Reddit reviews Basic Writings of Existentialism (Modern Library Classics)

Existentialism isn't just one single "belief" or "school" or whatever. But it's concerned with the questions of what meaning, if any, our lives have or can have. That is the core concern--these "existential" questions (pertaining to our existence). When it comes to so-called Existentialist writers, I think that Nietzsche is my favorite (though when he was around "Existentialism" had not yet been named). Yeah, Nietzsche is my favorite by far. Kierkegaard is also considered an early "Existentialist" and he comes up with some great insights especially into psychology but I just can't stomach his "leap of faith" idea. Perhaps the most famous Existentialist (and who actually claimed to be an Existentialist) was Jean-Paul Sartre. I disagree with him on human nature though. His idea was that human nature is not determined at all, that we are absolutely free to therefore determine our own nature as we live, make choices, etc. I think that modern science bears out the falsity of his "existence precedes essence" view here.

Anyway, I would recommend The Basic Writings of Existentialism, found here . It contains various excerpts from some of the major Existentialists. It's what got me introduced to it.

As for your friend, I just have to say that a lot of us "philosophy types" are pretentious douchebags--or at least come across that way sometimes. I find myself slipping into that same thing from time to time. I must say that in philosophy, Existentialism is considered "weak philosophy." Especially in America and England most modern philosophers don't even bother with Existentialism at all. So your friend doesn't have that much to boast about, really. So he has some ideas on meaning in life? Great. And? It's not that great of an intellectual feat, really, to understand some of this stuff. He's just puffing himself up. That being said, Existentialism is what got me interested in philosophy to begin with. Anyhow, good luck.

Readers are always best. Gordon Marino's Basic Writings of Existentialism is the best. Barrett's Irrational Man is the best commentary. Reading the both together will get you well into the woods of existentialism.