In Search of Lost Time / À la Recherche du Temps Perdu Buddy Read - June 2020 until present

[Phrodrick slowed his growing backlog]

You may be ahead of me
Marcel's Uncle's friend, the lady dressed in pink?
either got by me or I am not there yet.
I think this is the same uncle with a taste for actresses.

Why is it easier to read the st Loupe friendship as a gay relationship?
Meantime St Loupe and mistress reads like Swann and mistress

[Brenda]

Marcel's Uncle's friend, the lady dressed in pink?—- this originally showed up in book one. When Marcel went on an off day to visit his uncle because he wanted to meet some of his uncle’s « friends ». It comes round again in this book, but it’s revealed who she was. Yes, the same uncle.

It could be that kind of a relationship ? It could just be cultural differences ? The French don’t really have a word for like, they have « aimer » which is to like or love and « adorer » which is to like or love a lot. So I think they are either indifferent or all in? I thought their relationship a bit funny anyway, since it seemed to me Marcel was only using him in the beginning because he was in love with his mother or aunt or whoever. I never knew if Marcel did indeed ever care for him that much. Considering Marcel’s other « relationships » however, sometimes I think his concepts are skewed.

Yes, that’s what I meant about my comment about listening to the same stories. It almost seems like they are on repeat. Book 2 and 3 have the same stories as book 1, only the names and places have changed.

[Phrodrick slowed his growing backlog]

Based on a comment that was cryptic at the time, I am now ready to say that :
Swann's Way, the point of it was that this was a more direct way into town and was more closely linked with a version of the middle class. Hypocritical, artificial and well off but not genuinely cultures.
Guermante's Way is clearly old money, old titles and generally in decline. Also only accessible with introductions.
The Dutchess is herself reduced to being a landloard, her nephew, the Marques- St Loupe is merely a sergeant.

Where is this all going?
Books 4 :Sodom and Gomorrah

[Brenda]

Ok, that makes sense. Thanks

Where is this all going?
Books 4 :Sodom and Gomorrah

Sounds foreboding in a way. Perhaps it will veer from the norm though, and add excitement in lieu of something different.

[Brenda]

I've just started Chapter 2 wherever that is.
I've only got 9 days left to finish before its returned though.

[Phrodrick slowed his growing backlog]

By page count I an somewhere past the 1/3 mark.
I am deep into a Guermante's Way Party, salon to be more exact. It is a definite comparison to the kinds of parties that Swann used to attend, but with almost way more attention to who has what title and what quarterings. These people are supposed to be God like from Marcels still romantic view point but he is learning that a title ca leave you just as petty and ill informed as no old money.

Again what a group of I do not want to know them party.

I caught a little of Proust making fun of himself as Duc Guermante critiques a sample of young Marcels writing he had seen in book 1.

[Brenda]

Perhaps its evolving then?

He speaks of the Princess de Guermantes in an opposite way, which is refreshing.

I wonder if his narrator Marcel is growing in years, and the books reflect that? Or just Proust himself?

I feel like this volume follows the others, but it may be a bit more well rounded?

[Phrodrick slowed his growing backlog]

Brenda wrote: "I've just started Chapter 2 wherever that is.
I've only got 9 days left to finish before its returned though."

I am not making 100 pages a week so about 25-30 says to completion.
Madam G in the flesh is not all that the Narrator (Marcel to me) would want, be she still has an inexplicable emotional something that M. G has done nothing to cause, so yet another semi creepy love for an older and distant married woman.

[Brenda]

His love interests have been "interesting" choices. The infatuation with his mother was a bit creepy, although not wholly uncommon. But I do think having an infatuation with an older woman like that is not that uncommon, especially when younger. Even maybe up into the 30's. Then I think its only infatuation for women in their 20's? hahahhaha (joking! )

I came across another great line about the snobs -
His hatred of snobs was a derivative of his snobbishness, but made the simpletons (in other words, everyone) believe that he was immune from snobbishness.

Its unfortunate you really have to wade through a lot to get to a little. But he's really hammering home his points.

[Brenda]

I did finally look up the "snobbicules" although, maybe it was translated differently for you? The French word was snobinettes

Pour vous prouver que je fais cas de vous, je vais vous envoyer mon dernier roman. Mais vous n'aimerez pas cela; ce n'est pas assez déliquescent, assez fin de siècle pour vous, c'est trop franc, trop honnête; vous, il vous faut du Bergotte, vous l'avez avoué, du faisandé pour les palais blasés de jouisseurs raffinés. On doit me considérer dans votre groupe comme un vieux troupier; j'ai le tort de mettre du coeur dans ce que j'écris, cela ne se porte plus; et puis la vie du peuple ce n'est pas assez distingué pour intéresser vos snobinettes. Allons, tâchez de vous rappeler quelquefois la parole du Christ: «Faites cela et vous vivrez.» Adieu, ami.

[Ryan]

Hello again,

I just finished Swann's Way. I fell behind you both early on, and decided to wait and read along with a Twitter book club that plans to read the entirety of In Search of Lost Time, too. I've been checking in to see how you're both doing, but didn't have anything to add since you both were so far ahead.

I enjoyed SW. Proust's writing matches his reputation, the good and the bad. I particularly enjoyed Combray and Place-Names, and had to slog through Swann in Love for stretches. I think Proust would've been served well to cut that section a little short, considering how repetitive it was with Swann's obsessively jealous thoughts. At times I thought the extremely convoluted sentences were tiresome, but then out of nowhere I could feel myself being carried away by the prose. I think Proust's idea with writing such a prodigious novel was to delve deep into the most mundane aspects of life and find something that cannot be found without such profuse inquiry. In the end, I found those surprising random moments of clarity to be worth getting through the sentences that caused my eyes to glaze over.

I thought the doubling of Swann and the narrator to be interesting in Place-Names. Although, I'm not very excited for another love-sick romance. The characters are interesting and well-drawn, but I did get tired of Swann, Odette, and the "faithful." All are flawed and hard to like at times, which is why I was glad to focus on the narrator's life and family again at the end.

I'm looking forward to Within a Budding Grove. How have you both liked the other volumes compared to Swann's Way?

[Brenda]

Hi Ryan! I’m glad you were still reading and able to get through. Good to have your comments here as well, thanks for coming back to this.

It is amazing in how many different ways one thing can be characterized isn’t it? I applaud Proust for writing inventive descriptions, but at the same time you’ve then been subjected to the never ending story of a singular thing or event. It is maddening sometimes though having to wade through some muck to get to little nuggets. Especially because it’s not just here and there.

I like your comments about Proust expounding on the mundane. I agree. Most of life is mundane, so his book really mirrors reality in its good or satirical bad rather than some fantastical version.

And I absolutely agree that many if not all of his characters are hard to like. Which is why I think sometimes I struggle with unfortunately all of the books so far. He gives us the worst of these people. Even if it’s satire, it gets tiresome. I feel like I can’t read him for long stretches and have to turn to something light and cheery to balance it out.

I liked Within a Budding Grove better than the last. It seemed a bit more well rounded, as in it had a few other storylines in addition to a jealous romance and the usual snobs.

[Phrodrick slowed his growing backlog]

"Most of life is mundane, so his book really mirrors reality in its good or satirical bad rather than some fantastical version."

I am not sorry to be the grump on this one.
Ok ,Most of life in mundane, so how man hundreds (thousands) of pages are necessary convey this thought?

Tristram Shandy; and A Sentimental Journey gets us there in one short volume AND its funny!

Mrs. Dalloway achieves the same thing in one short volume and we visit several minds! Think variety, including a sick, beclouded mind

For those who have to suffer many pages to call it high art there is the old stand by: Ulysses and you need not worry so much about translations!

I am gutting my way through book 3. Book 2 is overall better because more of it is about something.

In 3 ,I am getting a notion that all this stuff is really going to go somewhere. We dislike so many characters, because what is happening to an entire culture is not that good. We get a lot of reminders that at least the arts are moving forward but the middle class (technically upper middle class) and the dying aristocracy are each rotting from within.

[Phrodrick slowed his growing backlog]

As I am now tail end charlie it may be that no one is looking here. As I enter the 200 page count down on Vol 3 I have a new theory.
A theme that has been in front of me for a long time is suddenly clear.
Side note: Marcel is a jerk. More on that if some one asks.

Many hundreds of pages are about the images we have in our minds and the reality of whatever exists in reality. People places and things exist in our thoughts depending on our anticipation of them, or Her or of it. That changes as we go from anticipation to the experience, with variations depending on our motives: Love, Lust, our expectation related to art or the titled.

I am at least 3 weeks from finishing, I hope to have enough drive going to go to vol 4 in early November.

I know no one is getting notifications, but I hope to have some back up buddy.

[Ryan]

I'm still working on Within a Budding Grove. I like seeing both of your thoughts on the subsequent volumes to give me an idea of what I have to look forward to, or to dread :)

I'm definitely enjoying Volume 2 more than Swann's Way. I believe one, or maybe both, of you said it was more well-rounded, and I agree so far.

[Brenda]

Glad to hear you’re still plugging away. I thought the volumes seem to get better as they went on, but I thought I remember Phrodrick saying he liked 2 better than 3.

I would assume Proust is maturing as a writer and a person as the volumes go on and hoping they reflect that. We’ll see. Still not sure what’s entirely in store.

I’ve taken a break while he finishes the third volume. I’m rather glad as I welcome going back having a breather.

[Phrodrick slowed his growing backlog]

Hey I think we got us a buddy read!

I am very relieved to have folks still in the game.
Believe it or not I am taking some classes which are a part of why my reading is so slo. I think I will be in the 100 pages count down by next week and maybe finished 10 or so days later. Book 4 is not in hand , Ok technically it is on my Kindle but that is the original translation.
67 and I have mid terms coming up yeesh!

[Ryan]

Phrodrick, I commend you for finding the time to read, especially Proust, while taking classes! When I was in graduate school, I was only able to read what I wanted during the summer. Good luck on your midterms.

[Brenda]

Phrodrick, I'm enjoying my break while you are doing all the work over there! I also wish you luck!! Just let me know when you're ready to jump back in. I'm in no rush, but at the same time, still plan on keeping on with it. No pressure.

[Laura]

Just stumbled on this thread and I may consider this as a project for 2021.

[Brenda]

Hi Laura, glad you found the thread.
Hope you decide to join in and look forward to your comments.

[Laura]

Thanks! Definitely won't be before next year but I'm glad I found this thread too :)

[Phrodrick slowed his growing backlog]

Wow great to see both a new buddie,
Welcome Laura!
And enthusiasm to forge ahead.
I have book 4 on my desk now. Another of the Penguin Classic editions: Sodom and Gomorrah

I am thinking we can pick up on November 1. A new month and a new book. I get if some want to lay off for longer, I fear losing what little momentum I have now.

I may delay my review of Book 3. I hated much the last 150 plus pages but I have a notion of what has to happen very soon.

Gotta wonder if there is anyone including Marcel and excluding Marcel's immediate family who are not in dire need of a swift kick in their hinders.

[Brenda]

I think then we’re past the halfway point. Getting this far is commendable, I’d say.

I will be continuing with an audio version of the original Moncrieff (sp?) version in the beginning of November as well, perhaps not until the 2nd week, but thereabouts.

[Phrodrick slowed his growing backlog]

Because I will H
have S and G on slow read for at least the month of November, I have started it.
He do start with an Eye opener..

That said, did anyone else think: Queen's level Hissy fit while reading in the end of Guemantes about Baron de Charlus? I knew he had made a pass at the possibly under aged Marcel back in Balbec. Then went all nellie when Marcel missed the moment.
I kept thinking that Armistead Maupin wished to have written the like.

Footnote: the term nellie may be out of use but was a default term for Maupin.

[Brenda]

I don’t know Armisted Maupin so I’m afraid that’s lost on me.

I do agree tho, Charlus was being a major creeper, acting very strangely and over the top. I hope he doesn’t come up much more if any in the next volumes.

[Phrodrick slowed his growing backlog]

Armisted Maupin is a writer of long standing. Maybe he first became known to the more general public as the author behind the books that begin with Tales of the City The books were initially written a few hundred words at a time and published as a newspaper serial (more like a column) starting on August 8, 1974, in a Marin County newspaper, The Pacific Sun, picked up in 1976 by the San Francisco Chronicle, (much of this from Wiki)

The first 3 were made into a marvelous TV series

He came out publicly as gay in 1970' having been among other things an Officer in the US Navy and an award winning employee under later to be Senator Jesse Helms.

As for the The Baron, hold on to that thought when you get to book 4.

[Brenda]

I read some of the reviews from his book and I think I understand the reference now.

Baron 😠

Hope your exams went well!

[Brenda]

I was wondering if Proust lulled the reader through three books of selfish snobs, courtesans, dreyfusism, etc.... to ease us into book 4 of Charlus and the ex tailor and the ensuing discourse on homosexuality...?

Although I was just reading that in France, even at that time, it was much more acceptable. The age of consent was 11 in 1832 and raised to 13 in 1863. Homosexuality was repealed in 1791. How refreshing. I hadn't realized France was that liberal from that early a time. I suppose that flies against my speculation, even if it was partly in jest. Although I do question that age of consent...was that more of a protection for the Charlus's of the world???

[Brenda]

And the scene where he was trying to remember a dinner companion's name (I think Madame Deparjean - or something similar) was quite funny! Both in his writing and in the "I've been there" aspect.

[Phrodrick slowed his growing backlog]

The opening line:
And the women shall have Gomorrah and the men Sodom.
Fairly obvious foreshadowing. Nes Pas?

My introduction says that Proust warned his editors that the books were going to get scandalous, tho he may not have said why -at first.

Proust was fairly open about being homosexual, or invert as he tended to say. The upper classes and the literati may not have cared much, but the Middle class and the middle brow may have had differing views.

Anyone else notice how quickly Marcel dumps St Loup, Also a foot note got me to look it up:
The French Equivalent of Speak of the Devil is
Quand on Parle du Loup
Loup translates as Wolf, but I think was understood to mean devil. A pun is made about speaking with St. Loup and the expression back in book 3

As much as Marcel is harshly judgemental, to me he is at least a cad and a social climber. Consider his treatment of St Loup and Albertine

Look back at book 3, I think Proust has Marcel serving in the Army ( Should have been edited out as an error) and telling Albertine about fighting a duel (huh) why not tell us about it?

I am about 15% into book four and its a short one. It will be another 2-3 weeks before I can read for more than about 30 minutes at a time, so please folks keep getting ahead, I will do what I can.

One paper and one final to go.

[Phrodrick slowed his growing backlog]

FWIW
Just posted my review of Book 3
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I think I am 20% into 4 and may finish it in about 4 weeks, sooner once I finish The Paper.

[Brenda]

I got caught up in the election- I’ve saved your earlier comments to still respond however.

[Brenda]

Phrodrick wrote: The opening line:
And the women shall have Gomorrah and the men Sodom.
Fairly obvious foreshadowing. Nes Pas?

My introduction says that Proust warned his editors that the books were going to get scandalous, tho he may not have said why -at first.

I hope then it will change direction, it seems like a progression of the same so far. Again.

I'm not sure if you've gotten to Albertine and where she is staying? Although I think you pulled it out earlier when we first met her that her and her friends were courtesans? It shouldn't have come as a shock to me, although it did. I'll say it again, for being such a snob Marcel runs in "interesting circles".

I did love your comment of "brain battering" in your last review and completely agree with that. I know sometimes my brain turns off when I'm reading it, but I still don't feel like I've missed a lot of content. Good? Bad? LOL

[Phrodrick slowed his growing backlog]

Where I am he has just had a make out session with Albertine. Like we are to believe these two have not yet passed second base. I have never believed his version of their first bout of kissy face, or as he would have us believe his nuzzling into her neck.

His treatment of Albertine hits all the wrong notes with me. I am not sure I like her, but her willingness to share yours (not hers), I can see how that might make sense.

There are a lot of books by writers who start with an unsympathetic protagonist and see if you will like the book if not the character. The longer I go in these books, the more the complaints I have against Marcel.
so kind of we like him until we don't but will we keep reading?

He uses everyone to wrangle invites, then ridicules about everyone. And abruptly dumps whoever got him the invite.

Has anyone figured out what purpose he serves? Has he a job? Does he publish? Why do all these people make a point of courting him, or is Marcel delusional? Is this 7 books about a man with a highly complex, detailed, obsessive fantasy?

[Brenda]

Just a quick note to say thank you for your comments as lately in my head the phrase “he’s such a jerk” pops into my head a lot. True confession “jerk” isn’t exactly the word. And really I can only take it for small bits because it wrangles my nerves. And I’m angry that he’s again discussing his grandmother and being at Balbec. Ugh. The way he talks about Françoise..,I want to punch him. I think he said he loves her because he pities her. Seriously??? Jerk!!

Never did I really think it would be like this. And just when you think something has been discussed in quite some detail, then we’re revisiting it. If not it particularly, then another form of it with a change of name and venue.

I think they have some money and some prestige so he can rumble about in society. He is still young here and he died rather young too, yes?

Book one started with a bit too creepy fascination with his mother, so maybe shame on us for expecting it to go uphill? I think he is a bit delusional or is painting a bit of a fantasy. He’s a sickly boy stuck in his room... his circle seems to be comprised of courtesans, homosexuals, or those that are too snobby to admit they want to hang out with them too. It seems like the perverse society of those with too much time and money on their hands. There are no nice people in this book, except maybe the Princess. Which then, if you believe like attracts like, his friends don’t paint a good picture of him. I think their actions mirror Marcel’s. They’re basically a bunch of liars and cheats. I remember I think when they first went to Balbec, a book or so ago, and Marcel was sickly and talking about all his friends that would visit him, then in this volume again at Balbec, Albertine would go off and he would have to comb through her friends to find her and by the time he’s made his way through the 13 I think he’s completely forgotten about Albertine. 🙄🙄 call me a cynic, but... PLEASE! That just seemed laid on thick. Maybe I’m missing something in translation and it’s a different time and culture.? There are a lot of variables.

And yet, despite the long winded rant- I vow to finish the entirety. At this point I’m just curious if there IS something at the end of the rainbow.

[Phrodrick slowed his growing backlog]

On the matter of Françoise, I started to think harder about Marcel, back in I think it was book I when he stole from her- A very expensive vase his parents were to give her, sold it to by something ALA Swann/Odette for Gilberte and instead used it to go whoring.

He takes up with and ignores Albertine, and may not even shave when they are to go a gropping. He took up St. Loupe until the tittled sergeant gets him an intro to his Aunt- drops him, except when St L has some hookers or easy society ladies for the bedding.

Are these people that bad or is it only because we see them as Marcel wants us too?

Meantime what makes him such a hot item in the upper reaches of society?
I may need to seek out what some of the expert reviewers have said cause I aint buying it just a translation problem. The French know a cad and a bounder though maybe they would just point and say Merde.

I started with Cad, User and Social Climber, but only because I wanted terms from the same time period. Me thinks we know what word you were thinking.

[Brenda]

Or maybe its complete Satire? Just all a big joke? He is supposed to be making fun of the classes... maybe its just a big Grimm Fairytale come to life?

[Mercedes]

Hi all, I just saw your thread and decided to jump into this read with you! I'm late but hopefully I can catch up slowly. I don't think I would have started reading this without some outside motivation. So hopefully, by Christmas time I'll have caught up and can start chatting about this book with you guys! :) Good luck for the continuity!

[Brenda]

Hi Mercedes! Glad to have you aboard. Please join in whenever, the thread is ongoing so your neither late or slow going and we are still very active on the thread.

I'm finding the further I go with this, the more I learn, the less I know and the more I wish I had a different attitude before. So I appreciate the fresh perspective.

We're reading through the whole lot of the books if it strikes your fancy. If not (it is a commitment so don't let it overwhelm you) just read what you want, and really we look forward to what you have to say!

[Brenda]

I wrote: Or maybe its complete Satire? Just all a big joke? He is supposed to be making fun of the classes... maybe its just a big Grimm Fairytale come to life?

I don't know if its just maturity, or me, or "the times", but I have a really hard time with satire lately. Too much just grates on my nerves. I've tried to do a reread of Jane Austen and that hasn't gone well, and she is quite the satirist, and I think that's why. I'm finding it hard to leave my brain at the door and just think of it as whim and fancy. If I CAN do that, I enjoy the book. If I can't...its just nails on chalkboard.

I knew that from the beginning with this whole lot that it was a satire on the classes... yet I didn't take heed. Although it was new, and strange, and I didn't really know what to expect in totality. Not until yesterday, did it all finally hit home? Which really makes me mad, because then I've been white knuckling it for the past how many months trying to get through this whole tome, when all I had to was "be a bit more lighthearted". I don't know why that's so hard to just pull off sometimes.

So today, reading through with this new "haha" approach, it was the spoonful of sugar that made the medicine go down. Because it has to be just a load of satire, yes? he doesn't have the outright puns of Wilde or Austen, yet its so almost outrageous what else can it be? How can it be so well loved, if its not a play on everything all those society dears held close to their hearts?

How many volumes in and I'm still trying to make sense of it???

[Phrodrick slowed his growing backlog]

Mercedes!
Thrilled to have you join. I am now a trailing reader. So looking forward so some fresh insights.

No way I would have gotten this far w/o Brenda and the others who post as they can,

Brenda wrote: " I wrote: Or maybe its complete Satire? Just all a big joke? He is supposed to be making fun of the classes... maybe its just a big Grimm Fairytale come to life?

I don't know if its just maturity..."

The satire POV would makes sense except"t'aint funny Mcgee"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1QRf...

Just found this maybe Marcel on the move
https://qz.com/911894/spotted-marcel-...

I am reading very slo, but will get back when I read some expert opinion.

[Brenda]

Phrodrick wrote: The satire POV would makes sense except"t'aint funny Mcgee"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1QRf...

The clip was funny at least. Thank you!

I tried an online search wondering if Proust is just a windbag, one author rather agreed and said they’d rather converse with an old demented relative and everyone else sing songed his praises while dancing in a flowery fairy meadow. Apparently I’m missing something or just haven’t gotten far enough along yet.

[Phrodrick slowed his growing backlog]

W/o doing serious reading the short version is that people love him and ascribe lots of complements and few specifics.
Here are some gleanings. Something for everyone, ??

Here are a few of the outstanding features of this novel: It is arguably the best book ever written about perception. (Proust’s legendary hypersensitivity is obviously linked to his skills as a writer.) He was the first novelist to analyze and depict the full spectrum of human sexuality. There are even passages that might allow him to claim to be the founder of gender studies and a proponent of gay marriage. And his sense of humor allows him to create comic scenes that satirize the foibles and vanity of his characters, especially those of high society. Proust fits perfectly Gilles Deleuze’s definition of a great author: “A great author is one who laughs a lot.”

https://lithub.com/really-heres-why-y...


The Proust Effect: The Senses as Doorways to Lost Memories
Cretien van Campen
Abstract

The Proust effect refers to the vivid reliving of events from the past through sensory stimuli. Many of us are familiar with those special moments, when you are taken by surprise by a tiny sensory stimulus (e.g. the scent of your mother’s soap) that evokes an intense and emotional memory of an episode from your childhood. Compared to the science of memory deficits, little is known about the physical and sensory pleasures of remembering. Recently, however, practical projects in education in health care, and artistic and scientific investigations have been gradually laying bare the wondrous functioning of sense memories and enabling us to begin to understand what sense memories do to people. Three types of sources have been used for this book: scientific studies, art projects and personal accounts. Part 1 explores what sense memories are; part 2 provides insights into their neurological, psychological and sociological nature; and part 3 discusses the benefits and uses of sense memories for individuals and professionals. Among other things, this book shows how sense memories open doors to lost memories; how they operate differently from voluntary, goal-directed memories that are driven by verbal cues (e.g. asking questions, telling stories); how they can more often go further back into childhood than verbally recovered memories; how sense memories are created during childhood; and how they contribute to well-being in later life.

https://oxford.universitypressscholar...


At his best, Proust provides startling insights into the meaning of life. At his worst, he rambles on long digressions, not unexpectedly with a novel of this length. There are certainly more than a few sections that could have benefited from serious editing. The last 3 books of the series suffer the worst from excess bloat because Proust died before he completed his final editing of these books. I suspect the publisher was afraid to begin any serious editing of these works due to a fear of modifying the intent of the author. But overall, the bulk of the writing is so good that the excesses can be easily forgiven.
http://www.ratracerefuge.com/bookrevi...

[Phrodrick slowed his growing backlog]

Just What did not need to know it gets worse in the last 3 books

[Brenda]

🤦🏻‍♀️

[Brenda]

Kind of curious, had he not died when he did, just how long the “book” might have been???

[Phrodrick slowed his growing backlog]

Donno know the counter factual Marcel Proust is still writing and editing.

[Phrodrick slowed his growing backlog]

Brenda wrote: "I'm not sure about the First President. I don't remember that, but ...there is a lot of words to digest. I did do a search in the translation I'm reading and found a reference to a Lady President, ..."

Marcel:petite merde

Albertine may be a courtesan, but I would applaud her if she gives him a kick in the hinder.
Rather than go off on him

Who is this First President, that merely Marcel treats with such casual disregard?
I thought it was a job title, but the closest I get from on line is this:

The first President of France is considered to be Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte (later Napoleon III), who was elected in the 1848 election, under the French Second Republic.
Wiki

Louis Napoleon died in the 1870's so this cannot mean him.
Any Ideas?


Side note, Marcel is 21 at the time of his second visit to Balbec, at least one souse says so.

[Brenda]

I'm not sure about the First President. I don't remember that, but ...there is a lot of words to digest. I did do a search in the translation I'm reading and found a reference to a Lady President, which I think is referring to Princess Sherbatoff,
In another section he says Perhaps one day I will be the President of the Republic. or Cottard said "I am president of the Anti-Alcohol League." That's it though.

It would make sense that he is older, as he refers to Albertine as his fiancée.

I'm nearly done and will finish today. Its a bit of a roller-coaster as Proust is. I did read a few interesting tidbits yesterday... all of his friends knew he was gay, but he would have been crushed to know they picked up on it. The public at large did not know. I think it was Andre Guide who praised him for this volume, but was dismayed as Marcel is the only openly heterosexual character of his circle and the lost opportunity to portray him as gay as well.

I think Sodome et Gomorrhe is the French Title, I was just curious if the US translation was correct. Only because I feel like there have been a lot of other biblical references in this volume, which I found interesting coupled with the title. Although I do think during Prousts time, religious teaching was probably much more prevalent.