In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust

[Luís]

Lorraine wrote: "Luís wrote: "I've got on my radar Proust by Edmund White"

I am reading it right now and find it quite interesting. We learn about authors that influenced him and about..."

No, not yet. But I've got it in my possession.

[Chad]

I’m going to start Swann's Way tomorrow morning with my coffee. And so it begins....

[Penelope]

I started yesterday (1st Jan.) I am planning on about 10 pages a day and have a notebook ready to record my progress. I love the long sentences

[Chris]

Started today- second time going through this book but never in a group like this. I’m very much looking forward to it- happy new year to everyone

[John]

Chad wrote: "I’m going to start Swann's Way tomorrow morning with my coffee. And so it begins...."

You should have started with a Madeleine and a cup of tea, Chad!

[Lorraine]

Happy New Year everyone. I also started today. Third time for this book. And I think this will be the best time! I am just in love with the way this book starts.

[John]

I decided to read the first volume of A Dance to the Music of Time before reading Swann's Way - but I hope to get started later this week.

[Chad]

John wrote: "Chad wrote: "I’m going to start Swann's Way tomorrow morning with my coffee. And so it begins...."

You should have started with a Madeleine and a cup of tea, Chad!"

Hahaha.

[Piyangie, Classical Princess]

I won't be rereading the whole but may do parts. I'm more interested in this discussion though. Would love to see other POVs.

[Gilbert]

Started Swann's Way yesterday. Looking forward to discussion.

[Melanie]

I also started Swann's Way yesterday and am looking forward to the discussion.

[John]

I started Swann's Way today - it's quite hypnotic in a way.

Penelope and Chad - you had been thinking of keeping a journal/notebook as you read; is that still your plan?

[Penelope]

John wrote: "I started Swann's Way today - it's quite hypnotic in a way.

Penelope and Chad - you had been thinking of keeping a journal/notebook as you read; is that still your plan?"

Yes, I am and have brand new notebook to write in. One of my first comments was that it has a dreamy quality. Yes, hypnotic is the perfect word. My main thought at this stage is the best time of day to actually read the book: would like to create a habit of doing so.

[Chad]

John wrote: "I started Swann's Way today - it's quite hypnotic in a way.

Penelope and Chad - you had been thinking of keeping a journal/notebook as you read; is that still your plan?"

It is, John. I’ve already made an entry of my initial thoughts. My thoughts included that, for me at least, reading this work slowly about 10 or 15 pages a day is the way to go. It reads, so far, as an extended thought or memory. Like if you were to record five minutes of someone’s brain activity while random sights and sounds were introduced to them and then paused the recording and transcribed everything that went through their head. All of it.

[John]

Chad and Penelope, I'm following your lead and setting out to read at a slow, steady pace; I'm setting the target of 15 - 20 pages a day.

So far, one of my favourite bits was the narrator's grandmother giving him - when he was about 11 years old - a present of 4 novels of George Sand.

I'm not planning to keep any journal or notebook, but I'm thinking that I might have to maintain a spreadsheet of characters in the novels.

[Lorraine]

I am spending about 1 hour a day on The Search.
Either reading and listening to the book or reading biographies of Marcel. I also ordered some other books by him that I will read during the year. I just received a copy of Zola: 'J ‘accuse’, which is about The Dreyfuss affair. Its one of the real events the narrator talk about. As I do not know a lot about this affair, I thought this could be a good time for me to learn.
I am keeping a notebook this time.

[Nidhi]

15 - 20 pages per day will be fine with me also, i have not yet started any new book this year , from 10 Jan i can start.

[Julietta]

I'm in if I can get these at my local library. I would try to read them in French, but my language skills are no longer up to par for that!

[Julietta]

I was able to check out Swann's Way on Hoopla as an audiobook, so I will be listening to it and taking notes!

[Mike]

At last I am underway! Quite the dreamy beginning and it oddly describes how my nights go.

"... where the moonlight leaning against the half-open shutters casts its enchanted ladder to the foot of the bed ..."

This brought back memories of the bedroom I had in the last house I live in in Canada where I had shutters on my window. I remember a many such moonlit evenings as I drifted off to sleep.

I enjoy the lengthy sentences having experienced some of them before in Pleasures and Days.

[John]

I enjoy the long sentences too - and they force you to take your time and focus on what you are reading.

[Chad]

Agreed. Mike, that section reminded me of sleeping on my grandparents couch. They had blinds, always slightly open, When cars drove by the headlights drove a pattern of light across the living room and myself.

[John]

I wonder if that's part of Proust's attraction? He describes everyday items and events in such minute, photographic detail that they trigger a memory in our own minds, and we identify more with the book?

[Piyangie, Classical Princess]

I'm a lover of long sentences, too. The passage Mike has quoted is something I enjoy at full moon time. The moonlight seeps through my French windows and creates patterns on the floor and the bed. It has a beautiful surreal look like those beautiful passages from Swann's Way.

Swann's Way affected me in quite a different way. Most of the things that were described in the story, be it a smell, a taste, a feeling, or a memory corresponded with something from my past. The book revived so many forgotten memories. It was as if I too was going through my memory against space and time like Proust.

[Julietta]

Chock-full of meaty metaphors and a young lad's desperate longing for a kiss from his mom which is like a metaphor for any kind of desperate, hopeless, obsessive love.

[Mike]

John wrote: "I enjoy the long sentences too - and they force you to take your time and focus on what you are reading."

I often read when I'm cooking but it's not possible with Proust. You're right, you're forced to bathe in the words as the wash over you.

[Chad]

I do enjoy the long sentence dreams. It’s almost like he is writing for himself and doesn’t mean to be published. I really like that aspect of it.

[Penelope]

I laughed at the grandmother and the aunts. They are such snobs. Hilarious!

[Chad]

How is everyone getting on with this? I’m not an audiobook guy but I was just thinking that I would probably enjoy this as one. I imagine that laying back, closing my eyes and having this read to me would be quite pleasant.

[John]

I am about a third of the way through Swann's way, which I'd previously listened to as an audio book. Of the two, I'm enjoying the book more at the moment (although it was useful to have listened to the audio book to get correct pronunciations).

[Penelope]

I’m on holidays this week and haven’t read as much as I normally do. Will catch up when home again. What I have read have enjoyed very much.

[Julietta]

Just when I was thinking that the lack of concrete action and paragraph sentences of Proust would cause me to stop (in this case listening) reading this book, I hit the madelaine scene and I am hooked! I slurped in a huge gasp of awe at the sensuality and heightened awareness of his experience, something we all have experienced upon seeing rays of light break through a cloud, viewing a beautiful painting or feeling soft material on our skin. However, we haven't had the skill to describe this feeling or how it clings to the inside of our brains to form a strong set of reusable synapses! Memories and senses are remarkable things, taking us humans flying out of our sinewy bodies into another plane of space, time and imagination!

[Danada]

I was planning on reading this all on my own this year, so a big thank you to Nidhi for sharing this group and your Buddy Read! I am looking forward to the journey together! ^_^

[Mike]

Julietta wrote: "Just when I was thinking that the lack of concrete action and paragraph sentences of Proust would cause me to stop (in this case listening) reading this book, I hit the madelaine scene and I am hoo..."

I read that scene last night and agree, it was something else. I was already pretty captivated by the book but now I'm yearning for more scenes like that one.

I was marvelling last night how little had happened in 50 pages yet I don't feel that it's been a chore or a bore.

[John]

Danada wrote: "I was planning on reading this all on my own this year, so a big thank you to Nidhi for sharing this group and your Buddy Read! I am looking forward to the journey together! ^_^"

Welcome Danada, have you started on Swann's Way - and how are you enjoying it?

[Danada]

I’m only about 40 or so pages into Swanns Way so far.

It is easy to see why people can be intimidated by the opening pages if the book. Many people only seem to enjoy plot driven stories with plenty of action. This one is mush more stream of consciousness - at first especially. I feel like I could reread those opening pages many times and still get new things out of it.

I’ve got a copy of Paintings in Proust which is a nice way to see many of the paintings he references.

I am enjoying it very much so far and am eager to continue reading. Itis definitely something that I want to be able to focus in on without distraction for periods of time.

I discovered a few music albums out there related to iSoT!

[Liane]

Coming to the table a little late after traveling over the holidays and returning home with souvenir bronchitis.

I’ve had my 3 volume Random House boxed set for a few years. It’s the Moncrieff/ Kilmartin translation. I hope that this group read will help me enjoy this classic in a more timely way.

After reading only 28 pages of Swann’s Way, I can see the allure of the language. For now, it’s lush and although it’s not describing much of anything, it’s still engaging. Penelope, you’re right the great-aunts are really snobs.

[Julietta]

Muscling though this book has surpassed all my fortitude! The writing is absolutely gorgeous, but this work is plot-impaired as seen through my 21st century, MTV era, Baby Boomer eyes. I can't continue spelunking interminably to find another gem in the mine like the "madelaine" scene. Perhaps what I need instead is a list of favorite quotes or passages from Proust. Regrettably, looks like this one will be a DNF on my shelves. I'll be following the discussion...

[Danada]

I love the idea of “Best of” or “Favorites” quotes!

I’ve got a tiny book called “Nancy Drew’s Guide to Life”, we need a little (or not so little) book “Gems from Proust” ^_^

[Julietta]

LOVE that idea, Danada!

[John]

Julietta, a fair number of people abandon Proust after Swann's Way, so you're not alone in your reaction. Personally, I'm loving it at the moment and looking forward to the rest of the series, but the great thing about this group is that it caters for, and recommends books for, so many different tastes.

You could maybe think about another Buddy Read the group are doing - A Dance to the Music of Time, which is more modern and a fast read (so far!)

[Julietta]

Hello, John! Thanks for the recommendation. Let's see what I end up doing. I have a bunch of books going at the same time!

[Mike]

I mentioned to my folks that I had started In Search of Lost Time. Mom asked Dad if that wasn't one of the books that had been on his bedside table for months and he admitted it had and that he had eventually given up on it. I'm hoping not to meet the same fate especially as I already have the remaining volumes.

[Lorraine]

My reading/listening is going quite well. I believe I will have finish Swann’s Way by the end of January. I have to say that that I just love this book and the way he writes about things. I bought an English version of the seven books so I could share with the group some quotes I like. (I thought that sharing them in French might not work 😊)
(view spoiler)[ "Custom! that skilful but unhurrying manager who begins by torturing the mind for weeks on end with her provisional arrangements; whom the mind, for all that, is fortunate in discovering, for without the help of custom it would never contrive, by its own efforts, to make any room seem habitable." (hide spoiler)]

[Lorraine]

Mike wrote: "I mentioned to my folks that I had started In Search of Lost Time. Mom asked Dad if that wasn't one of the books that had been on his bedside table for months and he admitted it had and that he had..."

I hope you'll be able to tell your dad your one of the few that have read them all!

[Lorraine]

Chad wrote: "How is everyone getting on with this? I’m not an audiobook guy but I was just thinking that I would probably enjoy this as one. I imagine that laying back, closing my eyes and having this read to m..."

I am listening to it as I am reading the books. I find it helps, especially with the long sentences. But I would not know about the audible English version. I have the chance that the books in French are read by very well-known French actors. They just have a perfect diction!

[Liane]

I started out reading on my first day, about 45 pages, and really enjoyed the lushness of the writing. Then I had a series of days with fairly long drives, so I began listening to the audible version read by John Rowe. I have found that this version is also lovely. I keep marking my place in the book, for the day when I don’t have a drive to continue reading.

[John]

While I enjoyed the first section - "Combray", I'm enjoying the next "Swann in love" section much more. I'm still on schedule to finish by the end of the month, but it's not a book you can hurry.

[Piyangie, Classical Princess]

That's the part I also loved the most in the book, John. I really liked the intensity with which Proust wrote this part as well as the wealth of emotion it produces. So lovely. I'm listening to that part only since I won't reread the whole.

I'm in the process of buying the audiobooks for the entire series with Moncrieff translation since that's the translation I own. I'd like to have audio assistance for my text.

[John]

I think that's an excellent idea, Piyangie. I'm sure I have audio books for some of the volumes, which I purchased a few years ago - I must search for them.