The Novel

I have just begun Swann's Way and I hope to finish all six volumes in under a year. If not, I have plenty of time, I'm only 17.

Proust is one of the great writers of the 20th century, and probably can be said to have the greatest mastery of prose and flow since well sometime long past. Le temps retrouve is an intimidating read though, around 4000 pages.
I have not seen the movie, yet, but I think its an open possibility. I've noticed that it retains the the title of the entire work not just a volume, but I'd be interested in how they cram so many characters, sub-plots, & whatever into a film? They have trouble with much smaller volumes... I couldn't get the length of the movie either.

Over 10 years ago my book group tried to read Swann's Way but they reacted in such a negative way that we abandoned it. I was determined to complete it. It took me two years to read all of Remembrance of Things Past (as it was called then), and there were many nights I fell asleep over it. I now have a newer complete set of In Search of Lost Time and am starting at the beginning again. There's something about it that draws me back.

About the movies Time Regained and Swann in Love, I saw them years ago and am going to get them from Netflix again. I'll post more after I see them again.

Yes, I have read all six novels comprising Proust's great work. One cannot really say one has read Proust, if one has not read these/this one long great novel.
Masterpiece? Yes...it sets an all new high. Or more accurately, maintains it.
I like to consider myself well-read in the classics, but realized several years ago that I could not do so without having read Proust or Dostoevsky. Now I can with confidence say I am well-read in the classics.
I would recommend the classics for anyone. Who wants to call themselves "well-read".
Harry Potter and the Moonlight/vampire twaddle are sad modern rubbish when one has really had a taste of the classics.

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The films are visually opulent, but dreadful bores. My ancestors are from St. Clair, France, driven to Scotland by the Vatican Army invasions and massacres. I can only assume that the picture drawn by Proust of the decadent aristocracy is an indictment of the lazy, self-righteous, judgmental nature of all the endowed classes, who own enough wealth in each society to control and dictate to politicians and capitalists. I've read over 1000 works of fiction, but have never wanted to tackle anything so daunting that it requires over 4,000 pages. For me, this represents a history not a novel. I probably correctly assume that is's dreadfully tedious, and now that I see that it has over 2,000 characters, it cannot but present a mere synopsis of each's character. As such, it loses power of insight which distinguishes most classic works of fiction. I'm probably selling the author's talent short, as I admire works of prose masters regardless of the story (or lack thereof) they have to impart to the reader. I suppose I was so bored by Swann's Way that I've yet to begin the book of it that I possess. After viewing this film (largely due to the presence of Deneuve and Beart, both classic beauties), I doubht I'll ever attempt to read the entire work.

I find it prophetic that Proust died before completing perhaps too monumental a task, as if fate dictated that such a pretentious undertaking could not be completed, as if to compile a history of one's life would necessitate that another complete the work after the author's death. Apparently the first translator also died before completion of the English edition - it's as if "the gods" kept saying "enough already, this is a work best left incomplete, for it is not a cohesive work, but merely a series of short stories that continue to wind their way incessantly through one's memories, never reaching conclusion."

Kudos to anyone with enough resolution to complete this work - for me, it's so ultimately pointless (I realize the aristocracy is a vapid, spiritless construction of wealth) that I can't waste this many hours, days, months of my lifetime when there is so much better, more pointed literature there for our examination. As someone said of the film "indifference".

My only regret in life is that I'm not someone else - Woody Allen

I envy you, 'cause you got to read Proust in your teens; there are a lot of precious lessons about falling in love in his work. I read it only when I was 30 (it was my birthday present), it would've helped if I had read it when I was younger. Four years later, I went to Paris and visited his grave.

I haven't seen this movie yet, but I've seen others by Ruiz and he was a great director. The only adaptation of Proust I liked so far was "La Captive", by Chantal Akerman.

Look at that. Someone was trying to discuss books on IMDB! I should go try to discuss films on GoodReads.com, just to make it even! ;)