Swann's Way - Attempting to Read Proust

[Amy]

So, once again, I'm attempting to read Swann's Way ... just to see what all the fuss is about and to be able to pretentiously ask whether or not someone has ever read Proust ... because that's the best way to begin a conversation in a grocery store line (if you want to shut someone up).

With sentences that go on for pages, sometimes you can't even get up to go to the bathroom without fear you might miss one of the 5 stories in one of his sentences.

So, how do you read Proust? My suggestion is on a grassy hillside with the wind in your hair and bonbons at your fingertips. Or perhaps in a boat with servants fanning you as you float down the river. But more likely, you'll be reading it on nights you have insomnia to try to lull yourself to sleep. It works pretty well that way.

At first, I was trying to memorize every person and incident in the book, but now that I'm 20% in, I'm just along for the ride and pretending like Proust Marcel and I are sitting around talking and he's just rambling on about his memories from childhood.

Anyhow, I thought I'd leave this Monty Python skit about a Summarizing Proust Competition here for chuckles:
https://youtu.be/uwAOc4g3K-g