Group Read: In Search of Lost Time - Volume I: Swann's Way

Volume I - Swann's Way / The Way by Swanns - Marcel Proust




Apologies for not getting this up straight away, but here is the thread for the group read of Swann's Way

I've just started it today and am already greatly intrigued by the thoughts on waking up! I already have a feeling I might really like this one!

For those reading along please share your thoughts or facts here to enrich the experience for all! Please make clear if any of your posts contain spoilers.

We have until February 28th 2014 to finish it to stay on track.

can relate a lot already to his feelings of longing for affection as a child. I think he expresses that very well.

I am having a hard time with the French edition and might switch back to the German one I used on my first read.
I loved the beginning the first time already and now it is even better, so masterfully composed already in the first couple of pages. And so much edited and re-edited by Proust himself before it finally could be printed, as I read a while ago.

I'm about 200 pages in and agree that it is really beautifully written! It is a genuine pleasure to read.

For some reason I thought it was going to be quite hard work, but I'm finding that while some of the sentences are quite complex, the writing makes it almost effortless to read.

My copy has some fairly interesting foot notes...not sure if these are included on all editions? Apparently this first part was originally set somewhere else but was moved to account for events in future volumes. I will dig out the exact note if anyone is interested.

The copy I ordered turned out to be a graphic novel..... And I can't seem to find another copy! I did make up my mind to join you, and will continue looking for one.

I too find the prose effortless considering I also expected it to be a hard read. The town of Combray is not the town of Combray near Caen today. He based it in fact on a couple of villages of his childhood and it is fictitious. However, Illiers claimed that it was was based on their town and, in recognition of Proust, changed the name to Illiers-Combray in 1971 which was the anniversary of his birth.

Simone: how on earth can Proust be represented graphically?!

> 8 I know, it's hard to imagine! I made a picture of a spread to show you what it looks like. Unfortunately I don't know how to upload a picture in a thread.

You can't upload one... You can only link to one that is already on the web. Shame as it would be great to see... I guess you could email it to arukiyomi AT gmail.com

It just struck my while ambling my way through part two that this is a very "colourful" novel. How many colours can you spot? There are also a lot of flowers. The narrative almost feels like a painting.

> 10 nice comparison!

For the other side -- the actual paintings mentioned -- there is Paintings in Proust.

Thanks for the link Eliz, that's great! I spotted a Poussin reference, which reminded me that there are various references to this work in A Dance to the Music of Time (based on a Poussin painting) which will be interesting for those doing both year long group reads.

In a similar vein, here is an interesting link about the probable origins of the Vinteuil (fictional) sonata "little phrase."

I finished the first volume this morning so will hopefully post some more coherent thoughts later on, although it's one of those works that I'm going to struggle not to ramble about...there's so much in it!

Here is what I scrawled over on my 50 book challenge thread about this first volume, which does repeat some of what I've said on this thread already:

I suppose because of the prestige (and length!) of this work I was preparing myself for this to be a bit of a slog or a bit difficult. However, I'm delighted to say that I could hardly put this one down at times, which bodes well for the next 6 volumes!

What was most impressive was that some of the writing did seem quite complex on the surface, but the beautiful clarity of the ideas, the descriptions and the characters meant that the reading felt almost effortless. I mentioned this on the 1001 group read thread but it's worth repeating that reading this novel felt very much like standing in front of a beautiful painting just letter the colours and characters wash over you.

There's a huge amount that I could talk about in just this first volume; the intriguing characters, the beautiful descriptions of places, the fascinating musings on memory/dreams/love, but then I would be here all evening! However, I'll share one final thought. I mentioned in a recent post that I never feel like "society" fiction will ever fully engage me because I can't really connect with the characters. However, while Swann's Way is firmly set in this element of society, the real story of this volume is going on inside people's heads and so many of these thoughts and ideas I felt a strong connection with.

It just occurred to me that it is doubly impressive that this is a translation and still achieves all of this (in my eyes!) I can only imagine that in the original french it is sublime. I wish I had paid more attention in my French lessons now!

Can't wait now to start the next volume in March.

#5 Have you an e-reader? Because it's on Project Gutenburg if you can download it?

I'm way behind. Life is just getting in the way. I am enjoying it but it's not something I can pick up and read for a few minutes - def needs less children jumping on one...

I agree with everyone so far that there are moments of serious beauty in the writing.

> 9 I sent you an email with a picture!

> 14 On moments like these I regret not having an e-reader, but I am just too fond of my paper copies. Besides I wanted to read Proust in Dutch, my native language, because I assume it to be diffucult enough as it is. Now however I am tempted to buy an English copy as you all say it is so readable!

Thanks Simone! Very interesting to see it... but my Dutch isn't great! Appreciated seeing it nonetheless but I really wouldn't want to read the entire novel that way.

I think as long as you are happy with sentences that are basically strings of clauses, you'll be fine in English. There is certainly no difficult language there. It's just that the sentences are multi-layered and long, but they are composed of clauses that are simple in themselves.

So far I'm thoroughly enjoying this book. The descriptions are beautiful, even though somewhat long. By looking up the paintings mentioned, I'm also adding to my art education.
#11 Thank you so much Eliz M for telling us about Paintings in Proust. I have GOT to get that book!

Another book I'm finding enjoyable is How Proust Can Change Your Life by Alain de Botton The following is a quote from the book about what Proust felt about the title In Search of Lost Time:

"Though Proust never liked it, and referred to it variously as "unfortunate" (1914), "misleading" (1915), and "ugly" (1917), In Search of Lost Time had the advantage of pointing directly enough to a central theme of the novel: a search for the causes behind the dissipation and loss of time. Far from a memoir tracing the passage of a more lyrical age, it was a practical, universally applicable story about how to stop wasting time and start to appreciate life."

All quiet on the Proust front... Is anyone still reading Swann's Way and enjoying it? I am progressing very slowly and could really use some peptalk. Can anyone convince me that it's worth all the hours I can't spend reading other books?

I'm still reading it. I'm at the 75% mark on the Kindle. I put it aside for a couple of days and had to really convince myself to pick it back up. It's okay in terms of story, but I can't help but think that it could all be told with slightly fewer words and commas.

yep... I've just broken the 400 page mark and Swann is still besotted... I can see it all going horribly wrong in the next 150 pages. But it won't be a car crash because Proust doesn't do anything quickly. It'll be more like a rotting log.

I am still reading but on temporary standby while I finish a challenge for the Olympics.

Only on 140 pages :/ Just can't get going. I like it, don't get me wrong, I just think it's going to be a Proust a year rather than all in one year!

I finished it! I feel like I ran a marathon. Or an ultra-marathon. I think that by the time I finish 5 more books just to check off one entry on the list, I'm going to feel like I've completed a pilgrimage on my knees.

Not to discourage anyone out there, haha! I think the writing of the books is certainly some sort of accomplishment - perhaps Proust should have earned some Over-Thinker's award? But oh my, what a lot of "love" and fixation and descriptions of hawthorn bushes and church spires and the Champs-Elysees.

I envy you. I have to start the second part, but read some other books in between. I won't make it in February, because next week I'll go on holidays and I don't want to take Proust with me then. But I'll keep going. I want to read them. I really think it is beautifully written, but it it sooo slow and indeed, those descriptions of hawthorn bushes. I am not even interested enough to find out what they look like...

I should finish this late tomorrow evening.

I would pause and seek out some you tube clips of the music referenced and a sonata by Hahn that was a Proust favorite.

Proust really deeply understands music. It is a most difficult thing to talk about.

The reference to the book about the paintings is much appreciated and I need to check into that.

The de Bottom book is on my list of TBR but it has not always been well received.

I look forward to your comments in this thread.

hawthorne bushes? don't remember that bit. FInished on schedule and will begin Budding today. Too early to say what I really think of this yet although you can tell that he has observed life with the mind of a genius.

Indy: While reading, I also listened to some of the many interpretations of the Vinteuil Sonata that Proust imagines.

"de Bottom" - LOL!

I finished last night. I don't think I fully appreciate this author yet. The writing is good and ...... well, run on sentences that are a page long are ridiculous. The relationship that Swann has with Odette does not represent anything healthy and later to find it repeated by the narrator is not encouraging. I think I would benefit with a reread but no, I am not rereading this.

I have a confession to make. I gave up. I am not ready yet for Proust, I suppose. I dreaded reading on and ended reading nothing. With another 700 books to go, I prefer reading other books. Maybe when I am older and less restless, well, I don't know. I wish you all good luck and envy you that you've made it through Swann's Way.

Simone2, I wonder how far I will get when I give up. This really interferes with reading books I would rather read. So don't feel guilty and more power to you for quitting early rather than later.

# 29 Thanks !!

I'm on the fence too! I think this needs a serenity or a massive amount of time or just... I don't know. I'm finding it hard to pick up - still only about 150 pages in! Maybe a volume a year.

the novel has to be read at some point... but if I'd tackled this ten years ago when I was just getting going with fiction, I would have died about 100 pages in.

If you're finding it hard going, I think it's best to shelve it and come back to it. It's not worth ploughing through it for the sake of it. It's best if you enjoy it.

I started Swann's Way about a week ago. I'm reading the Viking edition translated by Lydia Davis. So far I am enjoying it more than I expected to. I have to be in the right frame of mind, though -- open to letting the language wash over me -- so even though I am usually a "monogamous reader," in this case I will probably always have another book on the go for times when I want to read, but I don't want to read this.