Do not put off reading this book, 10 Aug 2008
I urge you to get this book out of the library, read it on-line, or best of all buy this superb translation. My response to the book has been quite emotional, and since others have better explained what the book is like, I will just say don't put off reading it until you break your leg or (as in my friend Rod's case) get a bit of pneumonia.
I also recommend How Proust Can Change Your Life because it is a beautiful little book and it will help you get the most out of reading In Search of Lost Time.
Yes, I really do think that Proust can change your life, in the sense that I changed the way I think about myself and other people, as if the restricting walls and ceiling of my dark little world had just fallen away.
I wish I had read this when I was 12 years old, but now will have to do.

Brilliant, 09 Mar 2008
I found myself completely captivated by this first of Proust's classic series; his evocations of children's perceptions of the world of grownups, and of what it is like to be a man in love, are simply superb. Sure, you have to smile a bit at the very long sentences - the editor protests that Proust's reputation for this is a bit unfair, in that "only" a quarter of the text consists of sentences that are longer then ten lines - yeah, right. But it would be impossible to unwind them. The pace of the book is of course very slow but I found that part of its charm. Roll on the second volume.

Also I was taken aback by the amount of girl-on-girl action. I'm not used to that in classic literature.

What would have happened if he'd had a coffee instead?, 07 Aug 2007
Why oh why has this new translation been published in two different covers? The American ones, in Penguin Delux Editions, have gorgeous covers, and the British editions have the usual wishy-washy close ups of roughly period paintings, and for some reason, Groucho Marx on the spine. His eyes follow you around the room. If it were not for that stupid law that means the last two volumes of the translation can't be published in the US until 2019 (& why won't sombody fix that?) we would never have bought them in this version, and will have to spend the afternoon covering them. It is most distracting...

Only love can break your heart, 30 Mar 2006
Slow to the point of retardation, circular, ambiguous, prurient, self-absorbed and above all French; it is a mystery to me why this book is considered to be the finest novel ever penned.
I read this book on holiday in Ventnor and despite an overhelming sense of self-satisfaction at having read such a fat book, I was bitterly disappointing. I don't mind a little psychological acuity, the odd pastiche of the aporetic round of human living etc. but overall I found the plot thin and the action scenes over-written. Selling a million copies is the goal of every serious writer but I feel Mr Proust has made too many concessions along the way. Many of the gags are cheap and the female characters unconvicing. The comic timing is also way off - sometimes the punchline comes several pages after the set-up.
However, the Baron de Charlus is a good character and will ring bells for anyone who hails from the Sheffield area. There is also a very entertaining moment where the narrator chokes on a bit of cake and his whole life flashes before his eyes (although in slow motion).
I think that the over 40's and anyone who wants to learn how NOT to tell a joke would like this book. Probably not appropriate for readers with impaired memory or synaesthesia.

A unique reading experience, well worth the effort, 15 Sep 2004
Sooner or later every serious reader must come to terms with Marcel Proust's six volume work, Remebrance of Things Past. This new translation is as good a way as any to get into it, and Swann's Way, as it is usually called, is the first volume. This is a challenging read. The reader needs to relax, to give up all hope of finishing the book quickly, or of finding an exciting plot or much forward movement in the book. But once you have set aside your notions of what constitutes a novel, and are prepared to go on this meandering journey of self-disovery (through finding in yourself the same thoughts that Proust thinks), you will find an intimate and beguiling novel which will generate the "of course" reaction in you as you see yourself and the people around you in a new light.

Proust has the gift of analysing the interior motives of his characters, not just in terms of their actions, but in terms of their thoughts and speech. He detects the evasions and dissimulations in everyday social interactions and exposes the deceits of convention and tradition. Having read this book I can say that all though it was a difficult read, it was worth the effort and the memory of this novel past has affected the way I look at the world around me. I look forward to volume 2.

Do not put off reading this book, 10 Aug 2008
I urge you to get this book out of the library, read it on-line, or best of all buy this superb translation. My response to the book has been quite emotional, and since others have better explained what the book is like, I will just say don't put off reading it until you break your leg or (as in my friend Rod's case) get a bit of pneumonia.
I also recommend How Proust Can Change Your Life because it is a beautiful little book and it will help you get the most out of reading In Search of Lost Time.
Yes, I really do think that Proust can change your life, in the sense that I changed the way I think about myself and other people, as if the restricting walls and ceiling of my dark little world had just fallen away.
I wish I had read this when I was 12 years old, but now will have to do.

Brilliant, 09 Mar 2008
I found myself completely captivated by this first of Proust's classic series; his evocations of children's perceptions of the world of grownups, and of what it is like to be a man in love, are simply superb. Sure, you have to smile a bit at the very long sentences - the editor protests that Proust's reputation for this is a bit unfair, in that "only" a quarter of the text consists of sentences that are longer then ten lines - yeah, right. But it would be impossible to unwind them. The pace of the book is of course very slow but I found that part of its charm. Roll on the second volume.

Also I was taken aback by the amount of girl-on-girl action. I'm not used to that in classic literature.

What would have happened if he'd had a coffee instead?, 07 Aug 2007
Why oh why has this new translation been published in two different covers? The American ones, in Penguin Delux Editions, have gorgeous covers, and the British editions have the usual wishy-washy close ups of roughly period paintings, and for some reason, Groucho Marx on the spine. His eyes follow you around the room. If it were not for that stupid law that means the last two volumes of the translation can't be published in the US until 2019 (& why won't sombody fix that?) we would never have bought them in this version, and will have to spend the afternoon covering them. It is most distracting...

Only love can break your heart, 30 Mar 2006
Slow to the point of retardation, circular, ambiguous, prurient, self-absorbed and above all French; it is a mystery to me why this book is considered to be the finest novel ever penned.
I read this book on holiday in Ventnor and despite an overhelming sense of self-satisfaction at having read such a fat book, I was bitterly disappointing. I don't mind a little psychological acuity, the odd pastiche of the aporetic round of human living etc. but overall I found the plot thin and the action scenes over-written. Selling a million copies is the goal of every serious writer but I feel Mr Proust has made too many concessions along the way. Many of the gags are cheap and the female characters unconvicing. The comic timing is also way off - sometimes the punchline comes several pages after the set-up.
However, the Baron de Charlus is a good character and will ring bells for anyone who hails from the Sheffield area. There is also a very entertaining moment where the narrator chokes on a bit of cake and his whole life flashes before his eyes (although in slow motion).
I think that the over 40's and anyone who wants to learn how NOT to tell a joke would like this book. Probably not appropriate for readers with impaired memory or synaesthesia.

A unique reading experience, well worth the effort, 15 Sep 2004
Sooner or later every serious reader must come to terms with Marcel Proust's six volume work, Remebrance of Things Past. This new translation is as good a way as any to get into it, and Swann's Way, as it is usually called, is the first volume. This is a challenging read. The reader needs to relax, to give up all hope of finishing the book quickly, or of finding an exciting plot or much forward movement in the book. But once you have set aside your notions of what constitutes a novel, and are prepared to go on this meandering journey of self-disovery (through finding in yourself the same thoughts that Proust thinks), you will find an intimate and beguiling novel which will generate the "of course" reaction in you as you see yourself and the people around you in a new light.

Proust has the gift of analysing the interior motives of his characters, not just in terms of their actions, but in terms of their thoughts and speech. He detects the evasions and dissimulations in everyday social interactions and exposes the deceits of convention and tradition. Having read this book I can say that all though it was a difficult read, it was worth the effort and the memory of this novel past has affected the way I look at the world around me. I look forward to volume 2.

Introspective but descriptive, 17 Mar 2008
I have to say that I found vol 2 a bit more slow-moving, alternating passages of eye-glazing introspection with some really profound and expressive descriptions of what love is like, and how we react to art and to artists (be they actors, writers, or painters). But a welcome surprise was that there is an actual plot, with the narrator's rebuff of Gilberte near the start vaguely reflected in his relationship with Albertine, and with her other young friends, at the end.

I found myself very irritated by the publisher's notes. (I'm reading the new-ish Penguin edition.) First of all, I hate end-notes rather than foot-notes as a general matter of principle. Second, while I don't mind explanations of obscure references to contemporary or older French literature, I thought the editors went overboard in drawing attention to Proust's minor plot inconsistencies. (Though I did wonder why these were never corrected by any of Proust's French editors.)

what i spied underneath the shade, 06 Mar 2003
For so long a figure of "high literature" in this reader's mind, Proust is far more accessible and contemporary than many might think. A misleading title(if not beautifully poetic) leads one into an expectation of adolescent romances and rendevzous. "In the Shadow..." is more accurately about the opening up and growing awareness of a young mind to the world. Over the course of his walks and travels, the Narrator enters us into the halycon world of literary dreaming its inevitable disappointments, all the while reavealing a fantastic social tapestry (noble histories and romantic intrigues) that is a mirror into the psychology and actions of society people (to this day still). There are those who would chide Proust's allusions and his "wordy" prose, but his assessment of human behaviour and depiction of the melding of pre-conceived (perhaps naive) notions with their dessicated reality makes this novel an essential read for anyone who lives and interacts with people.

Do not put off reading this book, 10 Aug 2008
I urge you to get this book out of the library, read it on-line, or best of all buy this superb translation. My response to the book has been quite emotional, and since others have better explained what the book is like, I will just say don't put off reading it until you break your leg or (as in my friend Rod's case) get a bit of pneumonia.
I also recommend How Proust Can Change Your Life because it is a beautiful little book and it will help you get the most out of reading In Search of Lost Time.
Yes, I really do think that Proust can change your life, in the sense that I changed the way I think about myself and other people, as if the restricting walls and ceiling of my dark little world had just fallen away.
I wish I had read this when I was 12 years old, but now will have to do.

Brilliant, 09 Mar 2008
I found myself completely captivated by this first of Proust's classic series; his evocations of children's perceptions of the world of grownups, and of what it is like to be a man in love, are simply superb. Sure, you have to smile a bit at the very long sentences - the editor protests that Proust's reputation for this is a bit unfair, in that "only" a quarter of the text consists of sentences that are longer then ten lines - yeah, right. But it would be impossible to unwind them. The pace of the book is of course very slow but I found that part of its charm. Roll on the second volume.

Also I was taken aback by the amount of girl-on-girl action. I'm not used to that in classic literature.

What would have happened if he'd had a coffee instead?, 07 Aug 2007
Why oh why has this new translation been published in two different covers? The American ones, in Penguin Delux Editions, have gorgeous covers, and the British editions have the usual wishy-washy close ups of roughly period paintings, and for some reason, Groucho Marx on the spine. His eyes follow you around the room. If it were not for that stupid law that means the last two volumes of the translation can't be published in the US until 2019 (& why won't sombody fix that?) we would never have bought them in this version, and will have to spend the afternoon covering them. It is most distracting...

Only love can break your heart, 30 Mar 2006
Slow to the point of retardation, circular, ambiguous, prurient, self-absorbed and above all French; it is a mystery to me why this book is considered to be the finest novel ever penned.
I read this book on holiday in Ventnor and despite an overhelming sense of self-satisfaction at having read such a fat book, I was bitterly disappointing. I don't mind a little psychological acuity, the odd pastiche of the aporetic round of human living etc. but overall I found the plot thin and the action scenes over-written. Selling a million copies is the goal of every serious writer but I feel Mr Proust has made too many concessions along the way. Many of the gags are cheap and the female characters unconvicing. The comic timing is also way off - sometimes the punchline comes several pages after the set-up.
However, the Baron de Charlus is a good character and will ring bells for anyone who hails from the Sheffield area. There is also a very entertaining moment where the narrator chokes on a bit of cake and his whole life flashes before his eyes (although in slow motion).
I think that the over 40's and anyone who wants to learn how NOT to tell a joke would like this book. Probably not appropriate for readers with impaired memory or synaesthesia.

A unique reading experience, well worth the effort, 15 Sep 2004
Sooner or later every serious reader must come to terms with Marcel Proust's six volume work, Remebrance of Things Past. This new translation is as good a way as any to get into it, and Swann's Way, as it is usually called, is the first volume. This is a challenging read. The reader needs to relax, to give up all hope of finishing the book quickly, or of finding an exciting plot or much forward movement in the book. But once you have set aside your notions of what constitutes a novel, and are prepared to go on this meandering journey of self-disovery (through finding in yourself the same thoughts that Proust thinks), you will find an intimate and beguiling novel which will generate the "of course" reaction in you as you see yourself and the people around you in a new light.

Proust has the gift of analysing the interior motives of his characters, not just in terms of their actions, but in terms of their thoughts and speech. He detects the evasions and dissimulations in everyday social interactions and exposes the deceits of convention and tradition. Having read this book I can say that all though it was a difficult read, it was worth the effort and the memory of this novel past has affected the way I look at the world around me. I look forward to volume 2.

Introspective but descriptive, 17 Mar 2008
I have to say that I found vol 2 a bit more slow-moving, alternating passages of eye-glazing introspection with some really profound and expressive descriptions of what love is like, and how we react to art and to artists (be they actors, writers, or painters). But a welcome surprise was that there is an actual plot, with the narrator's rebuff of Gilberte near the start vaguely reflected in his relationship with Albertine, and with her other young friends, at the end.

I found myself very irritated by the publisher's notes. (I'm reading the new-ish Penguin edition.) First of all, I hate end-notes rather than foot-notes as a general matter of principle. Second, while I don't mind explanations of obscure references to contemporary or older French literature, I thought the editors went overboard in drawing attention to Proust's minor plot inconsistencies. (Though I did wonder why these were never corrected by any of Proust's French editors.)

what i spied underneath the shade, 06 Mar 2003
For so long a figure of "high literature" in this reader's mind, Proust is far more accessible and contemporary than many might think. A misleading title(if not beautifully poetic) leads one into an expectation of adolescent romances and rendevzous. "In the Shadow..." is more accurately about the opening up and growing awareness of a young mind to the world. Over the course of his walks and travels, the Narrator enters us into the halycon world of literary dreaming its inevitable disappointments, all the while reavealing a fantastic social tapestry (noble histories and romantic intrigues) that is a mirror into the psychology and actions of society people (to this day still). There are those who would chide Proust's allusions and his "wordy" prose, but his assessment of human behaviour and depiction of the melding of pre-conceived (perhaps naive) notions with their dessicated reality makes this novel an essential read for anyone who lives and interacts with people.

Proust is far from pretentious, but not one for anyone without patience , 09 Jul 2008
I haven't read the version of this particular publisher, but if it is the Moncrieff and Kilmartin translation then I find it rather ponderous what some of the poor reviews are about. This novel is the very definition of literary genius, I'm not sure if it matches up to my favourite novelist Dostoevski, but I did often feel unfaithful to him; while very different in style, Proust is every bit as philosophically and psychologically subtle as the great russian master; and like other writers I enjoy he seems to weave these insights sumptuosly and seemlessly into the narrative. From Bergson's theory of memory and the 'elen vital' to Shopenhauer's metaphysical pessismism as well as arts redemptive role in our endless striving to continue to live and love which can ultimately be reduced to vain suffering, to a ruthless and humourous social critique of the petit bourgeoisie, and an insight into the nature of love and jealousy, which can only be rivalled by Shakespeares Othello, plus a host of ideas and comic portrayals that are trully original and Proustian this novel is trully flawless. A great addition to the tradition of French novels exploration of sexuality on the fringe, investigating themes such as child sexuality, homosexuality etc with the boldness of Battaille or Sacher-Masoch and the psychological penetration of Freud. Now as I mentioned I have not read this particular version, but I do relate to some of the reviews, often I have come across translations that make books like War and Peace, which one requires alot of patience for rather opaque and then rediscovered the novel in a different translation which makes it infinitely more pleasurable. As for Proust himself and his narrative as well as insights, I can assure you he's not at fault. try everymans Library version, its trully a masterpiece of translation in and of itself. after you've read that you will appreciate any translation of Proust.

A Surat (painting) in the literary sense, 18 Jan 2008
It has taken approximately three months just to read through the first novel of this great and august work, which I suppose goes to show how much time and effort Proust put into writing this.

It is a very time-consuming plot. In the first instance he tends to go on at length about how he is waiting at the top of the stairs for his mother to come and kiss him goodnight and then deviates at length in a painterly and studious way around how he evokes the environs of Combray. This departure seems to extend into a little novella all of its own, before you arrive finally at the reason the book was entitled as it was, i.e. Swann's pursuit and on-off love affair with Odette. You wend your way via endless luncheons and dinner parties at the Verdurins and glimpsing Odette's other flings as a courtesan with various Comtes and Ducs (sic)particularly Fourcheville, who is Swann's main rival.

But all in all, this is a creative tour de force, is superbly written, as is evident by the number of drafts Proust went through before its final completion and is well worth three months of anyone's time in terms of a good bedtime read. I just hope Volume II will not be as time consuming. I think the phrase "just hang in there!" is appropriate as there are better things to come from this delightful range of novels.



Easy - why didn't someone tell me?, 30 Jun 2007
For thirty years, I thought Proust was too 'difficult' for the ordinary reader. I gained that impression, I suppose, from hearing 'clever' people talk about him.

Rubbish. This is great stuff, and very approachable. And it's well worth the effort: the narrative style and the examination of the writer's inner life are unlike anything else. I wish I'd read it years ago.

One proviso: this is NOT fast-moving...! It's best read, in my view, when you have a long stretch of time to devote to it: I couldn't pick it up and put it down as a bedside book. So it makes a great holiday read - perhaps for that rainy week in Deauville?!

This Internal Dialogue of Stalled Thinking Is Irresistible, 27 May 2004
All of us have self-talk, which is quite different from the way we converse with each other or write. Proust has captured self-talk in a delightful display of stream-of-consciousness writing that is unequaled in literature. You will find yourself remembering many of the same thoughts in your own self-talk. By focusing inward, Proust succeeds in portraying much of what is universal about all of humanity.

Unlike Joyce, who employed the same technique, Proust is easy and delightful to follow. You will sense beauty in thought that will make you glad to be alive. It will also stimulate you to notice more about the world around you and your reactions to it.

Do be aware that an internally-focused book does not have a lot of action and drama in it. On the other hand, neither does most of life. I think Proust has captured the essence of human life in a very valuable way. But if you like Dirk Pitt novels and little else, you would do well to avoid Swann's Way.

The main drawback of self-talk is that we often build hurdles where there are none. We often talk ourselves out of things that we should pursue. As a result, our thinking stalls our ability to act. You will find lots of delicious examples of this in the hypochondria explored in this book.

Although this book is rarely assigned in literature classes, almost everyone would benefit from reading it. You can best use it as a mirror to see yourself better. That should make for a tasty dish that is irresistible once tasted. Bon appetit!

A book of two halves, 10 May 2004
This book was recommended to me at a time that I was exploring alot of French literature. Previously I had been put off by both the length of the book and the lack of subject matter. Despite initial misgivings, I soon got into the idiom of the book and the first half of this tome where the narrator recounts his childhood in a sleepy, French town. This is almost as good as parts of "David Copperfield" or "Great Expectations" in the way that it depicts a child's perception of the adult world. Some of the writing is very funny and Proust's perceptive writing, particualarly when describing the walks through the countryside, is extremely beautiful. The first half of the book deservedly merits five stars and demonstrates why Proust enjoys such a great reputation.
Unfortunately, the second half of this volume concerns the unfortunate Mr. Swann and his affair with a woman who is clearly cruelly leading him on. This is nothing more than high class "Chick lit" and was probably one of the most boring and turgid things that I have ever read. (Almost as bad as T.E. Lawrence's "Seven pillars of wisdom", another book that I would never recommend and should be immediately flushed down the toilet.) It is clear to the reader from mid-way through this account that she was a courtesan and Mr. Swann should have wised up. This would have saved a few hundred pages!! Nil points for this section then.
To summarise, this is truly a book of two halves. If you want to read to well written French novel try Alain-Fournier's "Le grand Meulnes" that is a fraction of the volume, just a well written and has a multi-layered plot that will keep you wanting to turn the page. As to the other reviewer's comments that Proust is better that Shakespeare or Dickens, I would simply add that aleast they both knew how to write a plot !! Proust has a reputation as the greatest novelist of the 20th Century, but nothing in this book would lead me to rate him above Joseph Conrad, Karen Blixen or George Orwell.
Definately one for the girls - although not the type of girls that I would like to go out with !! File under "B" for boring.

Do not put off reading this book, 10 Aug 2008
I urge you to get this book out of the library, read it on-line, or best of all buy this superb translation. My response to the book has been quite emotional, and since others have better explained what the book is like, I will just say don't put off reading it until you break your leg or (as in my friend Rod's case) get a bit of pneumonia.
I also recommend How Proust Can Change Your Life because it is a beautiful little book and it will help you get the most out of reading In Search of Lost Time.
Yes, I really do think that Proust can change your life, in the sense that I changed the way I think about myself and other people, as if the restricting walls and ceiling of my dark little world had just fallen away.
I wish I had read this when I was 12 years old, but now will have to do.

Brilliant, 09 Mar 2008
I found myself completely captivated by this first of Proust's classic series; his evocations of children's perceptions of the world of grownups, and of what it is like to be a man in love, are simply superb. Sure, you have to smile a bit at the very long sentences - the editor protests that Proust's reputation for this is a bit unfair, in that "only" a quarter of the text consists of sentences that are longer then ten lines - yeah, right. But it would be impossible to unwind them. The pace of the book is of course very slow but I found that part of its charm. Roll on the second volume.

Also I was taken aback by the amount of girl-on-girl action. I'm not used to that in classic literature.

What would have happened if he'd had a coffee instead?, 07 Aug 2007
Why oh why has this new translation been published in two different covers? The American ones, in Penguin Delux Editions, have gorgeous covers, and the British editions have the usual wishy-washy close ups of roughly period paintings, and for some reason, Groucho Marx on the spine. His eyes follow you around the room. If it were not for that stupid law that means the last two volumes of the translation can't be published in the US until 2019 (& why won't sombody fix that?) we would never have bought them in this version, and will have to spend the afternoon covering them. It is most distracting...

Only love can break your heart, 30 Mar 2006
Slow to the point of retardation, circular, ambiguous, prurient, self-absorbed and above all French; it is a mystery to me why this book is considered to be the finest novel ever penned.
I read this book on holiday in Ventnor and despite an overhelming sense of self-satisfaction at having read such a fat book, I was bitterly disappointing. I don't mind a little psychological acuity, the odd pastiche of the aporetic round of human living etc. but overall I found the plot thin and the action scenes over-written. Selling a million copies is the goal of every serious writer but I feel Mr Proust has made too many concessions along the way. Many of the gags are cheap and the female characters unconvicing. The comic timing is also way off - sometimes the punchline comes several pages after the set-up.
However, the Baron de Charlus is a good character and will ring bells for anyone who hails from the Sheffield area. There is also a very entertaining moment where the narrator chokes on a bit of cake and his whole life flashes before his eyes (although in slow motion).
I think that the over 40's and anyone who wants to learn how NOT to tell a joke would like this book. Probably not appropriate for readers with impaired memory or synaesthesia.

A unique reading experience, well worth the effort, 15 Sep 2004
Sooner or later every serious reader must come to terms with Marcel Proust's six volume work, Remebrance of Things Past. This new translation is as good a way as any to get into it, and Swann's Way, as it is usually called, is the first volume. This is a challenging read. The reader needs to relax, to give up all hope of finishing the book quickly, or of finding an exciting plot or much forward movement in the book. But once you have set aside your notions of what constitutes a novel, and are prepared to go on this meandering journey of self-disovery (through finding in yourself the same thoughts that Proust thinks), you will find an intimate and beguiling novel which will generate the "of course" reaction in you as you see yourself and the people around you in a new light.

Proust has the gift of analysing the interior motives of his characters, not just in terms of their actions, but in terms of their thoughts and speech. He detects the evasions and dissimulations in everyday social interactions and exposes the deceits of convention and tradition. Having read this book I can say that all though it was a difficult read, it was worth the effort and the memory of this novel past has affected the way I look at the world around me. I look forward to volume 2.

Introspective but descriptive, 17 Mar 2008
I have to say that I found vol 2 a bit more slow-moving, alternating passages of eye-glazing introspection with some really profound and expressive descriptions of what love is like, and how we react to art and to artists (be they actors, writers, or painters). But a welcome surprise was that there is an actual plot, with the narrator's rebuff of Gilberte near the start vaguely reflected in his relationship with Albertine, and with her other young friends, at the end.

I found myself very irritated by the publisher's notes. (I'm reading the new-ish Penguin edition.) First of all, I hate end-notes rather than foot-notes as a general matter of principle. Second, while I don't mind explanations of obscure references to contemporary or older French literature, I thought the editors went overboard in drawing attention to Proust's minor plot inconsistencies. (Though I did wonder why these were never corrected by any of Proust's French editors.)

what i spied underneath the shade, 06 Mar 2003
For so long a figure of "high literature" in this reader's mind, Proust is far more accessible and contemporary than many might think. A misleading title(if not beautifully poetic) leads one into an expectation of adolescent romances and rendevzous. "In the Shadow..." is more accurately about the opening up and growing awareness of a young mind to the world. Over the course of his walks and travels, the Narrator enters us into the halycon world of literary dreaming its inevitable disappointments, all the while reavealing a fantastic social tapestry (noble histories and romantic intrigues) that is a mirror into the psychology and actions of society people (to this day still). There are those who would chide Proust's allusions and his "wordy" prose, but his assessment of human behaviour and depiction of the melding of pre-conceived (perhaps naive) notions with their dessicated reality makes this novel an essential read for anyone who lives and interacts with people.

Proust is far from pretentious, but not one for anyone without patience , 09 Jul 2008
I haven't read the version of this particular publisher, but if it is the Moncrieff and Kilmartin translation then I find it rather ponderous what some of the poor reviews are about. This novel is the very definition of literary genius, I'm not sure if it matches up to my favourite novelist Dostoevski, but I did often feel unfaithful to him; while very different in style, Proust is every bit as philosophically and psychologically subtle as the great russian master; and like other writers I enjoy he seems to weave these insights sumptuosly and seemlessly into the narrative. From Bergson's theory of memory and the 'elen vital' to Shopenhauer's metaphysical pessismism as well as arts redemptive role in our endless striving to continue to live and love which can ultimately be reduced to vain suffering, to a ruthless and humourous social critique of the petit bourgeoisie, and an insight into the nature of love and jealousy, which can only be rivalled by Shakespeares Othello, plus a host of ideas and comic portrayals that are trully original and Proustian this novel is trully flawless. A great addition to the tradition of French novels exploration of sexuality on the fringe, investigating themes such as child sexuality, homosexuality etc with the boldness of Battaille or Sacher-Masoch and the psychological penetration of Freud. Now as I mentioned I have not read this particular version, but I do relate to some of the reviews, often I have come across translations that make books like War and Peace, which one requires alot of patience for rather opaque and then rediscovered the novel in a different translation which makes it infinitely more pleasurable. As for Proust himself and his narrative as well as insights, I can assure you he's not at fault. try everymans Library version, its trully a masterpiece of translation in and of itself. after you've read that you will appreciate any translation of Proust.

A Surat (painting) in the literary sense, 18 Jan 2008
It has taken approximately three months just to read through the first novel of this great and august work, which I suppose goes to show how much time and effort Proust put into writing this.

It is a very time-consuming plot. In the first instance he tends to go on at length about how he is waiting at the top of the stairs for his mother to come and kiss him goodnight and then deviates at length in a painterly and studious way around how he evokes the environs of Combray. This departure seems to extend into a little novella all of its own, before you arrive finally at the reason the book was entitled as it was, i.e. Swann's pursuit and on-off love affair with Odette. You wend your way via endless luncheons and dinner parties at the Verdurins and glimpsing Odette's other flings as a courtesan with various Comtes and Ducs (sic)particularly Fourcheville, who is Swann's main rival.

But all in all, this is a creative tour de force, is superbly written, as is evident by the number of drafts Proust went through before its final completion and is well worth three months of anyone's time in terms of a good bedtime read. I just hope Volume II will not be as time consuming. I think the phrase "just hang in there!" is appropriate as there are better things to come from this delightful range of novels.



Easy - why didn't someone tell me?, 30 Jun 2007
For thirty years, I thought Proust was too 'difficult' for the ordinary reader. I gained that impression, I suppose, from hearing 'clever' people talk about him.

Rubbish. This is great stuff, and very approachable. And it's well worth the effort: the narrative style and the examination of the writer's inner life are unlike anything else. I wish I'd read it years ago.

One proviso: this is NOT fast-moving...! It's best read, in my view, when you have a long stretch of time to devote to it: I couldn't pick it up and put it down as a bedside book. So it makes a great holiday read - perhaps for that rainy week in Deauville?!

This Internal Dialogue of Stalled Thinking Is Irresistible, 27 May 2004
All of us have self-talk, which is quite different from the way we converse with each other or write. Proust has captured self-talk in a delightful display of stream-of-consciousness writing that is unequaled in literature. You will find yourself remembering many of the same thoughts in your own self-talk. By focusing inward, Proust succeeds in portraying much of what is universal about all of humanity.

Unlike Joyce, who employed the same technique, Proust is easy and delightful to follow. You will sense beauty in thought that will make you glad to be alive. It will also stimulate you to notice more about the world around you and your reactions to it.

Do be aware that an internally-focused book does not have a lot of action and drama in it. On the other hand, neither does most of life. I think Proust has captured the essence of human life in a very valuable way. But if you like Dirk Pitt novels and little else, you would do well to avoid Swann's Way.

The main drawback of self-talk is that we often build hurdles where there are none. We often talk ourselves out of things that we should pursue. As a result, our thinking stalls our ability to act. You will find lots of delicious examples of this in the hypochondria explored in this book.

Although this book is rarely assigned in literature classes, almost everyone would benefit from reading it. You can best use it as a mirror to see yourself better. That should make for a tasty dish that is irresistible once tasted. Bon appetit!

A book of two halves, 10 May 2004
This book was recommended to me at a time that I was exploring alot of French literature. Previously I had been put off by both the length of the book and the lack of subject matter. Despite initial misgivings, I soon got into the idiom of the book and the first half of this tome where the narrator recounts his childhood in a sleepy, French town. This is almost as good as parts of "David Copperfield" or "Great Expectations" in the way that it depicts a child's perception of the adult world. Some of the writing is very funny and Proust's perceptive writing, particualarly when describing the walks through the countryside, is extremely beautiful. The first half of the book deservedly merits five stars and demonstrates why Proust enjoys such a great reputation.
Unfortunately, the second half of this volume concerns the unfortunate Mr. Swann and his affair with a woman who is clearly cruelly leading him on. This is nothing more than high class "Chick lit" and was probably one of the most boring and turgid things that I have ever read. (Almost as bad as T.E. Lawrence's "Seven pillars of wisdom", another book that I would never recommend and should be immediately flushed down the toilet.) It is clear to the reader from mid-way through this account that she was a courtesan and Mr. Swann should have wised up. This would have saved a few hundred pages!! Nil points for this section then.
To summarise, this is truly a book of two halves. If you want to read to well written French novel try Alain-Fournier's "Le grand Meulnes" that is a fraction of the volume, just a well written and has a multi-layered plot that will keep you wanting to turn the page. As to the other reviewer's comments that Proust is better that Shakespeare or Dickens, I would simply add that aleast they both knew how to write a plot !! Proust has a reputation as the greatest novelist of the 20th Century, but nothing in this book would lead me to rate him above Joseph Conrad, Karen Blixen or George Orwell.
Definately one for the girls - although not the type of girls that I would like to go out with !! File under "B" for boring.

A La Recherche Du Temps Part Two, 19 Mar 2005
Picking up where Swann's Way left off, this is the enthralling, equisitely poetical second instalment of Proust's masterpiece. If - like me - you struggled through the first volume to adjust to the Proustian technique by which sentences can, and frequently do, occupy an entire page of script, by the time you pick up the second volume the language seems as natural and fluent as it once felt awkward and clumsy.

The Author spends the first part of the novel dealing with love and obsession in his formative years - his emotions fluttering between Gilberte and her mother, the notorious Mme Swann. Whilst the first half of Within a Budding Grove offers a delightful insight into the workings of human love and, more touchingly, the anguish from which it is unseparable in the heart of the author, the volume really comes to live when we reach Balbec.

In the latter half of the novel we are treated to Proust at his best: using the characters of Elstir, Albertine and Saint-Loup the author treats us to splendid discussions on what are, in descending order of value, his most cherished themes of art, love and friendship respectively.

In short, Swann's way was a splendid prologue to the rest of the novel which reaches new heights in this its second volume. If you were thinking about leaving it a while before attempting part two, don't - do it now.

absolutely..., 02 Nov 2001
The above/below reviewer is absolutely correct; although this is a staggeringly hard volume to finish. It is, however, well worth it: Marcel starts to come into his own as a character. But wait until you've finished vol.3 for the real delight. The Guermantes way is the real gateway into the epic and is astounding.

A storyline! At last!, 07 Mar 2000
Firstly, congratulations to anyone who has got this far and completed the first volume of Prousts epic tale. With the hard work done, you can now enjoy the fruits of your labour - this book contains a delicate, haunting account of romance which is both imaginative and highly readable. The characters are both newly introduced, and drawn from "Swanns Way", and are believable in a way that is rarely found in literature. Motives, emotions and the "human condition" are all analysed in such unflinching detail that you find yourself associating with the narrator and sharing his frustration at his own failings. Along with occasional flashes of humour, the tight storyline moves the book along far more quickly than the first volume. A superb read that will leave you wanting more (and don't worry - there are still four volumes to go!)

Not on the same street as Swann's Way, 30 Apr 1999
Very engrossing, even though dry in places. Sometimes irritating, as when his constant use of simile-like metaphors, apparently inspired by Ruskin's theories of literature, become a little too thick on the ground. Perhaps it's the ugliness of the word "like," repeated in almost every sentence, that starts to grate. The metaphors are brilliant, but often merely ornamental. Also some of the material seems a bit too thin in places, a bit too wispy for words. But there is much human material here that I need to be reading right now, and what a wonderful way to be reading it.

so delicious!, 08 Jul 1997
the beauty of these novels is unmatched with the possible exception of thomas wolfe. come with me and dance til dawn!

Do not put off reading this book, 10 Aug 2008
I urge you to get this book out of the library, read it on-line, or best of all buy this superb translation. My response to the book has been quite emotional, and since others have better explained what the book is like, I will just say don't put off reading it until you break your leg or (as in my friend Rod's case) get a bit of pneumonia.
I also recommend How Proust Can Change Your Life because it is a beautiful little book and it will help you get the most out of reading In Search of Lost Time.
Yes, I really do think that Proust can change your life, in the sense that I changed the way I think about myself and other people, as if the restricting walls and ceiling of my dark little world had just fallen away.
I wish I had read this when I was 12 years old, but now will have to do.

Brilliant, 09 Mar 2008
I found myself completely captivated by this first of Proust's classic series; his evocations of children's perceptions of the world of grownups, and of what it is like to be a man in love, are simply superb. Sure, you have to smile a bit at the very long sentences - the editor protests that Proust's reputation for this is a bit unfair, in that "only" a quarter of the text consists of sentences that are longer then ten lines - yeah, right. But it would be impossible to unwind them. The pace of the book is of course very slow but I found that part of its charm. Roll on the second volume.

Also I was taken aback by the amount of girl-on-girl action. I'm not used to that in classic literature.

What would have happened if he'd had a coffee instead?, 07 Aug 2007
Why oh why has this new translation been published in two different covers? The American ones, in Penguin Delux Editions, have gorgeous covers, and the British editions have the usual wishy-washy close ups of roughly period paintings, and for some reason, Groucho Marx on the spine. His eyes follow you around the room. If it were not for that stupid law that means the last two volumes of the translation can't be published in the US until 2019 (& why won't sombody fix that?) we would never have bought them in this version, and will have to spend the afternoon covering them. It is most distracting...

Only love can break your heart, 30 Mar 2006
Slow to the point of retardation, circular, ambiguous, prurient, self-absorbed and above all French; it is a mystery to me why this book is considered to be the finest novel ever penned.
I read this book on holiday in Ventnor and despite an overhelming sense of self-satisfaction at having read such a fat book, I was bitterly disappointing. I don't mind a little psychological acuity, the odd pastiche of the aporetic round of human living etc. but overall I found the plot thin and the action scenes over-written. Selling a million copies is the goal of every serious writer but I feel Mr Proust has made too many concessions along the way. Many of the gags are cheap and the female characters unconvicing. The comic timing is also way off - sometimes the punchline comes several pages after the set-up.
However, the Baron de Charlus is a good character and will ring bells for anyone who hails from the Sheffield area. There is also a very entertaining moment where the narrator chokes on a bit of cake and his whole life flashes before his eyes (although in slow motion).
I think that the over 40's and anyone who wants to learn how NOT to tell a joke would like this book. Probably not appropriate for readers with impaired memory or synaesthesia.

A unique reading experience, well worth the effort, 15 Sep 2004
Sooner or later every serious reader must come to terms with Marcel Proust's six volume work, Remebrance of Things Past. This new translation is as good a way as any to get into it, and Swann's Way, as it is usually called, is the first volume. This is a challenging read. The reader needs to relax, to give up all hope of finishing the book quickly, or of finding an exciting plot or much forward movement in the book. But once you have set aside your notions of what constitutes a novel, and are prepared to go on this meandering journey of self-disovery (through finding in yourself the same thoughts that Proust thinks), you will find an intimate and beguiling novel which will generate the "of course" reaction in you as you see yourself and the people around you in a new light.

Proust has the gift of analysing the interior motives of his characters, not just in terms of their actions, but in terms of their thoughts and speech. He detects the evasions and dissimulations in everyday social interactions and exposes the deceits of convention and tradition. Having read this book I can say that all though it was a difficult read, it was worth the effort and the memory of this novel past has affected the way I look at the world around me. I look forward to volume 2.

Introspective but descriptive, 17 Mar 2008
I have to say that I found vol 2 a bit more slow-moving, alternating passages of eye-glazing introspection with some really profound and expressive descriptions of what love is like, and how we react to art and to artists (be they actors, writers, or painters). But a welcome surprise was that there is an actual plot, with the narrator's rebuff of Gilberte near the start vaguely reflected in his relationship with Albertine, and with her other young friends, at the end.

I found myself very irritated by the publisher's notes. (I'm reading the new-ish Penguin edition.) First of all, I hate end-notes rather than foot-notes as a general matter of principle. Second, while I don't mind explanations of obscure references to contemporary or older French literature, I thought the editors went overboard in drawing attention to Proust's minor plot inconsistencies. (Though I did wonder why these were never corrected by any of Proust's French editors.)

what i spied underneath the shade, 06 Mar 2003
For so long a figure of "high literature" in this reader's mind, Proust is far more accessible and contemporary than many might think. A misleading title(if not beautifully poetic) leads one into an expectation of adolescent romances and rendevzous. "In the Shadow..." is more accurately about the opening up and growing awareness of a young mind to the world. Over the course of his walks and travels, the Narrator enters us into the halycon world of literary dreaming its inevitable disappointments, all the while reavealing a fantastic social tapestry (noble histories and romantic intrigues) that is a mirror into the psychology and actions of society people (to this day still). There are those who would chide Proust's allusions and his "wordy" prose, but his assessment of human behaviour and depiction of the melding of pre-conceived (perhaps naive) notions with their dessicated reality makes this novel an essential read for anyone who lives and interacts with people.

Proust is far from pretentious, but not one for anyone without patience , 09 Jul 2008
I haven't read the version of this particular publisher, but if it is the Moncrieff and Kilmartin translation then I find it rather ponderous what some of the poor reviews are about. This novel is the very definition of literary genius, I'm not sure if it matches up to my favourite novelist Dostoevski, but I did often feel unfaithful to him; while very different in style, Proust is every bit as philosophically and psychologically subtle as the great russian master; and like other writers I enjoy he seems to weave these insights sumptuosly and seemlessly into the narrative. From Bergson's theory of memory and the 'elen vital' to Shopenhauer's metaphysical pessismism as well as arts redemptive role in our endless striving to continue to live and love which can ultimately be reduced to vain suffering, to a ruthless and humourous social critique of the petit bourgeoisie, and an insight into the nature of love and jealousy, which can only be rivalled by Shakespeares Othello, plus a host of ideas and comic portrayals that are trully original and Proustian this novel is trully flawless. A great addition to the tradition of French novels exploration of sexuality on the fringe, investigating themes such as child sexuality, homosexuality etc with the boldness of Battaille or Sacher-Masoch and the psychological penetration of Freud. Now as I mentioned I have not read this particular version, but I do relate to some of the reviews, often I have come across translations that make books like War and Peace, which one requires alot of patience for rather opaque and then rediscovered the novel in a different translation which makes it infinitely more pleasurable. As for Proust himself and his narrative as well as insights, I can assure you he's not at fault. try everymans Library version, its trully a masterpiece of translation in and of itself. after you've read that you will appreciate any translation of Proust.

A Surat (painting) in the literary sense, 18 Jan 2008
It has taken approximately three months just to read through the first novel of this great and august work, which I suppose goes to show how much time and effort Proust put into writing this.

It is a very time-consuming plot. In the first instance he tends to go on at length about how he is waiting at the top of the stairs for his mother to come and kiss him goodnight and then deviates at length in a painterly and studious way around how he evokes the environs of Combray. This departure seems to extend into a little novella all of its own, before you arrive finally at the reason the book was entitled as it was, i.e. Swann's pursuit and on-off love affair with Odette. You wend your way via endless luncheons and dinner parties at the Verdurins and glimpsing Odette's other flings as a courtesan with various Comtes and Ducs (sic)particularly Fourcheville, who is Swann's main rival.

But all in all, this is a creative tour de force, is superbly written, as is evident by the number of drafts Proust went through before its final completion and is well worth three months of anyone's time in terms of a good bedtime read. I just hope Volume II will not be as time consuming. I think the phrase "just hang in there!" is appropriate as there are better things to come from this delightful range of novels.



Easy - why didn't someone tell me?, 30 Jun 2007
For thirty years, I thought Proust was too 'difficult' for the ordinary reader. I gained that impression, I suppose, from hearing 'clever' people talk about him.

Rubbish. This is great stuff, and very approachable. And it's well worth the effort: the narrative style and the examination of the writer's inner life are unlike anything else. I wish I'd read it years ago.

One proviso: this is NOT fast-moving...! It's best read, in my view, when you have a long stretch of time to devote to it: I couldn't pick it up and put it down as a bedside book. So it makes a great holiday read - perhaps for that rainy week in Deauville?!

This Internal Dialogue of Stalled Thinking Is Irresistible, 27 May 2004
All of us have self-talk, which is quite different from the way we converse with each other or write. Proust has captured self-talk in a delightful display of stream-of-consciousness writing that is unequaled in literature. You will find yourself remembering many of the same thoughts in your own self-talk. By focusing inward, Proust succeeds in portraying much of what is universal about all of humanity.

Unlike Joyce, who employed the same technique, Proust is easy and delightful to follow. You will sense beauty in thought that will make you glad to be alive. It will also stimulate you to notice more about the world around you and your reactions to it.

Do be aware that an internally-focused book does not have a lot of action and drama in it. On the other hand, neither does most of life. I think Proust has captured the essence of human life in a very valuable way. But if you like Dirk Pitt novels and little else, you would do well to avoid Swann's Way.

The main drawback of self-talk is that we often build hurdles where there are none. We often talk ourselves out of things that we should pursue. As a result, our thinking stalls our ability to act. You will find lots of delicious examples of this in the hypochondria explored in this book.

Although this book is rarely assigned in literature classes, almost everyone would benefit from reading it. You can best use it as a mirror to see yourself better. That should make for a tasty dish that is irresistible once tasted. Bon appetit!

A book of two halves, 10 May 2004
This book was recommended to me at a time that I was exploring alot of French literature. Previously I had been put off by both the length of the book and the lack of subject matter. Despite initial misgivings, I soon got into the idiom of the book and the first half of this tome where the narrator recounts his childhood in a sleepy, French town. This is almost as good as parts of "David Copperfield" or "Great Expectations" in the way that it depicts a child's perception of the adult world. Some of the writing is very funny and Proust's perceptive writing, particualarly when describing the walks through the countryside, is extremely beautiful. The first half of the book deservedly merits five stars and demonstrates why Proust enjoys such a great reputation.
Unfortunately, the second half of this volume concerns the unfortunate Mr. Swann and his affair with a woman who is clearly cruelly leading him on. This is nothing more than high class "Chick lit" and was probably one of the most boring and turgid things that I have ever read. (Almost as bad as T.E. Lawrence's "Seven pillars of wisdom", another book that I would never recommend and should be immediately flushed down the toilet.) It is clear to the reader from mid-way through this account that she was a courtesan and Mr. Swann should have wised up. This would have saved a few hundred pages!! Nil points for this section then.
To summarise, this is truly a book of two halves. If you want to read to well written French novel try Alain-Fournier's "Le grand Meulnes" that is a fraction of the volume, just a well written and has a multi-layered plot that will keep you wanting to turn the page. As to the other reviewer's comments that Proust is better that Shakespeare or Dickens, I would simply add that aleast they both knew how to write a plot !! Proust has a reputation as the greatest novelist of the 20th Century, but nothing in this book would lead me to rate him above Joseph Conrad, Karen Blixen or George Orwell.
Definately one for the girls - although not the type of girls that I would like to go out with !! File under "B" for boring.

A La Recherche Du Temps Part Two, 19 Mar 2005
Picking up where Swann's Way left off, this is the enthralling, equisitely poetical second instalment of Proust's masterpiece. If - like me - you struggled through the first volume to adjust to the Proustian technique by which sentences can, and frequently do, occupy an entire page of script, by the time you pick up the second volume the language seems as natural and fluent as it once felt awkward and clumsy.

The Author spends the first part of the novel dealing with love and obsession in his formative years - his emotions fluttering between Gilberte and her mother, the notorious Mme Swann. Whilst the first half of Within a Budding Grove offers a delightful insight into the workings of human love and, more touchingly, the anguish from which it is unseparable in the heart of the author, the volume really comes to live when we reach Balbec.

In the latter half of the novel we are treated to Proust at his best: using the characters of Elstir, Albertine and Saint-Loup the author treats us to splendid discussions on what are, in descending order of value, his most cherished themes of art, love and friendship respectively.

In short, Swann's way was a splendid prologue to the rest of the novel which reaches new heights in this its second volume. If you were thinking about leaving it a while before attempting part two, don't - do it now.

absolutely..., 02 Nov 2001
The above/below reviewer is absolutely correct; although this is a staggeringly hard volume to finish. It is, however, well worth it: Marcel starts to come into his own as a character. But wait until you've finished vol.3 for the real delight. The Guermantes way is the real gateway into the epic and is astounding.

A storyline! At last!, 07 Mar 2000
Firstly, congratulations to anyone who has got this far and completed the first volume of Prousts epic tale. With the hard work done, you can now enjoy the fruits of your labour - this book contains a delicate, haunting account of romance which is both imaginative and highly readable. The characters are both newly introduced, and drawn from "Swanns Way", and are believable in a way that is rarely found in literature. Motives, emotions and the "human condition" are all analysed in such unflinching detail that you find yourself associating with the narrator and sharing his frustration at his own failings. Along with occasional flashes of humour, the tight storyline moves the book along far more quickly than the first volume. A superb read that will leave you wanting more (and don't worry - there are still four volumes to go!)

Not on the same street as Swann's Way, 30 Apr 1999
Very engrossing, even though dry in places. Sometimes irritating, as when his constant use of simile-like metaphors, apparently inspired by Ruskin's theories of literature, become a little too thick on the ground. Perhaps it's the ugliness of the word "like," repeated in almost every sentence, that starts to grate. The metaphors are brilliant, but often merely ornamental. Also some of the material seems a bit too thin in places, a bit too wispy for words. But there is much human material here that I need to be reading right now, and what a wonderful way to be reading it.

so delicious!, 08 Jul 1997
the beauty of these novels is unmatched with the possible exception of thomas wolfe. come with me and dance til dawn!

HURRAY...., 05 Jul 2002
First of all..congrats to anyone who has gotten this far. This last part is probably the most satisfying volume of in Search of lost time.You will definitly be rewarded for all the hard work you put in. I was daunted when I started to read this epic..I thought I would never in my life finish it.But I did finish it and instead of feeling like having run a marathon I felt refreshed and utterly satisfied.
This last part is almost like looking back on the previous volumes. Things start to make sense in this last part of the epic. Plot lines fall into place,things that seemed to have no relation with each other all of a sudden have a link and things become clear. I probably shouldn't talk too much about the story because that would seriuosly spoil the fun..
Even for anyone who hasn't started reading proust yet I recommend reading 'In search of lost Time' I've gotten so much pleasure out of this book. It's just satisfying.....READ IT

Do persevere!, 07 Oct 2001
This is not an attempt to write a literary criticism of the book but to offer words of encouragement to anyone struggling through an earlier volume. I am a very keen recreational reader and not a literature student and I will admit to finding some parts of the book somewhat tedious. Indeed, the thought occurs that it would have been easier if Proust had taken a proper job rather than end up with so much time on his hands for introspection. However, everything seems to slot into place in this final volume and adds a clear perspective to the whole work. Not only is there a sense of satisfaction at finishing all 6 volumes, there is a real sense of elation when at long last it becomes clear where Proust is coming from. While it will never compare with the great Russian novels such as Anna Karenina, which for the most part are far easier to read, In Search of Lost Time stands alone as a great work of fictional art.

Do not put off reading this book, 10 Aug 2008
I urge you to get this book out of the library, read it on-line, or best of all buy this superb translation. My response to the book has been quite emotional, and since others have better explained what the book is like, I will just say don't put off reading it until you break your leg or (as in my friend Rod's case) get a bit of pneumonia.
I also recommend How Proust Can Change Your Life because it is a beautiful little book and it will help you get the most out of reading In Search of Lost Time.
Yes, I really do think that Proust can change your life, in the sense that I changed the way I think about myself and other people, as if the restricting walls and ceiling of my dark little world had just fallen away.
I wish I had read this when I was 12 years old, but now will have to do.

Brilliant, 09 Mar 2008
I found myself completely captivated by this first of Proust's classic series; his evocations of children's perceptions of the world of grownups, and of what it is like to be a man in love, are simply superb. Sure, you have to smile a bit at the very long sentences - the editor protests that Proust's reputation for this is a bit unfair, in that "only" a quarter of the text consists of sentences that are longer then ten lines - yeah, right. But it would be impossible to unwind them. The pace of the book is of course very slow but I found that part of its charm. Roll on the second volume.

Also I was taken aback by the amount of girl-on-girl action. I'm not used to that in classic literature.

What would have happened if he'd had a coffee instead?, 07 Aug 2007
Why oh why has this new translation been published in two different covers? The American ones, in Penguin Delux Editions, have gorgeous covers, and the British editions have the usual wishy-washy close ups of roughly period paintings, and for some reason, Groucho Marx on the spine. His eyes follow you around the room. If it were not for that stupid law that means the last two volumes of the translation can't be published in the US until 2019 (& why won't sombody fix that?) we would never have bought them in this version, and will have to spend the afternoon covering them. It is most distracting...

Only love can break your heart, 30 Mar 2006
Slow to the point of retardation, circular, ambiguous, prurient, self-absorbed and above all French; it is a mystery to me why this book is considered to be the finest novel ever penned.
I read this book on holiday in Ventnor and despite an overhelming sense of self-satisfaction at having read such a fat book, I was bitterly disappointing. I don't mind a little psychological acuity, the odd pastiche of the aporetic round of human living etc. but overall I found the plot thin and the action scenes over-written. Selling a million copies is the goal of every serious writer but I feel Mr Proust has made too many concessions along the way. Many of the gags are cheap and the female characters unconvicing. The comic timing is also way off - sometimes the punchline comes several pages after the set-up.
However, the Baron de Charlus is a good character and will ring bells for anyone who hails from the Sheffield area. There is also a very entertaining moment where the narrator chokes on a bit of cake and his whole life flashes before his eyes (although in slow motion).
I think that the over 40's and anyone who wants to learn how NOT to tell a joke would like this book. Probably not appropriate for readers with impaired memory or synaesthesia.

A unique reading experience, well worth the effort, 15 Sep 2004
Sooner or later every serious reader must come to terms with Marcel Proust's six volume work, Remebrance of Things Past. This new translation is as good a way as any to get into it, and Swann's Way, as it is usually called, is the first volume. This is a challenging read. The reader needs to relax, to give up all hope of finishing the book quickly, or of finding an exciting plot or much forward movement in the book. But once you have set aside your notions of what constitutes a novel, and are prepared to go on this meandering journey of self-disovery (through finding in yourself the same thoughts that Proust thinks), you will find an intimate and beguiling novel which will generate the "of course" reaction in you as you see yourself and the people around you in a new light.

Proust has the gift of analysing the interior motives of his characters, not just in terms of their actions, but in terms of their thoughts and speech. He detects the evasions and dissimulations in everyday social interactions and exposes the deceits of convention and tradition. Having read this book I can say that all though it was a difficult read, it was worth the effort and the memory of this novel past has affected the way I look at the world around me. I look forward to volume 2.

Introspective but descriptive, 17 Mar 2008
I have to say that I found vol 2 a bit more slow-moving, alternating passages of eye-glazing introspection with some really profound and expressive descriptions of what love is like, and how we react to art and to artists (be they actors, writers, or painters). But a welcome surprise was that there is an actual plot, with the narrator's rebuff of Gilberte near the start vaguely reflected in his relationship with Albertine, and with her other young friends, at the end.

I found myself very irritated by the publisher's notes. (I'm reading the new-ish Penguin edition.) First of all, I hate end-notes rather than foot-notes as a general matter of principle. Second, while I don't mind explanations of obscure references to contemporary or older French literature, I thought the editors went overboard in drawing attention to Proust's minor plot inconsistencies. (Though I did wonder why these were never corrected by any of Proust's French editors.)

what i spied underneath the shade, 06 Mar 2003
For so long a figure of "high literature" in this reader's mind, Proust is far more accessible and contemporary than many might think. A misleading title(if not beautifully poetic) leads one into an expectation of adolescent romances and rendevzous. "In the Shadow..." is more accurately about the opening up and growing awareness of a young mind to the world. Over the course of his walks and travels, the Narrator enters us into the halycon world of literary dreaming its inevitable disappointments, all the while reavealing a fantastic social tapestry (noble histories and romantic intrigues) that is a mirror into the psychology and actions of society people (to this day still). There are those who would chide Proust's allusions and his "wordy" prose, but his assessment of human behaviour and depiction of the melding of pre-conceived (perhaps naive) notions with their dessicated reality makes this novel an essential read for anyone who lives and interacts with people.

Proust is far from pretentious, but not one for anyone without patience , 09 Jul 2008
I haven't read the version of this particular publisher, but if it is the Moncrieff and Kilmartin translation then I find it rather ponderous what some of the poor reviews are about. This novel is the very definition of literary genius, I'm not sure if it matches up to my favourite novelist Dostoevski, but I did often feel unfaithful to him; while very different in style, Proust is every bit as philosophically and psychologically subtle as the great russian master; and like other writers I enjoy he seems to weave these insights sumptuosly and seemlessly into the narrative. From Bergson's theory of memory and the 'elen vital' to Shopenhauer's metaphysical pessismism as well as arts redemptive role in our endless striving to continue to live and love which can ultimately be reduced to vain suffering, to a ruthless and humourous social critique of the petit bourgeoisie, and an insight into the nature of love and jealousy, which can only be rivalled by Shakespeares Othello, plus a host of ideas and comic portrayals that are trully original and Proustian this novel is trully flawless. A great addition to the tradition of French novels exploration of sexuality on the fringe, investigating themes such as child sexuality, homosexuality etc with the boldness of Battaille or Sacher-Masoch and the psychological penetration of Freud. Now as I mentioned I have not read this particular version, but I do relate to some of the reviews, often I have come across translations that make books like War and Peace, which one requires alot of patience for rather opaque and then rediscovered the novel in a different translation which makes it infinitely more pleasurable. As for Proust himself and his narrative as well as insights, I can assure you he's not at fault. try everymans Library version, its trully a masterpiece of translation in and of itself. after you've read that you will appreciate any translation of Proust.

A Surat (painting) in the literary sense, 18 Jan 2008
It has taken approximately three months just to read through the first novel of this great and august work, which I suppose goes to show how much time and effort Proust put into writing this.

It is a very time-consuming plot. In the first instance he tends to go on at length about how he is waiting at the top of the stairs for his mother to come and kiss him goodnight and then deviates at length in a painterly and studious way around how he evokes the environs of Combray. This departure seems to extend into a little novella all of its own, before you arrive finally at the reason the book was entitled as it was, i.e. Swann's pursuit and on-off love affair with Odette. You wend your way via endless luncheons and dinner parties at the Verdurins and glimpsing Odette's other flings as a courtesan with various Comtes and Ducs (sic)particularly Fourcheville, who is Swann's main rival.

But all in all, this is a creative tour de force, is superbly written, as is evident by the number of drafts Proust went through before its final completion and is well worth three months of anyone's time in terms of a good bedtime read. I just hope Volume II will not be as time consuming. I think the phrase "just hang in there!" is appropriate as there are better things to come from this delightful range of novels.



Easy - why didn't someone tell me?, 30 Jun 2007
For thirty years, I thought Proust was too 'difficult' for the ordinary reader. I gained that impression, I suppose, from hearing 'clever' people talk about him.

Rubbish. This is great stuff, and very approachable. And it's well worth the effort: the narrative style and the examination of the writer's inner life are unlike anything else. I wish I'd read it years ago.

One proviso: this is NOT fast-moving...! It's best read, in my view, when you have a long stretch of time to devote to it: I couldn't pick it up and put it down as a bedside book. So it makes a great holiday read - perhaps for that rainy week in Deauville?!

This Internal Dialogue of Stalled Thinking Is Irresistible, 27 May 2004
All of us have self-talk, which is quite different from the way we converse with each other or write. Proust has captured self-talk in a delightful display of stream-of-consciousness writing that is unequaled in literature. You will find yourself remembering many of the same thoughts in your own self-talk. By focusing inward, Proust succeeds in portraying much of what is universal about all of humanity.

Unlike Joyce, who employed the same technique, Proust is easy and delightful to follow. You will sense beauty in thought that will make you glad to be alive. It will also stimulate you to notice more about the world around you and your reactions to it.

Do be aware that an internally-focused book does not have a lot of action and drama in it. On the other hand, neither does most of life. I think Proust has captured the essence of human life in a very valuable way. But if you like Dirk Pitt novels and little else, you would do well to avoid Swann's Way.

The main drawback of self-talk is that we often build hurdles where there are none. We often talk ourselves out of things that we should pursue. As a result, our thinking stalls our ability to act. You will find lots of delicious examples of this in the hypochondria explored in this book.

Although this book is rarely assigned in literature classes, almost everyone would benefit from reading it. You can best use it as a mirror to see yourself better. That should make for a tasty dish that is irresistible once tasted. Bon appetit!

A book of two halves, 10 May 2004
This book was recommended to me at a time that I was exploring alot of French literature. Previously I had been put off by both the length of the book and the lack of subject matter. Despite initial misgivings, I soon got into the idiom of the book and the first half of this tome where the narrator recounts his childhood in a sleepy, French town. This is almost as good as parts of "David Copperfield" or "Great Expectations" in the way that it depicts a child's perception of the adult world. Some of the writing is very funny and Proust's perceptive writing, particualarly when describing the walks through the countryside, is extremely beautiful. The first half of the book deservedly merits five stars and demonstrates why Proust enjoys such a great reputation.
Unfortunately, the second half of this volume concerns the unfortunate Mr. Swann and his affair with a woman who is clearly cruelly leading him on. This is nothing more than high class "Chick lit" and was probably one of the most boring and turgid things that I have ever read. (Almost as bad as T.E. Lawrence's "Seven pillars of wisdom", another book that I would never recommend and should be immediately flushed down the toilet.) It is clear to the reader from mid-way through this account that she was a courtesan and Mr. Swann should have wised up. This would have saved a few hundred pages!! Nil points for this section then.
To summarise, this is truly a book of two halves. If you want to read to well written French novel try Alain-Fournier's "Le grand Meulnes" that is a fraction of the volume, just a well written and has a multi-layered plot that will keep you wanting to turn the page. As to the other reviewer's comments that Proust is better that Shakespeare or Dickens, I would simply add that aleast they both knew how to write a plot !! Proust has a reputation as the greatest novelist of the 20th Century, but nothing in this book would lead me to rate him above Joseph Conrad, Karen Blixen or George Orwell.
Definately one for the girls - although not the type of girls that I would like to go out with !! File under "B" for boring.

A La Recherche Du Temps Part Two, 19 Mar 2005
Picking up where Swann's Way left off, this is the enthralling, equisitely poetical second instalment of Proust's masterpiece. If - like me - you struggled through the first volume to adjust to the Proustian technique by which sentences can, and frequently do, occupy an entire page of script, by the time you pick up the second volume the language seems as natural and fluent as it once felt awkward and clumsy.

The Author spends the first part of the novel dealing with love and obsession in his formative years - his emotions fluttering between Gilberte and her mother, the notorious Mme Swann. Whilst the first half of Within a Budding Grove offers a delightful insight into the workings of human love and, more touchingly, the anguish from which it is unseparable in the heart of the author, the volume really comes to live when we reach Balbec.

In the latter half of the novel we are treated to Proust at his best: using the characters of Elstir, Albertine and Saint-Loup the author treats us to splendid discussions on what are, in descending order of value, his most cherished themes of art, love and friendship respectively.

In short, Swann's way was a splendid prologue to the rest of the novel which reaches new heights in this its second volume. If you were thinking about leaving it a while before attempting part two, don't - do it now.

absolutely..., 02 Nov 2001
The above/below reviewer is absolutely correct; although this is a staggeringly hard volume to finish. It is, however, well worth it: Marcel starts to come into his own as a character. But wait until you've finished vol.3 for the real delight. The Guermantes way is the real gateway into the epic and is astounding.

A storyline! At last!, 07 Mar 2000
Firstly, congratulations to anyone who has got this far and completed the first volume of Prousts epic tale. With the hard work done, you can now enjoy the fruits of your labour - this book contains a delicate, haunting account of romance which is both imaginative and highly readable. The characters are both newly introduced, and drawn from "Swanns Way", and are believable in a way that is rarely found in literature. Motives, emotions and the "human condition" are all analysed in such unflinching detail that you find yourself associating with the narrator and sharing his frustration at his own failings. Along with occasional flashes of humour, the tight storyline moves the book along far more quickly than the first volume. A superb read that will leave you wanting more (and don't worry - there are still four volumes to go!)

Not on the same street as Swann's Way, 30 Apr 1999
Very engrossing, even though dry in places. Sometimes irritating, as when his constant use of simile-like metaphors, apparently inspired by Ruskin's theories of literature, become a little too thick on the ground. Perhaps it's the ugliness of the word "like," repeated in almost every sentence, that starts to grate. The metaphors are brilliant, but often merely ornamental. Also some of the material seems a bit too thin in places, a bit too wispy for words. But there is much human material here that I need to be reading right now, and what a wonderful way to be reading it.

so delicious!, 08 Jul 1997
the beauty of these novels is unmatched with the possible exception of thomas wolfe. come with me and dance til dawn!

HURRAY...., 05 Jul 2002
First of all..congrats to anyone who has gotten this far. This last part is probably the most satisfying volume of in Search of lost time.You will definitly be rewarded for all the hard work you put in. I was daunted when I started to read this epic..I thought I would never in my life finish it.But I did finish it and instead of feeling like having run a marathon I felt refreshed and utterly satisfied.
This last part is almost like looking back on the previous volumes. Things start to make sense in this last part of the epic. Plot lines fall into place,things that seemed to have no relation with each other all of a sudden have a link and things become clear. I probably shouldn't talk too much about the story because that would seriuosly spoil the fun..
Even for anyone who hasn't started reading proust yet I recommend reading 'In search of lost Time' I've gotten so much pleasure out of this book. It's just satisfying.....READ IT

Do persevere!, 07 Oct 2001
This is not an attempt to write a literary criticism of the book but to offer words of encouragement to anyone struggling through an earlier volume. I am a very keen recreational reader and not a literature student and I will admit to finding some parts of the book somewhat tedious. Indeed, the thought occurs that it would have been easier if Proust had taken a proper job rather than end up with so much time on his hands for introspection. However, everything seems to slot into place in this final volume and adds a clear perspective to the whole work. Not only is there a sense of satisfaction at finishing all 6 volumes, there is a real sense of elation when at long last it becomes clear where Proust is coming from. While it will never compare with the great Russian novels such as Anna Karenina, which for the most part are far easier to read, In Search of Lost Time stands alone as a great work of fictional art.

Through a Glass Darkly, 09 Apr 1998
Having just gotten my B.A. a couple of years ago I must have been in an ambitious mood or something, because I decided to read the whole of In Search of Lost Time, cover to cover, pausing only for food and sleep. It's the sort of work that looks more like Mount Everest than a regular ol' novel when you first start reading it, but it turned out to be one of the best companions I could have asked for over the past few years. Proust was a mmaster of the cooly detatched but almost unbelievably sensitive description of human motivation, and his perspective on the harmless, but decadent latter-day French aristocracy whose attitudes and practices provie most of the material for the seven books in the series, is deeply selfish and amoral, but also inexhaustibly curious and sympathetic. This constrast comes out most noticeably in The Captive and The Fugitive, which basically consist of several hundred pages of reflection upon Proust's love affair with a young girl named Albertine. The pair of novels are full of long, sustained reflections on the nature of love, and upon the deep mysteries that attend upon trying to understand what makes other people tick. There is an especially lovely passage in which Proust describes the feelings he undergoes while watching Albertine sleep. By the time of the end of the novel, though, the reader finds himself left with the curious sense that one doesn't actually know anything at all concrete about the "Fugitive" Albertine. Nobody was better than Proust at dissecting the motives and the mores of other people without ever gining in to the novelist's illusion that he understood them better than they did themselves. I recommend these novels to anyone who is up for a bit of a challenge (even Scott Moncrieff's lovely translation of the French could never make Proust an "easy read"), and who is prepared to be enlightened by the reading of a novel even if it doesn't issue in the usual "payoff" of a sense of superior understanding in relation to the charatcters depicted there.