192 pages

English language

Published March 25, 2013 by New Directions Publishing Corporation.

ISBN:
978-0-8112-2030-9
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3 stars (10 reviews)

Nausea (French: La Nausée) is a philosophical novel by the existentialist philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, published in 1938. It is Sartre's first novel and, in his own opinion, one of his best works.The novel takes place in 'Bouville' (homophone of Boue-ville, literally, 'Mud town') a town similar to Le Havre, and it concerns a dejected historian, who becomes convinced that inanimate objects and situations encroach on his ability to define himself, on his intellectual and spiritual freedom, evoking in the protagonist a sense of nausea. French writer Simone de Beauvoir, Sartre's lifelong partner, argues that La Nausée grants consciousness a remarkable independence and gives reality the full weight of its sense. It is one of the canonical works of existentialism.The novel has been translated into English at least twice, by Lloyd Alexander as The Diary of Antoine Roquentin (John Lehmann Limited, 1959) and by Robert Baldick as Nausea (Penguin Books, 1963).

6 editions

Review of 'Nausea' on 'Goodreads'

2 stars

I cannot hate a work that never had any potential. After all, what would this world be without senseless fun? I will always be far more disappointed by the works that possess immense potential for exploration, yet fail to be playful, delivering only the most ordinary of mediocrity. Nausea belongs to this category. Indeed, there is not much one can say about Nausea. There is no story to speak of. Not much happens. We primarily pass our time entrenched in Roquentin's musings, emotions, and alienation. No, this is not why I pity this book. This is, in truth, a splendid premise, and these sorts of works do generally appeal to me! The writing is the problem given that it is inelegant and synthetic... or, maybe, it is not... Maybe the writer is the problem? Probably not... Well, clearly not for the majority of the people who have read this …

Subjects

  • Fiction, general