Week ending 05/31: The Guermantes Way, to page 450 / location 23030

[Renato]

Welcome, MMR.!

I'm glad you're on board! Is this your first time reading Proust?

[Jonathan]

I'm glad you're still with us Dwayne. I agree, this week's reading was a bit special.

Welcome aboard MMR. Did you finish ISOLT last year?

[MMR.]

Hi folks, to answer the questions, no, not my first reading. It is my 3rd time for some of the volumes at least. Each time is a very different experience. And yes I did finish The Year Of Reading Proust, 2013. There were some very knowledgeable readers for that experience. It was an amazing opportunity for me.

Must say, we are all very lucky to have Marcelita following along as she is a wonderful and generous resource! I seem to recall her Pinterest boards being phenomenal, if anyone wants to check that out.

[Renato]

It seems a lot of people keep reading Proust once they're done with ISOLT!

We are very lucky to have Marcelita providing us a lot of interesting information. I checked her Pinterest some days ago and you're right, it's phenomenal.

I hope you'll add to our discussions as well since you've had already your own experiences with the books. :)

[Dave]

I went to check out Marcelita's Pinterest and found I was already following her. Great job Marcelita! Thanks for joining us MMR.

[Marcelita]

I am sure my husband will be pleased to hear...that some view my obsession with Proust from a different window. ;)

@MMR Off to the thread "Introductions/Other Topics" to write about Eugene from the 2013 group.

[Dave]

I can relate Marcelita! While my wife watches TV, I sit in an adjacent room reading and listening on my headphones. Suddenly I burst out in gales of laughter. Whats so funny she calls out. Proust I holler back, wiping the tears of hilarity from my eyes. Oh..... she says in a tone that clearly communicates "how weird!" Well, we've been married a long time and she realized I was weird long before Proust. Oh well, now what was the narrator relating?

[Jonathan]

I've inadvertently mentioned at work that I'm reading this thing called ISOLT. Well, if reading in itself is not strange enough (who reads these days?) then reading a 4,000 page novel is just perverse! And what actually happens in it? They despair of me, I think.

[Renato]

It's funny you mention that, Jonathan! Just the other day I mentioned to Marcelita I tried spreading the word about Proust at work and it didn't really go well as I failed to explain what's so interesting about him. Someone actually said something along the lines: if I'm to read something so long, it'd be A Song of Ice and Fire and not this old French book...

[Marcelita]

As I mentioned to Renato, just say it's a "Harry Potter" for adults only. Ha! Or for "experienced adults," as most who attempt to read it as a "young adult" have difficulty.

Each have seven volumes (depending on the edition/publisher), over a span of years. Harry Potter, ten years (June 1997-July 2007) to Proust's fourteen years in French (November 1913-1927) and nine years in English (1922-1931).

The readers age as the novel's characters...life's truths are examined.
And each have passionate, devoted readers whose real lives were changed by the reading experience.