredibly appropriate for the devastating disease the city is dealing with. Also, this particular translation addressed some liberties taken with a previous one. The changes are mentioned in an afterword, and I feel they were warranted. A good book that still holds up after many years.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #17,811 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #266 in Psychological Fiction (Books) #400 in Classic Literature & Fiction #1,142 in Literary Fiction (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars (417) |
| Dimensions  | 5.2 x 0.75 x 8 inches |
| ISBN-10  | 0593082095 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-0593082096 |
| Item Weight  | 2.31 pounds |
| Language  | English |
| Print length  | 352 pages |
| Publication date  | October 25, 2022 |
| Publisher  | Vintage |

## Images

![The Plague: A new translation by Laura Marris - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81hhILYExhL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ this new American translation shines light where the older British translation cast only shadows
*by M***N on December 23, 2022*

Recent pandemic events inspired by the “novel” coronavirus cried out to me to reread my half-century-old Modern Library edition of The Plague, its black hardbound covers now faded a lusterless gray. By rereading the dog-eared pages of my copy, I hoped also to revisit the torturous thoughts of my lost youth. . I cherished this novel when I first read it 50 years ago, and upon rereading it two years ago I cherished it yet again. Alas, I did find tedious the subplots of the human melodramas enjoyed or endured by the diverse cast of minor characters, notably all male, found quarantined within the walls of this imaginary coastal city of French Algiers. In contrast, the passages about the unifying and ever-present main character, Mademoiselle (notably feminine noun) La Peste, remain brilliant distillations of the literature of existentialism for which the name “Camus” has become synonymous. But here comes a big But. Upon my 2nd reading, I found objectionable the outdated 1948 British translation marred by words and expressions whose meanings now are obscure, especially to Americans. I judged the novel as overdue for an updated American edition. This new American translation published in 2021 is precisely that overdue revision. This new translation prompted me to read the novel a 3rd time. Truly a book for our time, this new translation shines light where the older translation only cast shadows. . Nobly translated by Laura Marris, a poet and writer in her own right, Camus’ prescient novel has been accorded its definitive translation. Appropriately, Ms Marris was translating the novel when she was experiencing our covid lockdown herself. Well worth your pursuit, search online for her own literary criticism of “The Plague” published in 2022 in “The Paris Review.” She duly draws parallels to Camus’ plague and to our own decade’s so-called plague. Future editions of her translation may well include her updated essay as its Foreword.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great writing from 1947
*by M***Y on September 7, 2023*

The plague has taken over the town of Oran, and members of the town are taking it differently. A doctor is on the front lines and comes across various people from different walks of life. Each offers a unique perspective on the plague with how they deal with it. There are a fair number of characters to keep track of, but I never had any issue keeping up. I'm sure many people will compare this with the COVID epidemic, and I can understand why they would. But the book is much more than that. The narrator purposely tries to give different points of view, how different people reacted to the situation and how they coped. It gets philosophical at some points and religious at others. I can't believe this book was written in 1947. It is written so well and the emotions portrayed are relatable today. Characters in this book do not have plot armor, but it's incredibly appropriate for the devastating disease the city is dealing with. Also, this particular translation addressed some liberties taken with a previous one. The changes are mentioned in an afterword, and I feel they were warranted. A good book that still holds up after many years.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good
*by S***S on December 23, 2025*

Good book.

## Frequently Bought Together

- The Plague: A new translation by Laura Marris
- The Stranger
- The Myth of Sisyphus (Vintage International)

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*Store origin: US*
*Last updated: 2026-03-07*