Just finished and I’m very relieved of seeing almost every reader had experienced the same feeling as I did. It was a really daunting. But it was fascinating witnessing this masterpiece.
This was brilliant. When i first attempted SW i nearly tossed the book.. it took months to peak my curiosity again. You are so right about how it hones & stretches you as a reader & i *absolutely* relate to the 'rhythm & cadence' aspect (read most of it aloud to myself).. repeated many passages.. it made a huge difference 😍. Even now as i'll be picking up the 3rd vol i think 'gosh.. i need to re read the first two y'know?! i just cant grasp & retain all that in one go'😅And yes 'rose coloured' specs re observations interpretations/ judgments & projections, cuz in the second vol his specs change hue.. as he grows/ comes of age.. When i finally read Woolf- Proust kept coming to mind.. literature is a conversation a fascinating one! My feelings at the end were the same. Proust worked best for me when i was patient, relaxed & let go of trying to 'get it all' 👍🙂
I’ve heard many people say they read Proust out loud and it made a difference! When I revisit this I’ll definitely use the audiobook. LOL! That’s the thing sometimes with books that are in a “series” - we forget stuff 🤣 that happened to me with the Game of Thrones books and I gave up, but now I want to try again. Ooooo love that you call literature a conversation, because it is 😍 yes! He’s definitely one of those authors that dictates the reading speed and the reader has to relinquish control.
I just finished reading Swann's Way and immediately ordered the second one! I really appreciate this analysis, especially your comment on the transient nature of the flowers, how their transience is a sort of material symbol of the narrator's idealization of Gilberte and Swann's idealization of Odette. I also thought that the detailed descriptions of landscapes of the narrator's childhood (and his constant comparisons of these with pieces of art) merge with his memories of Gilberte, adding to the narrator's constant struggle to reconcile the ideal Gilberte (of his memories) with the real, material Gilberte. I think this happens also for Swann in his idealization of Odette, both in comparing her to a painting and with music (e.g. the musical "phrase"). I also appreciate your comment on the cadence Proust imposes upon his readers. It definitely rang true in my reading of SW!
What a great analysis and review. I have read the book too. I let the poetry of it all wash over me and still enjoyed it. It will be interesting to read the next volume to see how it develops.
Thank you for your review and some thoughts about the book. Your suggestion to buddy read the book is very useful. I read it solo and now have no one to talk to about it and that is such a shame. Your analysis of the floral prose in the book is intriguing, adding to which that blooms are fleeting, that they are the culmination of the plant also brings to mind other allusions. Am I wrong, but it seemed to me that he often arrives at a woman or girl at the end of these passages too which may point to a more romantic message. I also read Woolf as a side read to Swann's Way. The Waves was my choice and you are so right reading Proust has made me more attuned to the symbolism in Woolf. I have subscribed to your channel and look forward to seeing more of your reviews.
great discussion! how do you explain the very end of part two (swan in love) when swan exclaims to himself while thinking of Odette after a dream: “To think that i’ve wasted years of my life, that i’ve longed to die, that i’ve experienced my greatest love, for a woman who didn’t appeal to me, who wasn’t even my type!”?
It's been two years, so I'd need to refresh my memory. But in a way, I think that's relatable. We can all look back and try to justify relationship that didn't work out.
sorry - you’re a newer discovery to me so i’m just now looking at some of your older posts! i’m on book 5 of in search of lost time and so far the work is loosely linear which is why i wondered what your take was on how swan seems to reject odette but then over time ends up married to her without any explicit explanation by the author. i guess it’s one of the mysteries of “love” addressed by the author throughout the novel 🤷🏼♂️
New here and I really appreciate your content. Adding Swan’s Way to my cart now. I was an English major and we didn’t study Proust my years and I am definitely intrigued.
Thank you so much!! ❤️ So cool that you were an English major and I hope you get to read Proust soon! I read Swann’s Way early in the year and it snowed. Perfection 😂🤌🏼
Hi Alana, pleased to have discovered your channel. I'm just starting out on Booktube and although my focus is science fiction, I do appreciate other types of literature every now and then. I enjoyed hearing your thoughts on this book. I read In Search of Lost Time a few years ago. Proust is truly a beautiful and unique writer. As his prose is so dense, however, I could only read it in small chunks at a time and it took me a good year and a half to finish the series. I can recommend Stephane Heuet's graphic novel adaptation of Swann's Way, whichever did a good job of capturing the essence of the novel and presenting in a more easily digestible format.
Thank you for watching!! That's still impressive that you finished In Search of Lost Time in about a year and i half - those are not small novels! Proust really is a beautiful writer. And thank you for the rec - I had no idea there was a graphic novel.
Great review, it’s fun and stimulating to hear how your mind works. I’m almost finished with vol. 6 of 7. I’ve been reading 10 pages per day with a group. We share a Google doc and whoever is moved to can share reactions for the days pages. Ten pages a day has been perfect. Each day can be savored. Every day provides a gasp because of the brilliance.
I've been meaning to read this forever but it is so long and I have been so busy. I read 1Q84 in a week, and would also have to read this book quickly in order to not get bored or side-tracked. I think everyone reads and understands at different speeds, it is dumb for people to say you HAVE to read a book a certain way.
Yes this one is long and takes patience! Ah! I plan to read 1Q84 next year - I’m glad to know you were able to get through it quickly, even though it’s long. Haha right?! No one can dictate how someone else should read a book.
I'm reading this like 3 or 4 pages a day in conjunction with other stuff. If I tried to read ISOLT from start to finish to the exclusion of anything else, I think I would lose my mind haha.
Wow! You are fascinating! I'm new here, thanks to doomantidote..Am so glad I followed his advice. I have Swann's Way sitting on a shelf all covered by dust. You made me want to read again! I've been in such a huge slump. Thank you for this. I am binge-watching your channel.
Thank you so much!! ❤️ I really appreciate it! I’m so glad you got the urge to read again! That’s how I got myself out of a reading slump a few years ago- book tube - and other people’s enthusiasm was so contagious, I had to pick up a book again! Please let me know what you pick up first!🥰
I've tried Swann's Way a couple of times and still have a copy on my shelf, re-bought after reading a post someone wrote about reading the whole "series". I do like bits of the prose and the famous page on linden tea and yummy madeleines; it could be used as a focus for meditation and the pondering of time. Otherwise, not much luck with it, but one day I might be able to get through the first volume among all my other reading priorities. I guess I'd rather just review my own life in micro than the narrator's. This Evelyn Waugh quote has always been amusing to me: "I am reading Proust for the first time-in English of course-and am surprised to find him a mental defective. No one warned me of that. He has absolutely no sense of time. He can’t remember anyone’s age. In the same summer as Gilberte gives him a marble & Francoise takes him to the public lavatory in the Champs-Elysees, Bloch takes him to a brothel." lithub.com/not-everyone-loves-proust/
HAHAHA!! I love that quote from Waugh. That’s pretty savage 🤣 you’ve reminded me that I’ve had Waugh on my list for ages. I can see why people don’t get on with Proust - he’s a bit … ridiculous, really 🤣. I do love his prose though.
Just finished and I’m very relieved of seeing almost every reader had experienced the same feeling as I did. It was a really daunting. But it was fascinating witnessing this masterpiece.
Proust is definitely intimidating, but so worth the effort ;)
This was brilliant. When i first attempted SW i nearly tossed the book.. it took months to peak my curiosity again. You are so right about how it hones & stretches you as a reader & i *absolutely* relate to the 'rhythm & cadence' aspect (read most of it aloud to myself).. repeated many passages.. it made a huge difference 😍. Even now as i'll be picking up the 3rd vol i think 'gosh.. i need to re read the first two y'know?! i just cant grasp & retain all that in one go'😅And yes 'rose coloured' specs re observations interpretations/ judgments & projections, cuz in the second vol his specs change hue.. as he grows/ comes of age.. When i finally read Woolf- Proust kept coming to mind.. literature is a conversation a fascinating one! My feelings at the end were the same. Proust worked best for me when i was patient, relaxed & let go of trying to 'get it all' 👍🙂
I’ve heard many people say they read Proust out loud and it made a difference! When I revisit this I’ll definitely use the audiobook. LOL! That’s the thing sometimes with books that are in a “series” - we forget stuff 🤣 that happened to me with the Game of Thrones books and I gave up, but now I want to try again. Ooooo love that you call literature a conversation, because it is 😍 yes! He’s definitely one of those authors that dictates the reading speed and the reader has to relinquish control.
I just finished reading Swann's Way and immediately ordered the second one! I really appreciate this analysis, especially your comment on the transient nature of the flowers, how their transience is a sort of material symbol of the narrator's idealization of Gilberte and Swann's idealization of Odette. I also thought that the detailed descriptions of landscapes of the narrator's childhood (and his constant comparisons of these with pieces of art) merge with his memories of Gilberte, adding to the narrator's constant struggle to reconcile the ideal Gilberte (of his memories) with the real, material Gilberte. I think this happens also for Swann in his idealization of Odette, both in comparing her to a painting and with music (e.g. the musical "phrase").
I also appreciate your comment on the cadence Proust imposes upon his readers. It definitely rang true in my reading of SW!
Yes! everything is intertwined with his memories and it's so good and so beautiful.
Thank you! :)
What a great analysis and review. I have read the book too. I let the poetry of it all wash over me and still enjoyed it. It will be interesting to read the next volume to see how it develops.
Thank you! Yes, I'm looking forward to the next volume as well to see what happens!
Thank you for your review and some thoughts about the book. Your suggestion to buddy read the book is very useful. I read it solo and now have no one to talk to about it and that is such a shame. Your analysis of the floral prose in the book is intriguing, adding to which that blooms are fleeting, that they are the culmination of the plant also brings to mind other allusions. Am I wrong, but it seemed to me that he often arrives at a woman or girl at the end of these passages too which may point to a more romantic message. I also read Woolf as a side read to Swann's Way. The Waves was my choice and you are so right reading Proust has made me more attuned to the symbolism in Woolf. I have subscribed to your channel and look forward to seeing more of your reviews.
Yes, I thought the flowery sections were about his romantic interests too.
AH! I like that analysis of the flowers!I think you're on to something!
great discussion! how do you explain the very end of part two (swan in love) when swan exclaims to himself while thinking of Odette after a dream: “To think that i’ve wasted years of my life, that i’ve longed to die, that i’ve experienced my greatest love, for a woman who didn’t appeal to me, who wasn’t even my type!”?
It's been two years, so I'd need to refresh my memory. But in a way, I think that's relatable. We can all look back and try to justify relationship that didn't work out.
right, but in the next book swan is now married to odette!
sorry - you’re a newer discovery to me so i’m just now looking at some of your older posts! i’m on book 5 of in search of lost time and so far the work is loosely linear which is why i wondered what your take was on how swan seems to reject odette but then over time ends up married to her without any explicit explanation by the author. i guess it’s one of the mysteries of “love” addressed by the author throughout the novel 🤷🏼♂️
New here and I really appreciate your content. Adding Swan’s Way to my cart now. I was an English major and we didn’t study Proust my years and I am definitely intrigued.
Thank you so much!! ❤️ So cool that you were an English major and I hope you get to read Proust soon! I read Swann’s Way early in the year and it snowed. Perfection 😂🤌🏼
Hi Alana, pleased to have discovered your channel. I'm just starting out on Booktube and although my focus is science fiction, I do appreciate other types of literature every now and then. I enjoyed hearing your thoughts on this book. I read In Search of Lost Time a few years ago. Proust is truly a beautiful and unique writer. As his prose is so dense, however, I could only read it in small chunks at a time and it took me a good year and a half to finish the series. I can recommend Stephane Heuet's graphic novel adaptation of Swann's Way, whichever did a good job of capturing the essence of the novel and presenting in a more easily digestible format.
Thank you for watching!! That's still impressive that you finished In Search of Lost Time in about a year and i half - those are not small novels! Proust really is a beautiful writer. And thank you for the rec - I had no idea there was a graphic novel.
Great review, it’s fun and stimulating to hear how your mind works. I’m almost finished with vol. 6 of 7. I’ve been reading 10 pages per day with a group. We share a Google doc and whoever is moved to can share reactions for the days pages. Ten pages a day has been perfect. Each day can be savored. Every day provides a gasp because of the brilliance.
Thank you!! I need to pick up the third volume!
I've been meaning to read this forever but it is so long and I have been so busy. I read 1Q84 in a week, and would also have to read this book quickly in order to not get bored or side-tracked. I think everyone reads and understands at different speeds, it is dumb for people to say you HAVE to read a book a certain way.
Yes this one is long and takes patience! Ah! I plan to read 1Q84 next year - I’m glad to know you were able to get through it quickly, even though it’s long. Haha right?! No one can dictate how someone else should read a book.
I'm reading this like 3 or 4 pages a day in conjunction with other stuff. If I tried to read ISOLT from start to finish to the exclusion of anything else, I think I would lose my mind haha.
Hahah!!! I feel that!😂
Enjoyed this review, thank you
Thank you for watching, Kevin! I really appreciate it!
I just started this book and I’m in way over my head.
Ah! Oh no! Is there something in particular that isn’t clicking?
Wow! You are fascinating! I'm new here, thanks to doomantidote..Am so glad I followed his advice. I have Swann's Way sitting on a shelf all covered by dust. You made me want to read again! I've been in such a huge slump. Thank you for this. I am binge-watching your channel.
Thank you so much!! ❤️ I really appreciate it! I’m so glad you got the urge to read again! That’s how I got myself out of a reading slump a few years ago- book tube - and other people’s enthusiasm was so contagious, I had to pick up a book again! Please let me know what you pick up first!🥰
I've tried Swann's Way a couple of times and still have a copy on my shelf, re-bought after reading a post someone wrote about reading the whole "series". I do like bits of the prose and the famous page on linden tea and yummy madeleines; it could be used as a focus for meditation and the pondering of time. Otherwise, not much luck with it, but one day I might be able to get through the first volume among all my other reading priorities. I guess I'd rather just review my own life in micro than the narrator's. This Evelyn Waugh quote has always been amusing to me: "I am reading Proust for the first time-in English of course-and am surprised to find him a mental defective. No one warned me of that. He has absolutely no sense of time. He can’t remember anyone’s age. In the same summer as Gilberte gives him a marble & Francoise takes him to the public lavatory in the Champs-Elysees, Bloch takes him to a brothel." lithub.com/not-everyone-loves-proust/
HAHAHA!! I love that quote from Waugh. That’s pretty savage 🤣 you’ve reminded me that I’ve had Waugh on my list for ages. I can see why people don’t get on with Proust - he’s a bit … ridiculous, really 🤣. I do love his prose though.
@@alanaestelle2076 And a Merry Merry Christmas to you! Brideshead Revisited wasn't bad as a book or mini-series.
@@steveconstantelos Merry Christmas to you too!