Ian’s Comments (group member since Jan 16, 2013)

Ian’s comments from the The Year of Reading Proust group.

Patricia wrote: "OMG! that was long but i got it out of my system"

Haha, I suppose somebody had to say of Proust that "il était en retard".

Could I put in a little plug for this book:



It owes a lot to Proust.

Patricia wrote: "wow Ian!i am breathless! that was an awesome master-class on LOVE . I´LL PRINT IT.YOU COULD WRITE A WHOLE BOOK JUST ON WHAT YOU´VE WRITTEN FOR A REVIEW.Are you a professor or something?"

Thank you so much, Partricia, but really I just assembled what Proust had written. It's his master class. (I am no academic, I have nothing to profess but my love haha ;)) I just can't believe what else he might have in store for us in the remaining volumes.

BTW, I haven't read the Alain Botton book "How Proust Can Change Your Life". I was terrified that he might have done the same thing.

My review of "In the Shadow of Young Girls in Flower" is here:

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Thanks, P.

Then could you please clarify what is in and what is outside the room when you set it up?

How can a member know what is "material" to the moderators or other members, unless and until they have run the flag up the flagpole?

The courtesan example highlights that what interests one member won't necessarily interest another. However, that is a natural product of the difference of readers and reading practices.

That is a totally appropriate response. I don't think there is any implication that Swann's love is a positive role model. It is one "way", " Swann's Way", and our privilege is to witness a forensic analysis of it in action, warts and all.

Fionnuala wrote: "And what about that name, Forcheville, fort cheville, strong ankle? Achilles' opposite so is Swann Achilles?"

Aha, so we have the ankle pitted against the uncle?

The Group Lounge is more overwhelming than any other thread. There are already over 800 posts.

Can I suggest that the Moderators consider adding some folders for a more thematic discussion of each novel (and not just the series as a whole), e.g.:

* love, desire, obsession and jealousy

* light and colour

* music and architecture

* fragrance and smell

* memory, ephemerality, perpetuity and eternity.

With scope for a more thematic approach, those with the desire to drill down in more detail could do so separately from the section thread, which could be used for entry level, non-overwhelming discussion.

This would also allow us to discuss an issue like love without inadvertently breaking the spoiler rule.

If each member posted just once and once only in a thread, there would be 1,000 posts.

Volume is a product of the size of the group, which I regard as a tribute to the Moderators.

Re Kris' post #96 and masks, has Camille Paglia written about Proust and sexual personae? I assume she is a pretty big Proust fan?

Aloha wrote: "Swann wants to know more about Odette's shady past in Baden or Nice, to help "him understand something of Odette's smile or the look in her eyes...(like an) aesthete...to penetrate further into the..."

I'm interstate at the moment and have limits on what I can research, but I wonder whether Alohaness could investigate the similarity in the models for The Trials of Moses and Primavera above, to see whether they are the same, and in both cases, possibly Simonetta Vespucci, wife of Marco Vespucci and perhaps the mistress of Giuliano de' Medici

Aloha wrote: "Odette, you need to treat Swann better. Talk about great dates!

Swann: "...To think that only yesterday, when she said she wanted to attend the season at Bayreuth, I was stupid enough to propose..."

I assume that everybody realises the "schwan" in Neuschwanstein" means swan.

Aloha wrote: "Ian wrote: "Practice for when you encounter a difficult man? "

I'm a mosquito zapper."

Well, at least, that's fair warning and anybody would go in with their eyes open. I suppose that makes you a frank zapper.

Aloha wrote: "Ian wrote: "It's like reading a difficult novel. Anyone can start one, but can you finish it. "

I did. On the most difficult list, too. Just so I can brag. :o) Actually, I love them."

Practice for when you encounter a difficult man?

Aloha wrote: ".It seems to me Odette is somewhat of a flame to Swann. "

I can't hold a candle to you, Alightha.

Swann just can't work out who put the light out on their relationship, or why?

Haha, Aloha, you made light work of that.

I was thinking of light from the point of view of light and shade, but as you point out, the source of light is important too.

I wonder if Odette was a wild woman who Swann tried and failed to make a pet?