"I am for the left despite myself and the left" - Camus

There is much attention given to Albert Camus these days in the media.

The piece below is from Lara Marlowe's article in Monday's Irish Times.

He was born a 100 years ago on Thursday in a remote corner of colonial Algeria. His father was killed at the Battle of Marne and his mother cleaned houses to support her two sons.

It was his teacher Louis Germain, who persuaded his grandmother to let him try for a scholarship to the lycee. Camus later dedicated his Nobel Prize acceptance speech to his former teacher.

Camus recounted his childhood in 'The First Man'. The handwritten dedication to his illiterate mother ran: "For you who could never read this book."

He once wrote: "Heroism is accessible. Happiness is more difficult."