The Year of Reading Proust discussion
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Has anyone used the Proust-ink.com lectures?
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I considered it too. I respect William Carter, whose book "Proust in Love" was surprisingly good. (I was put off by the cover!) I have almost one hundred studies of Proust which probably give me more than I would gain from the course. In the end they all just send me back to the novel, as, I am sure, would the course. The most interesting commentary I've come across is Maria Paganini's "Reading Proust". But the course would be more than a decadent pleasure. I too would be interested to see some reports from other readers.
Almost 100 studies of Proust! YOU should teach a class ☺️☺️I read a comment on this group from a while ago of at least one person who was using Proust-ink but I can't find the post!
Nick I can't even get my book group to read Marcel! But I must say that with the few friends who love him as I do we spend joyous hours discussing various aspects of the novel, his life, and the memoirs and studies. We laugh a lot! As a housekeeper's daughter I have a particular affection for Celeste Albaret's memoir ("Monsieur Proust"). As you probably know, Celeste helped him revise and put all the re-writings on scappy bits of paper into a coherent form. (She invented cut & paste.) The funny thing about it is how much of Proust's sensibility and style is evident in her own prose.
I've never met a person in real life who has ever even attempted to read Proust 😂😂I have Celeste's book in my amazon shopping cart at this very moment actually. So definitely worth the read, then? I can't decide between that and a modern biography.
Have you thought about trying to get your group to read Swann in Love? I believe penguin puts out a paperback of just that portion of swanns way. It certainly feels like a novel, and it can also be paired with a fairly adequate Jeremy Irons movie (his French was nice, though they missed an obvious opportunity to make a half-hidden guest appearance of a little marcel which would have been great). I'm going to try and get some friends to read it, knowing that they simply would not be able to read the entirety of the work. Better a little Proust than no Proust I guess 😆
After many attempts to get my book group to read Proust I have admitted almost total failure. One friend read the first volume, but never asked for the next. I adore Jeremy Irons, so the Swann in Love film was a great treat. There are quite a few other films of the novel - many in French - on YouTube. Celeste Albaret's memoir is an amazing thing. One of these days you and I should review it on here.
Love Celeste Albaret's "Monsieur Proust." A lovely detail from it; she says that she did not--originally--like to read, but would rather hemstitch pillowcases (!!!). But "M. Proust" wanted her to read. Did he give her Mallarme? Dostoyevsky? Villon? No. He gave her "The Three Musketeers." Which she loved! So many intellectuals, trying to encourage a non-reader to become a reader, make the mistake of beginning them on The Greats. Proust was Great enough not to...
More on housekeepers. The Narrator is describing how Francoise was a perfect servant (altho a maddening human being!): most of the qualities make sense, but one never did. He says she "toiled like a horse, without the appearance of doing anything." Now why? I thought; why would that be so good? But then I realized. It is exhausting (tho I love it) for me to have my son cook supper. He toils like a horse, but NOT with the appearance of doing nothing! After so many years of keeping house, I can slop into the kitchen, get a nice meal ready, without seeming to make much effort, and so--evidently--could Francoise.
I used it and it was worth every penny and every minute. I spent a full two years on the entire novel and it was one of the best experiences of my life. In fact, I would dare say that it changed my life. Nic and Bill were an integral part of that journey.
As an early Proust Online: Self-Paced Course subscriber, I have listened to all the lectures numerous times. Why? I always ‘hear’ something new-not unlike rereading the novel. My favorite part of course, which is a Lifetime Subscription, is Carter’s LIVE bi-monthly webcams, where you can ask him anything! It’s best to send in your question(s) in a week or so before, but there is time, at the end, to also ask a question. There are also amazing resources in the ‘filing cabinets.’ For me, Bill Carter and Nic Drogoul’s Online Course, with the live webcams, is indispensable.
I've been a subscriber to Proust-Ink (Proust Online: Self-Paced Course) since 2015. When you join, you get a life-time subscription, so not only can you view the lectures on demand, but there are the quarterly webcams described above by Marcelita. I went on a Proust Tour (escorted by Bill and Nic) a few years ago. It was a great tour, plus we had access to Bill’s encyclopedic knowledge of Proust. Bill Carter is currently working on a new corrected and annotated edition of the Search from Yale Press, and volume 3 (Guermantes Way) has just been published. The annotations are very informative, and I wish I had had them available during my first reading of Proust.
Ok, you've convinced me and I'm going to take the plunge and subscribe to the life-time membership. Figured I'd ask if anybody has a discount code or invitation thing? Just so pricey !Thanks all!
Nick, have you taken the plunge ? I'm a Canadian on a pension so $200 will be $264 for me with the current exchange rate. I'll pay it if I think it will likely enhance my reading of Proust. I'll consider the life-time membership, and I'll think myself blessed if I can benefit "mentally" from at least one decade of access.
Yes I have taken the plunge. There is a LOT of information going along with the lectures and I have just finished all lectures for Swann's Way (5 hours total). It is much more than a simple recap, and I have already learned a lot more than I thought I would. I'm working through the Volume 2 lectures now (I have only finished reading books 1 and 2) and then I will start the G. Way and read along with the course. The only issue I have is the production quality could be much better and I often run into issues with audio where I find myself straining to hear whats being said. I have to wear headphones sometimes in order to make out what he's saying.
Other than that, It really does feel like a full master's course in literature for Proust and for that I'm thankful.
One other minor issue: I have emailed the lecturer a few times and never gotten a response...I would have loved for him to answer my questions as that's supposedly part of the package, but what can you do I guess.
Thanks Nick. This is very useful. I agree that having one's questions ignored is frustrating particularly if expected by a subscriber.
You should know before you buy that the lecturer spends most of the time reading Proust out loud. Comments, interpretation, insights are far too sparse. And while I love to listen to quality readings of our author, this lecturer's delivery falls short of the mark to justify the cost. The webcams are interesting and Carter provides interesting biographical miscellany. However, for lectures on the red heart of the text itself, I find far more useful and deeper the recordings made of the Proust seminar at Columbia University in 2013 - by Bernard Taylor. These are free and the insight and interpretation by Taylor is enormously helpful and enriching. My understanding was so expanded.http://www.benjamintaylorauthor.com/l...
Eugenia wrote: "You should know before you buy that the lecturer spends most of the time reading Proust out loud. Comments, interpretation, insights are far too sparse. And while I love to listen to quality readin..."That's good to know. I'm not familiar with the Proust Seminar so I will check it out. Much obliged.
I've just finished listening to Taylor's first seminar and I will likely continue to follow the course to the end. The idea of listening to an actual lecture with student participation is captivating. I'll have to note the students' names so I can see if any intriguing personalities emerge. So far the male students seem to dominate the conversation. I was amused by Taylor's comment that the Bloch type is familiar on his campus. I am reading an older Scott Moncrieff / Kilmartin edition (1983) so my page numbers don't match Taylor's.
Lee wrote: "I've just finished listening to Taylor's first seminar and I will likely continue to follow the course to the end. The idea of listening to an actual lecture with student participation is captivati..."Hello! I am doing my own Year of Reading Proust, and came across this discussion. I can't seem to get to the Benjamin Taylor seminars. I get an error message. Lee, are you still accessing? Do you have a new link? Thank you.
Hi Maureen,I finished the course to the final lecture and alerted a friend who then told me that she had been unable to connect. This was about three months ago so the link has been broken for a considerable time. It's too bad since I found the discussions most entertaining. I hope it's fixed soon.
thanks for the reply. I hope it's restored. perhaps I'll send an email to Professor Taylor.
Maureen wrote: "thanks for the reply. I hope it's restored. perhaps I'll send an email to Professor Taylor."Has anyone had any luck finding the MP3s from Benjamin Taylor's site? I'm really hoping to listen along with my re-read. I appreciate any help!
Thanks!