This is an audio version of Colin Wilson’s first book, The Outsider. It’s an intellectual and philosophical text which makes for quite intense listening and I’m tackling ( and enjoying) it in small chunks. This allows time to reflect on the ideas posited by the author. I first read this, some 50 years ago, as a student and remember being influenced by some of his ideas and examination of ‘outsiders’ in literature. He considers numerous characters across a range of authors including Sartre, Camus, Hemingway, Hess and many more. It’s not an easy title to describe as he’s considering existential ideas along with the role of those considered outsiders in society and how they may have influenced others. I’m enjoying his insights into a number of titles, which is encouraging me to revisit a few in the light of a different and better understanding and a lifetime of experiences. It’s a reflective work written by a man of, in my view, genius. The narration is excellent, well paced and at just the right tone to listen to easily. I’m not surprised that this book has remained in print since first published in 1956 and its great to see it available in audio format, increasing accessibility. If you enjoy some of the literary classics by those authors above plus Dostoevsky, Mann and more, I think you will find this illuminating and thought provoking.