Marcel Proust's Search for Lost Time

An accessible irreverent guide to one of the most admired&#151;and entertaining&#151;novels of the past century: <i>Rememberance of Things Past</i>. There is no other guide like this; a user-friendly and enticing entry into the marvelously enjoyable world of Proust.<br><br> At seven volumes three thousand pages and more than four hundred characters as well as a towering reputation as a literary classic Proust&#146;s novel can seem daunting. But though begun a century ago in 1909 it is in fact as engaging and relevant to our times as ever. Patrick Alexander is passionate about Proust&#146;s genius and appeal&#151;he calls the work &#147;outrageously bawdy and extremely funny&#148;&#151;and in his guide he makes it more accessible to the general reader through detailed plot summaries historical and cultural background a guide to the fifty most important characters maps family trees illustrations and a brief biography of Proust. Essential for readers and book groups currently reading Proust and who want help keeping track of the huge cast and intricate plot this Reader&#146;s Guide is also a wonderful introduction for students and new readers and a memory-refresher for long-time fans.