![]() ![]() I believe Proust himself would readily acknowledge this. ![]() ![]() The Proust left to us in letters and biographies is frankly a disappointment. The Search is a direct look into the deepest recesses of his soul, a view not afforded by the best biography. The same point may be made about Proust himself: the biographical Proust is far less interesting than his novel. Avoir du Pois, you are worse off by muddying the Proustian character and learning next-to-nothing about the latter. Leblois de Charlus is based on the Parisian gourmand M. ![]() The problem is, generally speaking, once you know that M. These biographies are full of insights into how much of the Search is autobiographical and who each of the characters may be based on. Painter’s Marcel Proust, A Biography is quite good. Carter’s Marcel Proust, am halfway through Jean-Yves Tadié’s Marcel Proust, A Life and I understand that George D. Of course if you should become a Proust enthusiast, you will read at least one of them. Should you prepare by reading one of Proust’s biographies first, or at least alongside the novel? I would not recommend it. As a former first time reader, I can offer a short list of ideas that may be helpful. The reader who is planning to read Proust for the first time is no doubt nervous about how to tackle such a notoriously difficult writer. ![]()
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