Reading Proust's In Search of Lost Time in 2014 discussion
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After We've Found Time Again
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Dave
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Oct 03, 2014 03:10PM
Cooool! I've never been to Amazon.com.br before. Now I can buy books with Reals. I like the way they give you a complementary umbrella drink when you log in and have a live band playing Samba while you browse. Already I have found Bullfinch's Mythologies which I don't yet own in Portugese. And O Pequeno Príncipe [Português] Antoine Saint-Exupéry (Autor) is a must for any respectable personal library. Thanks Renato!
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Dave wrote: "Glad I could offer some help. Just noted that you just found Hindus' book Marcelita. A sure signed that my mineshaft into the mountain of Proust commentary is getting pretty deep when I shine my ..."
My Moss book doesn't even have a regular binding....just separate sections. I put a picture in Photos.
It's wonderful to have so many resources.
Here is one list from Antoine Compagnon; see "VIII. Bibliographie générale"
http://www.fabula.org/compagnon/prous...
Another great link, thanks Marcelita.I bought my Hindus copy in May 1972 when a student at UT Austin (I put date in books back then. Undoubtedly when I first purchased my first paperback copies of Proust's volumes. Paperback published by Noonday Press, it has a soft grey cover and spine with white lettering and a slash of purple from upper right to center.
Below, center right it has a large flower drawn in red with a thin stalk coming up from bottom of cover. My guess is that it is a species of Cattelya Orchid although no info is provided on cover art. The book is available used on Amazon if you would like a better copy.
At the same time I purchased a small hardbound boxed volume by Proust entitled "On Reading". First published in 1905 in a magazine, it was expanded and became the Preface of Proust's translation of Sesames and Lilies.
Mod
As an aside in reference to my "My guess is that it is a species of Cattelya Orchid" I find the scene where Swann is trying to help Odette pin the orchid he gave her in a carriage to be the steamiest scene in the entire work!
Marcelita wrote: "Dave wrote: "Glad I could offer some help. Just noted that you just found Hindus' book Marcelita. A sure signed that my mineshaft into the mountain of Proust commentary is getting pretty deep whe..."
I purchased a couple of books from that section that I don't have that were reasonably priced. Thanks!
Wish that book by the Polish Officer who taught Proust in Prisoner of War camp would be translated. That is so moving!
Dave wrote: "Marcelita wrote: "Dave wrote: "Glad I could offer some help. Wish that book by the Polish Officer who taught Proust in Prisoner of War camp would be translated. That is so moving!"
Yes! Somewhere on GoodReads is the story of how I discovered this book.
"Proust contre la decheance" by Joseph Czapski.
Always a mind-mapper, I found his "recollections" remarkable.
Don't look too closely...there may be some final volume SPOILERS! revealed.
Kalliope (our absolutely brilliant Moderator of Proust 2013) read the book in French. Here is her review:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
Marcelita wrote: "Dave wrote: "Marcelita wrote: "Dave wrote: "Glad I could offer some help. Wish that book by the Polish Officer who taught Proust in Prisoner of War camp would be translated. That is so moving!"
Yes, I got that from reading back up this topic page. You had posted that review and one other in early July. It would also make a great movie, Adrian Brody looks just like Czapski.
Dave wrote: "Have you read "Proust's Narrative Techniques" ..."I "ordered" it last week from our New York Public Library.
They have one copy, stored offsite, but it is now "IN TRANSIT."
Not sure if that means next week or next month.
Proust's narrative techniques --
Total Copies: 1
Available by request (1)
Location Collection Call No. Status
Stephen A. Schwarzman Building OFFSITE - TSD - Request in Advance JFE 83-4431 IN TRANSIT
ADV REQUEST
Unless it's a new book, like the Moncrieff biography, I only buy my books at The Strand. Last Thursday, my eyes fatefully landed on the lower shelf of a stand-alone bookcase, far from the four Proust areas...Deleuze's "Proust and Signs" paperback.
Others had loaned their copies, but I was still searching for my own.
I don't trust myself online; otherwise, not only would I be a regular customer at Le Feu Follet http://www.edition-originale.com/en/ and Abe Books, but I would be bidding in Sotheby's October 7th auction:
"Joy of joys!" just to look at the spines. ;)
See lot #151
http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/e...
All the Proust lots, #139-156, can be found here:
http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/2...
For me, Lot #156 would be the most coveted book, with it's endearing dedication to Céleste. I hope a library wins the bid and not a private collector.
In translation:
"Proust, Marcel
IN SEARCH OF LOST TIME. IV. SIDE OF GUERMANTES. II. SODOM AND GOMORRHA. SECOND EDITION. PARIS, N.R.F. 1921 IN-8, BOUND, BOX CASE OF SORROW RED.
PRECIOUS AND FAMOUS COPY OF CELESTIAL ALBARET, housekeeper, secretary and nurse Marcel Proust.
She married Odilon Albaret, the driver of Proust, and entered the service of the writer in 1913.
It covers the first leaf guard this DEDICATION AUTOGRAPH:
'To my dear Celeste,
to my faithful friend of eight years,
but in reality if united with my thoughts
I say true calling
My lifelong friend, unable
imagine that I did not
always known, knowing his
past spoiled child in his
Today whims, Celeste cross
war because it has supported and Gotha
Berthas, Celeste has supported the
cross my mood Celeste cross of honor.
Her friend Marcel.'
Kept intact as a talisman, Celeste did not cut the pages of the volume.
The volume has been featured in various exhibitions: - Marcel Proust and his time in London, 1955, No. 324 (with reproduction inset) - Marcel Proust, National Library, 1965 No. 484 - Marcel Proust and his time, Musée Jacquemart André 1971, No. 360f."
http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/e...
This auction will be watch by all collectors...especially with the manuscripts.
Patrice Louis, from Illiers-Combray, will be on French television discussing the auction.
I will try to find it.
Marcelita wrote: "Dave wrote: "Have you read "Proust's Narrative Techniques" ..."I "ordered" it last week from our New York Public Library.
They have one copy, stored offsite, but it is now "IN TRANSIT."
Not sur..."
I ordered "Proust and Signs" also. The collectors edition is beautiful. I share your hope that a library will be able to purchase it or that it will be donated to a library on purchase.
Marcelita, I read "Proust and Signs: The Complete Text"Gilles Deleuze (Author), Richard Howard (Translator) at your recommendation. At times it was quite dense, but I followed the main arguments and found them quite interesting. I especially liked the metaphor about the Narrator at the end.
Among the Proust books I have received in the last few days is "A Reader's Handbook to Proust: An Indexed Guide to Remembrance of Things Past" completed by P. A. Spalding and revised by R.H. Cortie. This little book gives brief synopsis of each volume and then has then has a comprehensive list of characters listing volume and page number each time they appear or are mentioned by name with a brief description of what is said. This is followed by a subject index that does the same thing for all the major topics in the book. Unfortunately it is indexed against the Chatto and Windus 12 Volume translation of Moncrieff published 1949-51. Still useful for reminder of who said what where. Wish some current scholar would do this for the Modern Library edition.
Mod
That's good Jonathan, should be useful when you are reading TR.
Mod
Renato, we both posted a list of recommended books about 11 days ago on this thread.
Mod
Renato wrote: "Dave and Marcelita, would it be too much to ask that you compile a short list of must-read books about Proust and ISOLT? Those that really made a difference for you?"Thinking back...I didn't start reading any "must-reads," until I re-read the novel.
Never one to be discouraging, but if you decide to make a sincere commitment to Proust, you will find that the time you put into reading books about Proust and ISOLT will be more meaningful after the second reading.
I truly believe you haven't read the novel, until you understand the structure and marvel at all the previous missed "clues."
It is a different novel on the second reading...and you will be a different reader.
Mod
I'm going to re-read ISOLT immediately after finishing! I just wanted to start looking for some of the books since it may be hard finding them here in Brazil!
Renato wrote: "Marcelita, I'm going to re-read ISOLT immediately after finishing! I just wanted to start looking for some of the books since it may be hard finding them here in Brazil!"
Then...after finishing. I would start with the biographies...reading at least two.
After that, read a book about your interest(s) that can be found in Proust.
I love Fortuny, so I found whole chapter dedicated to Proust in "Paris Fashion: A Cultural History" by Valerie Steele. In reading, I learned that Charlus' comment to Albertine, about her grey dress, was traced back to Balzac (Princess de Cadignan).
I learned about the influence Balzac had on Proust and how some the the story lines meld. After taking several classes with Anka Mulhstein, the "Balzac" layer is now visible to me.
Have you ever eaten a "mille-feuille?"
A "thousand leaves" of pastry?
Proust's novel consists of many layers...some say threads (tapestry)...some say leitmotifs (symphony), but you understand.
So, start with a layer that resonates within you...and go from there.
Next year, I am finally tacking the philosophy layer...Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, etc.
Examples:
Music? "Proust as Musician" by Jean-Jacques Nattiez.
Color? "The Color-keys to "A la Recherche Du Temps Perdu" by Allan H. Pasco.
Philosophy? "Proust as Philosopher: The Art of Metaphor" by Miguel de Beistegui.
Latin America? (Alas, nothing directly with Brazil-Portuguese)
"Marcel Proust and Spanish America: From Critical Response to Narrative Dialogue" by Herbert E. Craig
or
"Proust's Latin Americans" by Rubén Gallo
Proust's relationships? "Proust in Love" by William C. Carter
New! The Proust Fan Club of Illiers-Combray.
"I love the county of Combray" sticker.
"The initiative came from the Tourist Office of the Pays de Combray. Proud of its territory and its treasures - including Marcel Proust as the jewel."
Write to Patrice Louis (SASE), get your sticker, take a picture of it in your home and send it back. I wonder which country has the most passionate Proustians? USA? France? Spain? Japan? (French postage is $1.55 per stamp, so you will need two stamps.)
En clair, demandez-le moi. Envoyez-moi une enveloppe timbrée avec votre adresse à :
Patrice Louis, le Fou de Proust
16, rue Ronsard
28120 ILLIERS-COMBRAY
France
En retour, vous recevrez l’autocollant.
Collez-le où vous voulez là où vous vivez, prenez une photo et adressez-la moi.
Ce blogue consacrera une page aux images proclamant « J’aime le Pays de Combray » par les Proustiens éparpillés sur la planète.
http://lefoudeproust.fr/2014/10/jaime...
https://translate.google.com/translat...
PS Boston Proust fans were thinking about putting the sticker (temporarily) on the statue of Poe...on his lapel or in the raven's beak.
http://dailyfreepress.com/wp-content/...
Mod
The good thing about re-reading Proust is to have so much to explore that it's never a boring re-read where you already know everything that you will encounter. It seems that it's not a repetition of what you've seen before, it's an addition.
Dave wrote: "Hindus has a larger book "Proust's Vision" that is reasonably priced used but has no description on Amazon. As Jonathan noted he wrote about Celine and others."Based on your reference to Celine Jonathan, I bought "Rigadoon". I should have looked closer, it is volume three of a trilogy. Have you read the trilogy? Are his books difficult to read?
Old books are fun! I got the last three of the used "Proust" books; Andre Maurois' biography, "The Proustian Community" by Seth Wolitz and "Proust's Narrative Techniques" by B G Rodgers. This last book I believe is what I have so restlessly been looking for since I finished the first read in July. As the title suggests, it provides a detail analysis of the techniques used to write the book and offers reasonable hypothesis of why he chose to write the book as he did. It was expensive (at least for me) but I'm glad I bought it.
Mod
He's not a 'difficult' writer as such, certainly not like Joyce for example, but his style is quite off-putting to some readers. The usual route is probably to read his first book, Journey to the End of the Night first, then Death on the Installment Plan, which covers his childhood in Paris at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century, and then if you still like his writing to tackle the post-war trilogy, Castle to Castle, North and Rigadoon - the trilogy is superb but as with most of his post-war stuff he takes a while to release all the bile in him before he calms down - you'll see what I mean if you try it.
I don't think you'd have too much trouble launching straight into the trilogy - just remember that the first 70 pages of 'Castle to Castle' is not representative of the rest of the trilogy.
Alternatively you may try Normance which I only read quite recently and thought might make a good starter for a Céline novice - see my review if you're interested. I'd be interested to know how you get on with him.
Thanks for the info, I'll keep you posted. Journey to the End of Night has been in my library and on my read list as long as Proust.
Great review Jonathan, I am intrigued and will give him a try.Meanwhile, is this French author that won the Nobel Prize this year been translated in the UK or Brazil? Almost nothing here yet.
Have either of you read "Dance to the Music of Time". If so what did you think?
Mod
Great! Céline is definitely one of my favourite authors. You can't go wrong starting with 'Journey' but his distinctive style doesn't really appear until his subsequent novels.
Mod
There are a few available, mostly US versions I think - I'll have to read something by him soon.
I haven't read 'Dance to the Music of Time'; in fact I only heard of it after I'd started Proust this year. I'm not sure whether to tackle something like that after Proust but I'm sure it won't be long before I start another big reading project after I finish ISOLT as I seem to like having a 'biggie' on the go - for years I've been meaning to read Casanova's memoirs so I'm thinking about it...
Have you any big reading projects on the horizon?
Mod
I want to re-read the entire ISOLT, but it won't take me the whole year. I also wanted to read One Thousand and One Nights... but it's not that big either...
Mod
I've only read the 1970s Penguin version of '1001 Nights'. Penguin recently issued a three volume set that looks like it runs to about 2,600 pages. I'd love to read it.
Mod
As for long term reading, my plan was to read "Don Quixote". I have a good translation but I'm dithering about getting into it. My reader's radar tells me to stay in the 20th century for now so Celine may be next. I read the first "Movement" of Dance to the Movement of Time many years ago. I didn't stick with it but since I've read Proust, it may make a more lasting impression. I also want to read John Cowper Powys, have you read John Fowles books Jonathan? The Magus is my altime favorite book. I mentioned it some time back to Renato.
No problem Renato, at a thousand and one nights thats only two pages a day for about three years. You just need a Scheherazade to read it to you if you don't already know her.
Mod
I've read The Magus several time, at some point he went back and rewrote the ending. I liked the first ending. When we were in England a couple of years we were in Lyme Regis and I went in a bookstore and discovered the proprietor had been encouraged by Fowles to open the store and came every Thursday to sit by the cash register and shoot the breeze. I bought another copy of The Magus, but made sure it was an edition that had the original ending.Henry Miller was an indulgence of my college days.
Good grief! I went on Amazon to check for Celine ebooks - my paperback copy of Journey is selling used for between $108 and $431!!! I'm not going to read it, I'm going to put it in my safe deposit box!
I preordered "Suspended Sentences: Three Novella" by Modiano, to be published 28 October.I'm starting Celine's Journey, looks suitably dark for my current cynical worldview.
I want to read some Balzac, but where to start? Pere Goriot? Suggestions?
Stendhal too, Rouge et Noir has been to long on the list. Proust has reawakened my interest in Flaubert, Sentimental Education - Already read Bovary. Also, recently read of Flaubert's travels to Istanbul.
And Renato's review of War and Peace peaked my interest there too.
Mod
Pere Goriot and Rouge et Noir are both on my list as well... but they're not priorities right now.
Mod
Re: Balzac, you may like the site.
Why not also read Zola? One of my faves. :-)
Dave wrote: "Good grief! I went on Amazon to check for Celine ebooks - my paperback copy of Journey is selling used for between $108 and $431!!! I'm not going to read it, I'm going to put it in my safe deposit ..."Being "old" has its advantages. ;)
Awhile ago, I found the Glaser poster in my Dylan's Greatest Hits.
Now, you will be reading Journey in either a new paperback, from the library or online.
Jonathan wrote: "Re: Flaubert, I really want to read Bouvard and Pecuchet which looks amazingly modern...I've got a copy here, I just need to find the time.Re: Balzac, you may like the site...."
This is the best Balzac site. Everyone interested should Bookmark it.
My favorite page:
http://balzacbooks.wordpress.com/sugg...
Don't watch until after you have read the novel.
A special treat!
"A Closer Look at Baron de Charlus" with Anka Muhlstein (with the Balzac threads; 3 parts)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-3vdn9W...
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=z1Z2yDi...
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9wdWMI-...
Yes, Renato, Joyce is always standing at my shoulder whispering "when?". At some point I'll be brave. It would be easier perhaps if, on that night at the Majestic, he had gushed, "Oh M. Proust, I just loved your book! So brilliant, and your readers too, so discerning" And of course our hero would have responded, "That is correct. And who are you?" lol
That is a good Balzac site Jonathan, and the one you linked too Marcelita! Thanks. I remember you had brought that site to my attention before. Both very helpful.
Dave wrote: "I want to read some Balzac..."In Anka Muhlstein's course: "Proust reads Balzac," we focused on four novels:
Lost Illusions,
The Cabinet of the Antiquities,
A Harlot High and Low, and
The Girl with the Golden Eyes.
These books are all favorites of the Baron de Charlus, and you can see Balzac's influences on Proust's narrative.
I am watching those videos now Marcelita, very informative.Have you read "Proust's Literary Techniques"? I'm very excited about it. First half covers writing before La Recherche with a chapter each on earliest writings, Jean Santeuil, and Contra San Beauve and how his style emerged fron these earlier writings.
Oh, and have you been to the Albertine store yet Marcelita?
Dave wrote: "I am watching those videos now Marcelita, very informative.Have you read "Proust's Literary Techniques"? I'm very excited about it. First half covers writing before La Recherche with a chapter ea..."
Not yet. I ordered it "off site" from the New York Public Library. One copy...now "lost in transit!" So, I will now need to go to Columbia's library.
If you like to follow the "how" of the novel, here is a site that may interest you.
I discovered it, while trying to figure out the color of eyes.
French:
http://www.revue-texto.net/docannexe/...
(As I don't read French, I will copy a few pages at a time and then paste into Google Translate. You can get the general idea.)
"Abstract. Textual genetics research, such as allowing the publication of the Pleiades "sketches" written by Proust, locally reveals a series of rewrites of eye color, and redesigned in the final version. It will be shown that the transition from purple-violet to blue eye, with the heroines of the novel, is part of an overall theme, and the floral metaphor, as well as mineral, required for this change is not a mere ornament." GT
Thanks! All the quotes are in french in the Narrative Techniques book. I am getting a lot out of the book with just a sense of what is quoted but I would like to translate the quotes. I'm going to try Babylon or another web site. Fortunately, quotes are used sparingly.
Reading Proust's In Search of Lost Time in 2014
Books mentioned in this topic
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A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (other topics)
North (other topics)
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