Swann's Way (eBook)

Valentin Louis Georges Eugène Marcel Proust, known as Marcel Proust, was a French novelist, essayist, and critic born on July 10, 1871, in Auteuil, France. Proust is best known for his monumental work 'À la recherche du temps perdu' ('In Search of Lost Time'); a seven-volume series published between 1913 and 1927, of which 'Swann's Way' ('Du côté de chez Swann') is the first volume. Proust's narrative style is characterized by his introspective analysis of memory and involuntary memory, which becomes evident through the famous 'madeleine episode' in 'Swann's Way.' His writing is marked by long, intricate sentences and a meticulous devotion to detail, which have both enchanted and challenged readers and scholars alike. The influence of Proust's work on the literary world is immense; he is cited as a pioneer in the stream-of-consciousness technique and has influenced a myriad of writers across different generations. Proust's deep exploration of themes such as time, memory, love, art, and society has made his work a staple of literary modernism, and he remains a cornerstone in the study of 20th-century literature. His masterwork continues to be celebrated for its profound psychological insight and rich character development. Despite living a life marred by poor health, Proust's legacy as a literary icon endures over a century beyond his passing on November 18, 1922.