Planning for Fall 2011 read

[Jim]

I have the Davis translation and it's a breeze compared to the Moncrieff (no offense to the dead...). I'm sure I can work with a six week read.

[Lily]

You all can read Proust faster than I can. The only way I can read him is savoring each sentence. There is no skimming that thing for me -- losing a paragraph can mean losing what is happening. But, go ahead, maybe I'll get further than I ever have before. (I mislaid my new Davis translation so read the the "Overture" from my brown-paged Moncrieff. I was surprised from my notes and underlines to realize I had at least gotten through that much years ago. Of course, I recognized the madeleines and tea story when I got there -- I wasn't sure I had ever read that part or knew it only from legend. I did find Davis and have now read most of the "Overture" from her -- did Proust's fall asleep over the book trick.)

Whether there is a lot to discuss is probably at least partly dependent on how much we decide to give each other background notes. There are a myriad of references to people and to literature and to works of art. I hope there might be someone among us who has access to and can translate the French text. There are at least two passages, one of which I could probably find again, which somehow didn't make sense to me in either Moncrieff or Davis. My best guess is the original French construction is so convoluted that translation as a single English sentence was virtually impossible. (Neither case, however, was critical to the story; just slowed the reading to ponder what was meant.)

In terms of discussing the story or the plot line itself, I understand where Laurele is coming from.

[Jim]

Thomas wrote: "Everyman wrote: "Otherwise, if nobody wants to set up an "Occupy Western Canon" camp over this issue..."

I have my sign ready: We Are the 1%."

Should we rendezvous in Seattle, then take the ferry over to EM's place?

[Lily]

PS -- Moncrieff has the "Overture" and Davis does have a Combray 1 and 2, as I discovered in using her notes.

Costco here offers a good quality madeleine. I tried baking them myself years ago and they stuck to the pan so badly I never tried again! So, if anyone knows/discovers a good recipe and the secret for preparing the pan, I may search to see if it still exists in my collection.

[Alias Reader]

Patrice wrote:Also, that madeleines must be delicious although I'd never had one. Starbucks sells them now and they are good."
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Thanks for the heads-up, Patrice. I never had a madeleine either. I'll look for them the next time I'm at Starbucks.

[Dee]

I'll be reading in French, so will try and offer any help required.

[Lily]

David wrote: "I'll be reading in French, so will try and offer any help required."

Don't know that I shall have anything that will be "required", but will have at least one I am curious about. There is also a note in Davis about one key French word that may be interesting to discuss.

[Lily]

Alias Reader wrote: "Patrice wrote:Also, that madeleines must be delicious although I'd never had one. Starbucks sells them now and they are good."
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Thanks for the heads-up, Patrice. I never had a madele..."

I avoid the ones dipped in chocolate. The lemon flavoring has to be right; if it comes across as artificial flavoring sometimes does, look for one somewhere else. Don't assume you won't like a good one. (I haven't had one at Starbucks, so can't comment on theirs.)

I don't know that I have had an "authentic" French one, but from the recipe and those I have had and liked, I would say they are like a delightfully shaped piece of top grade sponge cake, except they hold together a little better when dipped in tea.

[Lily]

Patrice wrote: "Know exactly what you are saying Lily. I've just begun reading and i do find it kind of slow in that i really don't want to miss a word. It's as though he is bringing you into his life in such d..."

Also reminds me of reading poetry.

[Thomas]

David wrote: "I'll be reading in French, so will try and offer any help required."

I don't have much French, but I'm fascinated by translation challenges. I'd love to hear if you notice subtleties in the French that reveal things that might not come across in translation.

[Everyman]

Lily wrote: "You all can read Proust faster than I can. The only way I can read him is savoring each sentence. There is no skimming that thing for me -- losing a paragraph can mean losing what is happening. B..."

I understand exactly what you're saying. In some sense, I can already see that reading Proust is a lifetime experience. One can, and in many cases should, linger over each paragraph.

But I think Laurel is right that a lot of the experience is very personal and won't keep a broad and active discussion going. So since it seems to be generally acceptable, I'll go ahead and set up the six week schedule, with the expectation that at least a few people will likely be continuing their reading and comments for quite a while thereafter, which is entirely appropriate.

[Everyman]

Lily wrote: "Whether there is a lot to discuss is probably at least partly dependent on how much we decide to give each other background notes. There are a myriad of references to people and to literature and to works of art. "

In that sense, it's very much like reading Dante, isn't it? The fullest comprehension of the Comedy requires some background knowledge in virtually every stanza.

[Everyman]

I got the Davis translation out of the library, but one thing about Proust is that with no chapters, it's hard to find out in a different translation where exactly you were in your reading progress!