Although he would become one of the most important writers of his day, Albert Camus came from obscure, impoverished, and seemingly unpromising beginnings. Born on November 7, 1913, in Algeria—then still a French colony—Camus was raised by his widowed mother after his father died in World War I (1914-1918). His mother worked as a cleaner and struggled to make ends meet, living with her two young sons and a couple of relatives in a cramped apartment.

Camus was an intellectually precocious child and occasionally distinguished himself at school. In 1923, he won a scholarship for his high school education at a lycée in Algiers. Afterward, he attended the University of Algiers and studied philosophy. During his studies, Camus worked various odd jobs to support himself; he graduated in 1936 with the French equivalent of a master’s degree. His first marriage, to Simone Hié, lasted only two years (1934-1936). After finishing his university education, he worked as a journalist and occasionally participated in the local Workers’ Theatre. It was also during the 1930s that Camus developed health issues; in 1930, he became very ill with tuberculosis, a condition that would continue to affect him periodically.

World War II began shortly after Camus moved to Paris, and the Nazis invaded and occupied France.