Remembrance of Things Past: Volume I - Swann's Way & Within a Budding Grove (Vintage)

I've read this version of Proust a few times over the years, so I was very pleased to see that it had become available on the Kindle.From what I've read of it (just part of the Lydia Davis section), the Penguin translation is very good, but it has always bothered me that different people translated different sections of the story.Proust can be difficult to read, and it always takes me a while to get going. In particular, it takes me awhile to come to terms with the long and complicated sentences. Every time I've read the book, I've struggled until the point, about 300 pages in, when the style becomes natural and almost conversational. Rightly or wrongly, the idea of hitting changes in tone in the Penguin edition, as new translators come on board in the Penguin translation scares me. I worry about having to come to terms with those long sentences again and again. So I've stayed with this one.And my relationship is with this translation. It seems likely to me that the Lydia Davis version is more accurate. But when I began reading Proust, this was my text. It may be that the tone here is a bit off; but this is the tone that I became attached to. Even if it's wrong, it's the one that I'm used to. It's like an old friend at this point. Most English speaking readers of Proust have been in the same boat.I can't figure out why they've released Volume 1 for Kindle without releasing Volumes 2 and 3. It shouldn't be so hard to get a decent version that's consistent (translated by the same people through the entire story) and complete. The text of the printed version of this book can be a little small if you're middle aged, so being able to read on the Kindle with its adjustable font sizes is a great thing. But you can only do the first third on the Kindle. After that, you're back to the printed version.There are other versions in the Kindle store by the same translators that are complete. I'm suspicious of them for no good reason. I've never dug into the history of Moncrief and Kilmartin and the people who have taken charge of the text since then. I don't know if the version of the translation that is out of copyright is solid, or if the work that's come since is necessary. Mostly, I don't want to think about those things. I just want to buy a copy of the book I know and love for my Kindle.So I hope they come out with the rest of it soon.

Marcel Proust is famous for writing long sentences, so this can be a difficult read. However, this is a book that is begging to be read over and over again. I read it after failed love relationships in order to remind myself why things went wrong. The madeline is a great trick (or is it a trick?) to make us believe that Swann's Way is an autobiography. The narrator is a frail boy who can cry at the thought of leaving the sight of his beloved hawthorns in Combray. He is also shocked when he witnesses a lesbian get together. What is really shocking is how much snobbism is rampant in the society. That is believable as little Marcel starts his fight to be accepted in high society.

Book was in pristine condition

Book arrived on time in perfect shape. Proust is a great delight, as he (by magic, of course) immerses you right in the heart of every character, big or small, as they tell us what's inside their insides (an awkward phrase, to be sure), as the tale unwinds (and this is the important part!) . . . delightfully.

Read in the past. I wanted to complete my 3 volumes. Great read. Take time and enjoy France and Proust's way of describing France in the 1850's. How simple a way to describe nature and people without the insertion of T.V and radio. None of this is in the book. You have to savor the words. It is not a quick read but better for enjoying his way of describing life!

Amazon, give me a break! Anyone who's going to buy this has a good idea of what he or she is getting into.So your questions are pretty stupid ::E.g., "Plot of book: (pick one of three) "predictable" 'some twists" "full of surprises."Also the Roger Shattuck book is non-fiction, literary criticism and guide. There IS no plot.

I began reading Proust because I read that he and Einstein had similar ideas about time and space. So far I have found no discussion of these topics. The book seems to be mainly a look at French high society during the early 20th century.

I tried to read this book perhaps a dozen times over two months or so.... but it just ended up being a chore. I cannot for the life of me figure out what there is that people love so much about this. I like all sorts of writing.... I like all sorts of movies and methods of storytelling.... dreamy, descriptive, active or lazily poetic. And while I am not deeply intellectual, I have enjoyed some 'difficult' material. This book seems assembled from a person's thoughts, not really based on any story. If these were thoughts and recollections provided some detail or insight about lifestyles or history of the time, that would be interesting. This seems like nothing more than ruminations by a member of the bourgoisie. There's another review here with three sample paragraphs,where you can see what I mean. Those samples, (which cause the reviewer ecstasy)have no dialog, no characters, nothing happening... simply observations by the author. A little of that is fine to illustrate a story, but as a whole, these observations elicit no great emotion in me. I can only say, I wish it did.