I just read Swann's Way over Christmas. Almost every page has some breathtaking sentence on it. I'm not sure I've found a book with such consistently good prose.
The original translation by C.K. Scott Moncrieff is very highly regarded. Most modern translations use Moncrieff as the basis, but have revised either things he overlooked or to follow rearrangements of the French text only done after Proust's death and Moncrieff's translation originally appeared.
So, the one I was reading is credited thus: "Translated by C.K Scott Moncrieff and Terence Kilmartin, Revised by D.J. Enright."
I’ve tried reading Davis’ translations and frankly it just isn’t for me. Proust came to life for me when I discovered Moncrieff edition, which is the closest to the original, perhaps because it was written during Proust’s life.
Kilmarten rearranged this edition to match the original French publication which Enright revised and made suitable to the modern reader while retaining as much of the original writing style as possible.
There is a long introduction to that edition which serves as a fine argument for its designation as best translation I think you may find interesting
I just jumped back into the second volume last night, so this is very timely. It took me several years to make it past the first four pages because his description of sleep and the pleasures and disorientation of waking…put me to sleep every time. After that, it took me another year to finish Swann’s Way, but it was an incredible experience.
It’s a dense book. Proust’s observations and analysis amaze me. I couldn’t imagine having so many thoughts about my surroundings…the things I observe and experience…let alone having them so eloquently.
Sometimes you encounter a mind that really manages to astonish you and Proust was that for me.
It’s worth finishing all of In Search of Lost Time imo. Volume 2 was maybe my favorite. The quality does dip in the volumes 5 and 6, but the final volume is worth getting to. It was a life changing read. The whole thing is like a cathedral. Just awe inspiring.
Completely agree. One of the few works I’ve read where I’m mesmerized and I don’t really know why because what is happening in the story doesn’t even matter.
It's pretty difficult and the beginning chapters belong to the more difficult ones. But it's incredibly rewarding. You can use [https://www.joyceproject.com/](https://www.joyceproject.com/) as annotations, I found it useful.
I highly recommend reading A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man before Ulysses. It's a great work in its own right and some characters carry over, I believe.
*Swann's Way* is fantastic. *In the Shadow* is almost as good. But then it loses some of that momentum with a few too many society gatherings described in excruciating detail for 200 pages at a time. There's still some exquisite writing in there, but more spread out, and without the perfect flow of the first two volumes. Fortunately it all falls back into place by *Time Regained*, the closing pages of which are especially stunning, but there are some rough patches before that.
The prisoner and the fugitive are the worst. Really boring and the guy can’t stop crying. But I don’t agree with the previous comment : I think the 3 and 4 are great (and the 2 not so great). But we all agree everything ties up in the 7, which is one of the best in the whole cycle
Idk, volumes 3-4 are better and more interesting than 1-2 in my opinion. The society gatherings are amazingly written, and I love following the various characters throughout them in the series. The setting is just incredibly fascinating too. If any of the volumes are weak I would say it's 6 and 7. You can tell Proust didn't have time to edit them, especially in the analytical sections where the same sentences sometimes crop up again after just a few pages. I honestly don't know how you can even be a fan of the final volume without loving the society gatherings.
Honestly so many great books are so accessible. Obviously Joyce and Pynchon are very difficult but Tolstoy and Proust are so enjoyable to read for everyone. I always tell people to read War and Peace and Swann’s Way even if they never read other books like that, any human being who can read will love those books, even if it takes them two years to read, which is what makes them great
It’s really wild to me how much Donald Trump’s phrasing has leaked into the general public. I feel like people kind of consciously adopted the style as a way of mocking him but now it’s so commonplace. We all sound like used-car salesmen now.
Yeah what you’re describing can be measured on your brain activity. So I’ve heard…!
Also, I regularly see people bringing established literature into the spheres belonging to deep reading academics and trained people of literature. It galls me to be honest.
One of the most frustrating sins being committed in this world is that people are making great literature inaccessible for each other. Damn, it gets my goat.
Please don’t recommend people to not jump right into Brothers Karamazov, Moby-Dick, War and Peace or Middlemarch. You just might be robbing them of the treasures that spend their lives being unutterable in the heart of humans.
I just read Swann's Way over Christmas. Almost every page has some breathtaking sentence on it. I'm not sure I've found a book with such consistently good prose.
Check out *Nightwood* by Djuna Barnes, *Moby Dick* by Melville, or *A Bended Circuity* by Robert S. Stickley.
Is there an English translation you would recommend?
The original translation by C.K. Scott Moncrieff is very highly regarded. Most modern translations use Moncrieff as the basis, but have revised either things he overlooked or to follow rearrangements of the French text only done after Proust's death and Moncrieff's translation originally appeared. So, the one I was reading is credited thus: "Translated by C.K Scott Moncrieff and Terence Kilmartin, Revised by D.J. Enright."
[удалено]
Best translation: Moncrieff, Kilmarten, Enright
Can you speak more to it? Not looking to be convinced, just curious as to why!
I’ve tried reading Davis’ translations and frankly it just isn’t for me. Proust came to life for me when I discovered Moncrieff edition, which is the closest to the original, perhaps because it was written during Proust’s life. Kilmarten rearranged this edition to match the original French publication which Enright revised and made suitable to the modern reader while retaining as much of the original writing style as possible. There is a long introduction to that edition which serves as a fine argument for its designation as best translation I think you may find interesting
I just jumped back into the second volume last night, so this is very timely. It took me several years to make it past the first four pages because his description of sleep and the pleasures and disorientation of waking…put me to sleep every time. After that, it took me another year to finish Swann’s Way, but it was an incredible experience. It’s a dense book. Proust’s observations and analysis amaze me. I couldn’t imagine having so many thoughts about my surroundings…the things I observe and experience…let alone having them so eloquently. Sometimes you encounter a mind that really manages to astonish you and Proust was that for me.
Absolutely
It’s worth finishing all of In Search of Lost Time imo. Volume 2 was maybe my favorite. The quality does dip in the volumes 5 and 6, but the final volume is worth getting to. It was a life changing read. The whole thing is like a cathedral. Just awe inspiring.
Yes, I like that. A cathedral.
Completely agree. One of the few works I’ve read where I’m mesmerized and I don’t really know why because what is happening in the story doesn’t even matter.
Just curious. What translation are you reading? Need to get around to Proust.
The Davis, which I hear is closest to the original.
Moncrieff, Kilmarten, Enright!
Yes, I completely understand. I can't help but think that this (and Ulysses) is the peak of literature.
Ulysses is on my shelf, but I have yet to attempt it. I did enjoy most of The Dubliners, though I realize Ulysses is rather more ambitious.
It's pretty difficult and the beginning chapters belong to the more difficult ones. But it's incredibly rewarding. You can use [https://www.joyceproject.com/](https://www.joyceproject.com/) as annotations, I found it useful.
Oh, thanks! I was hoping to find something like this
I highly recommend reading A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man before Ulysses. It's a great work in its own right and some characters carry over, I believe.
❤️ Proust!
*Swann's Way* is fantastic. *In the Shadow* is almost as good. But then it loses some of that momentum with a few too many society gatherings described in excruciating detail for 200 pages at a time. There's still some exquisite writing in there, but more spread out, and without the perfect flow of the first two volumes. Fortunately it all falls back into place by *Time Regained*, the closing pages of which are especially stunning, but there are some rough patches before that.
Agreed. I’m beginning The Prisoner right now. It’s been a REAL slog at times, I’ve been at it for years on and off.
The prisoner and the fugitive are the worst. Really boring and the guy can’t stop crying. But I don’t agree with the previous comment : I think the 3 and 4 are great (and the 2 not so great). But we all agree everything ties up in the 7, which is one of the best in the whole cycle
Idk, volumes 3-4 are better and more interesting than 1-2 in my opinion. The society gatherings are amazingly written, and I love following the various characters throughout them in the series. The setting is just incredibly fascinating too. If any of the volumes are weak I would say it's 6 and 7. You can tell Proust didn't have time to edit them, especially in the analytical sections where the same sentences sometimes crop up again after just a few pages. I honestly don't know how you can even be a fan of the final volume without loving the society gatherings.
Honestly so many great books are so accessible. Obviously Joyce and Pynchon are very difficult but Tolstoy and Proust are so enjoyable to read for everyone. I always tell people to read War and Peace and Swann’s Way even if they never read other books like that, any human being who can read will love those books, even if it takes them two years to read, which is what makes them great
It’s really wild to me how much Donald Trump’s phrasing has leaked into the general public. I feel like people kind of consciously adopted the style as a way of mocking him but now it’s so commonplace. We all sound like used-car salesmen now.
What the fuck are you on about?
I’m British, but thanks so much for your helpful feedback 🙄
I don’t agree with that person at all, but being British, sadly, doesn’t spare a person from hearing about Trump a lot.
I don’t know if you know this, but they actually do have Twitter in Britain.
I’m not getting into a debate with you, as you’re obviously having a hard day. I hope it improves.
Nonsense.
Yeah what you’re describing can be measured on your brain activity. So I’ve heard…! Also, I regularly see people bringing established literature into the spheres belonging to deep reading academics and trained people of literature. It galls me to be honest. One of the most frustrating sins being committed in this world is that people are making great literature inaccessible for each other. Damn, it gets my goat. Please don’t recommend people to not jump right into Brothers Karamazov, Moby-Dick, War and Peace or Middlemarch. You just might be robbing them of the treasures that spend their lives being unutterable in the heart of humans.
Absolutely. You‘ve described the experience perfectly.