In Search of Lost Time

One of the longest books in history, and I reveal to all here I only read volume 1 of 6, is In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust and translated by Moncrieff and Kilmartin.  Volume one is “Swann’s Way” and after finishing volume one I can say I feel like I have read the entire book, but in reality I know I haven’t.  This was a very painful read... ok, maybe I am not the most intellectually developed person, or guy who is moved by poetically gifted language, but this was a very slow moving read, one with painfully slow thought process and story development.  To begin a story with about how one goes to bed early and then goes on to deepen his thinking about his growing up in a country home in Combray, all of this while his family is hosting a family guest, Charles Swann.  Because of the visit, he is deprived of his mother’s good night kiss!  Really??? Yes. This is a series of “droning” stream of consciousness writing.  How did he remember the dessert they were eating that evening?  The next section turns to follow the life of Charles Swann, well really the on-again, off-again feelings between him and the woman he feels something towards, Odette de Crecy, but between jealousy and uncertainty of his own feelings, her changing looks/weight/ etc., it is an off-on relationship.  The depth at which the author has gone into detail of the human heart, the thinking that goes on in our moment to moment thoughts, the connection between our thoughts, and the connections that are connected to them is amazing.  I have heard that authors were paid by the word when writing their manuscripts at the time Proust was writing.  I would imagine that Proust must have made a fortune if that was the case here.  The first volume contained a quality of writing (even in the translated version) of great prose, just not a lot of action for someone like me who likes to be kept on my toes with a story of some sort.  I would imagine most French Literature majors love this one.  Really reflects the times and the depth of the human condition in relation to love, jealousy, and being torn by life’s everyday challenges.  It’s just not my kind of read.  I give anyone who read the entire 6 volumes and enjoyed it major KUDOS!  Drop a note, or post to the blog your thoughts on volumes 2-6 on what I missed!