The Outsider by Albert Camus
Once I overcame my resentment at being forced to read it for my French A-Level, this book totally changed the direction of my life (or rather the English translation did, the French containing too many difficult words, such as 'le').

At 17 my priorities were not to have my head shoved down the toilet and avoiding being stabbed by the assorted gangsta-rap enthusiasts and Kevs (this being South London in the 1990s, there was no such thing as a 'Chav') who populated the school, rather than Philosophy or deep thoughts.

But the razor-sharp attack on religion, morality and the law blew my mind wide open. I had long suspected that something was fundamentally wrong with the world and its people (getting the shit kicked out of you for 13 consecutive years of schooling tends to have that effect) but I finally saw it written in words I could understand.

I won't bore you with a synopsis of the plot, but a (mostly) innocent man, who may be autistic, is executed not for his crime, but for not fitting in, and not behaving as society expects in circumstances that have nothing to do with his crime. He is too simple to understand that people will consider him a monster if, say, he doesn't cry at his mother's funeral. He doesn't see social rules or morality, all he sees is things as they are.

Does he see less than other people, or does he see more?

Kant it ain't, but for an unhappy 17-year-old it was a means of intellectual escape from the Drum n' Bass and modified Vauxhall Nova world of which I never was a part. I went on to study Philosophy at university, meet some awesome people and converse on a level I never before though possible. I have a good job and a wonderful girlfriend. In contrast, at least 3 of my classmates (out of 20) are in prison now, and one only has 1 1/2 lungs after being stabbed by one of the others. I met one of them the other week working in Argos.

I win.
(Axeman Jim, Thu 15 May 2008, 17:20, 3 replies)

I've read it a few times...
It fits well with the type of novel I most enjoy; a kind of escapism within reality.

The story is entirely feasible, but at the same time offers a glimpse of escapism, as the behaviour of the protagonist (whose name itself escapes me at the moment) sits outside that which I could imagine employing myself.

And it gave rise to a great song by the Cure.
( Moey, Thu 15 May 2008, 17:31, closed)

Correct on all points
and the guy's name is Mersault.
(Axeman Jim, Thu 15 May 2008, 17:40, closed)