I have been reading so very much, besides the fact that I do not post blog entries, reading has been my main focus. I went back to research when I began reading and I do not know a firm date, as the previous post implies, so I have decided to enjoy the time I have reading Proust and not worry about finishing at a specific time. To that end I have been reading every day.(I did end up reading the first volume twice if I did not get that mentioned here).
I find that when I read Proust my ability to think and analyze problems increases and that it is harder to take the vagaries of life seriously. As a writer the plot and concerns he is addressing have become more transparent. I think I can see that his story arc is two fold in relating his own relationships and comparing those relationships with Swann or others. The second main focus is time, this weighs heavily on his mind as does the interaction of time with memory. I have tried to mark as many places where he references time or memory.
But, most of all, Proust has a beautiful style that I have never seen anyone else even come close to emulating - the books are beautiful.
