When a young Algerian named Meursault kills a man, his subsequent imprisonment and trial are puzzling and absurd. The apparently amoral Meursault--who puts little stock in ideas like love and God--seems to be on trial less for his murderous actions, and more for what the authorities believe is his deficient character.Since this story was written and published in English, in 1946, Albert Camus's first novel, The Stranger has had a profound inpact on millions of American readers.