Stranger Things Have Happened

Slate’s John Dickerson wants to know why Bush is reading Camus’ The Stranger, and the equally curious Steve Benen notes, “It’s a novel steeped in philosophy, most notably Camus’ existentialism, and delves into a not-so-subtle atheism.”

The Stranger is a slim book I first read in high school; I enjoyed it then, and even more so later. I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys thinkin’, which, admittedly, makes it seem an odd choice for G-Dub, who’s not known for his intellectual pursuits. So, how, one then inevitably wonders, did the president come upon the decision to pick up The Stranger? Perhaps it was the same way I did—he heard The Cure song based on the book. In my case, well, anything that was of interest to Robert Smith would surely be of interest to me, but I’m thinking G-Dub just fancied the lyrics.

Killing An Arab

Standing on the beach
With a gun in my hand
Staring at the sea
Staring at the sand
Staring down the barrel
At the Arab on the ground
I can see his open mouth
But I hear no sound

I'm alive
I'm dead
I'm the stranger
Killing an Arab

I can turn
And walk away
Or I can fire the gun
Staring at the sky
Staring at the sun
Whichever I chose
It amounts to the same
Absolutely nothing

I'm alive
I'm dead
I'm the stranger
Killing an Arab

I feel the steel butt jump
Smooth in my hand
Staring at the sea
Staring at the sand
Staring at myself
Reflected in the eyes
Of the dead man on the beach
The dead man on the beach

I'm alive
I'm dead
I'm the stranger
Killing an Arab