Reading Proust's In Search of Lost Time in 2014 discussion

This topic is for relating anecdotes or reactions when people learn you are reading or have read Proust.

The most typical reaction I get is... "WHO'S THAT?"

Reactions I have encountered.
- Most frequent "What is Proust?"
- "Who is Proust?"
- "What is it about?" (I have less than 60 seconds before they change the subject)
- Ugh! (Look of having tasted something sour)
- Roll of eyes (I interpret this as judgement that I am an elitist - I've been an elitist since I was 15, it has nothing to do with Proust)
- The sentences are too long! (I read The Fault in Our Stars a while back. There was a sentence on the second page that was 109 words long)
- The book is too long (How long are all the Harry Potter Books combined? Various Vampire series? All Robert Ludlum's novels?)
- I read Swann's Way (or part of Swann's Way) so I got a feel for Proust.

OK, I love your comment about having been an elitist since you were 15. Hysterical!

Ha! Ha! What a great thread! I agree with Sunny that the most common reaction is 'Who?'

I remember years ago when I'd be innocently reading Dostoyevsky or Kafka and people would think I was tackling some impossible task, or just being pretentious - I always thought both authors were very readable and were not difficult.

Now, Proust is a bit more difficult, but as we've hopefully proved, not impossible. I think that some people are put off reading difficult books because they're afraid they won't 'get it'. But then who will fully 'get it' when they read Proust, or Dostoyevsky, or Jane Austen, or Harry Potter....?

Anyway, to get back on track; I have had a couple of positive responses; a work colleague seems very interested in my progress and an old friend of mine has been supportive. But mostly it's just ?!!?!?

I prided myself in college on spending more time reading books that were not assigned. Interesting, given your comments, Crime and Punishment and The Castle were two of my first. I read Camus early as well.

Concerning your comment about people being afraid of not getting a book Jonathan; Bleak House is one of my favorite books, a book I have read four times over my lifetime. A few months back I listened to a lecture on Bleak House by a respected literature professor. In the portion of the lecture where he talked about what the book was about my reaction was "Huh, I never saw that." After considering what he had to say I decided that there was some merit in what he said.
The same lecture series the same professor gave two lectures on ISOLT. Those I totally discounted. It was not apparent to me he had even read the book.

- My motto is "the reason I have an opinion is so I can change it."

After, I hear "Who is Proust?" I explain he is just like Harry Potter...seven books, but for adults. Oh, and filled with duels, cut-throat women, lying military officers, bizarre sexual acts, fast cars, bombing raids, orgy scenes, fist fights, cross-dressing, espionage, airplane crashes, and lots of lies...just like life.

Ha! ha! I'll have to try that approach Marcelita. Maybe call him a French James Bond as well!

The most common reaction I get is "who?" and, after explaining, comes the automatic "oh i see.....WHY?????".

Renato wrote: "The most common reaction I get is "who?" and, after explaining, comes the automatic "oh i see.....WHY?????"."

Yeah, I forgot the why.

My poor friends, who have tolerated my illness, are still subjected to my Madame Sévigné-like commentary, albeit it is Proust.

I will see a variety of pears and immediately out of my mouth, "Oh, Charlus would know which one of these would be ripe."
"Who's Charloo?"
"Ah, an expert on pears."
I think they know, but dare not follow-up. ;)

The passage--the Baron and Morel are having lunch:

But he was unable to dwell upon these reflexions, for M. de Charlus said to him imperiously: "Ask the head waiter if he has a Bon Chrétien.”
“A good Christian, I don’t understand."
"Can’t you see we’ve reached the dessert. It’s a pear. You may be sure Mme de Cambremer has them in her garden, for the Comtesse d’Escarbagnas, whose double she is, had them. M. Thibaudier sends them to her and she says: ‘Here is a Bon Chrétien which is worth tasting.’"
“No, I didn’t know.”
“I can see that you know nothing. If you have never even read Molière … Oh, well, since you are no more capable of ordering food than of anything else, just ask for a pear which happens to be grown in this neighbourhood, the Louise-Bonne d’Avranches.”
“The what?"
"Wait a minute, since you’re so stupid, I shall ask him myself for others, which I prefer. Waiter, have you any Doyenné des Comices? Charlie, you must read the exquisite passage written about that pear by the Duchesse Emilie de Clermont-Tonnerre.”
“No, sir, I haven’t.”
“Have you any Triomphe de Jodoigne?”
“No, sir.”
“Any Virginie-Baltet? Or Passe-Colmar No? Very well, since you’ve nothing, we may as well go. The Duchesse d’Angoulême is not in season yet. Come along, Charlie."MP

Dave wrote: "Yeah, I forgot the why."

And the "why???" is said like reading Proust is a form of self-flagellation...


Marcelita wrote: "My poor friends, who have tolerated my illness, are still subjected to my Madame Sévigné-like commentary, albeit it is Proust.

I will see a variety of pears and immediately out of my mouth, "Oh, ..."

LOL! That is great, especially that they don't dare to follow-up!

Oh! You don't know 'Mémé? I wouldn't dream of buying a fruit or vegetable without 'Mémé's advice. But, since you don't know 'Mémé I probably should not have mentioned him. He is very particular about his clientele.

Dave wrote: "Oh! You don't know 'Mémé? I wouldn't dream of buying a fruit or vegetable without 'Mémé's advice. But, since you don't know 'Mémé I probably should not have mentioned him. He is very particular his clientele."

My husband, hearing me laugh, "Are you reading that Texan again?"

Lol, well Marcelita, glad to oblige. But to be honest, there's a lot more than little ole me to make New York folks laugh, beginning with our embarrassing politicians. I voted for the other person, whomever it was.