Week ending 03/01: Within a Budding Grove, to page 83 / location 9064

[midnightfaerie]

oh i am so far behind... *sigh*

[Jonathan]

midnightfaerie wrote: "oh i am so far behind... *sigh*"

Is it lack of time or are you finding Proust dull or difficult?

[Jonathan]

Well, Within a Budding Grove kicks off well...we're straight into the narrator's family and we get alternative views of Swann, Odette & Cottard.

I found the overriding theme was the narrator coming to terms with disappointments: he finally gets to go to the theatre to see his beloved Berma - but her performance is not up to scratch; he's disappointed when Norpois criticises Bergotte as well as the narrator's attempts at writing; he's disappointed when Norpois doesn't mention him when at Mme Swann's; even his affections towards Gilberte seem to be cooling; he's even disappointed that he can't stand outside of Time. In short he's growing up, I guess.

My favourite word of this section is sesquipedalian.

[midnightfaerie]

Awesome word! No, I'm loving it, I'm just finding my time divided between other things I have to read (some editing jobs) and life responsibilities. (kids) But I won't give up, I'm slowly making my way through it. I'll get there. In the meantime, I'll live vicariously through your conversations. :)

[midnightfaerie]

Just looked up the word. I'm soooo using it in something. Just not sure where yet. Maybe a review? :)

[Jonathan]

Just make sure it's a sesquipedalian review.

[Sunny]

So, the word, sesquipedalian is itself sesquipedalian. LOL!

Don't worry about being behind, Janine! I'll be right there with you. The only difference being that I am purposefully falling behind again this month. I really enjoyed reading the first one at a clipped pace. So, my plan is to start in with volume two around early April and be finishing it around the same time as the group. (Which is basically what I did with the first volume.)

[Luciene]

When I discovered a group that was reading La Recherche in its entirety in 2013, I found myself impossibly behind. Now that I am so glad of having found you guys, I am a little ahead, in the middle of Guermantes' Way.

I guess I will be beginning to read the fourth volume with you in July.

[Sunny]

I took a month break between SW and WaBG, and now I seem to have forgotten a character. I remember Swann and Odette (of course) and I remember Professor Cottard. But, I had to google Mme. Verdurin to be reminded of who she is. How awful is that? How could I have possibly forgotten HER? LOL!

[Jonathan]

Sunny in Wonderland wrote: "I took a month break between SW and WaBG, and now I seem to have forgotten a character. I remember Swann and Odette (of course) and I remember Professor Cottard. But, I had to google Mme. Verduri..."

I'm also quite bad at remembering characters and plots but a quick prompt usually brings it back again.

Some editions have a synopsis at the back of the books which I've found useful in recapping what I've read previously. I've also found them useful in determining points to stop or pause my reading.

There is a Sparknotes summary available for Swann's Way.