France Books

A most delightful book. Arrived in good condition and in a timely fashion. Thanks.

It must be pretty good, my wife liked it so much she got a couple more for friends.

This is a lovely piece of work. A wise and lively book filled with both verve and insight. The writer is a mature woman with an idiosyncratic ?lan who retains a girlish vivacity and whimsy. Her insights and observations are both fine and fun, serious and serendipitous. She tells about her two homes; the one she hails, and the one where she's staked a new claim -- one that made her who she is, and the other she is making her own. Her mounting passion for gardening and how she recounts her progress -- or lack thereof -- offers a full dollop of wonderful lagniappe. Her politics are honestly rendered; she is not out to preach or proselytize, they are just part and parcel of all her other wherewithal.

The price of water in Finistere is a book with dimensions from here to paradise. It can be read or eaten, or both.

I have read it as a manifest for breaking up, as an inspirig script for gardening, as an historical book and what not.

Bodil Malmsten has the gift of putting a glimpse of eternity in the everyday life. The language itself is a glimpse of eternity - the way she spellbounds the reader by using no other word but that which is just perfect. Her way of making a sentence by putting together the words you never thought you would see in the same context simply makes every second of reading an adventure.

Bodil M invites the reader into her private room without getting sentimental. She will laugh with you, cry with you - she even yells at you but never without blaming herself first and foremost. This is a book about what it is to be human, but without the scholarcrap. Read and proceed, cultivate your garden with The price of water in Finistere.

I really enjoyed this read.

Mr. Zollo has kept this story inside for a long time but it was worth the wait.

Beautifully written with real characters. If a novel can be more realistically set into history, I want to read it!

I thank the author for entertaining me with his modern memory of a difficult period in history.

"Prisoners" is a true story presented in a gripping fictional manner.

This novel will evoke both pride and shame in dealing with the dehumanizing effects of war.

It's a "can't put down" read.

Jerome Ferdinand

Talk about an anti-war book... I don't know if there exists another book that examines this fascinating yet horrific aspect of World War II; and, it does so by telling a story of the conditions and the near-hopelessness of the German POWs' situation -- without ever failing to remind us that the prisoners are Nazis.

I wasn't surprised to read that author has first-hand knowledge of the camps, as the story is told in oftentimes excrutiating detail -- but the type of detail that you hunger for. This is clearly a can't-put-down-until-you're-finished novel that tells a tough tale sensitively, artfully, and -- at times -- shockingly.

This is a wonderful novel on an aspect of WWII that is rarely read about, even in textbooks and is coupled with beautiful prose. The story is told gracefully and smoothly. Rarely, during the duration that I read it, was the book closed. Because of the books interested plot, story background and exquisite writing, this book is a MUST READ!

In this outstanding book, Prophet, the Hatmaker's Son, author Doug Gillies provides a detailed and insightful portrayal of the earler life and times of Dr. Robert Muller...a legend of our times, who as a youth, experienced first-hand the social turbulance and heart-wrenching injustices of war from both the Allied and German perspectives.

Based on a series of in-depth interviews and insightful conversations with Dr. Muller, author Gillies has painted a series of realistic and emotionally sensitive collages which portray in humanistic detail the shifting cultural landscapes of Europe, as social stability become shattered and virtually every aspect of normal life is dramatically disrupted by the overwhelming impacts of World War II.

Following his youthful adventures as a French Resistance Fighter, Robert Muller launched his long and fruitful career as a Global Peacemaker. The grim realities and emotional turmoil he had experienced in the wartime environment, inspired him to make a soul commitment to himself...that he would dedicate his unique multilingual and intercultural abilities for the rest of his life to the cause of Conflict Resolution, Social Justice, and Global Peace. This book reveals the poignant details of this fascinating career odyssey, which eventually led Dr. Muller to become a key player in the formation and dynamic interplays of the United Nations theater...in his role as UN Assistant Secretary General.

As a result of his overriding quest to redirect the efforts of Mankind away from war and destruction, and into more peaceful and enlightened pursuits, Dr. Muller (regarded as the Father of Global Education) developed a unique "Core Curriculum," which formsd the basis for a number of Robert Muller Schools. He is also Co-Founder and Chancellor Emeritus for the University of Peace in Costa Rics.

In addition to being the recepient of numerous prestegious World Peace Awards, has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize some 22 times!

For those individuals interested in realistic historical dramas, and the making of a legendary global leader, this book should have a broad audience appeal, and will most certainly enrich the literary experience of anyone who reads it.

At first I hesitated in reading this book. Even after the first couple of chapters I wondered if I should continue. Politics is something I don't like to deal with, and reading about them is even harder. But something about PROPHET kept me wanting to know more. So I continued to read it to its completion, and I am so glad I did. I've heard the name "Robert Muller" but never knew anything about him. This book takes you through his life, and what made him who he was and how he formed his beliefs in this thing called "peace", and why he accepted the United Nations invite. To know that his beliefs were founded on events that he experienced, encountered, and/or observed makes his life more compelling to know. Douglas Gillies does an outstanding job relating not only Robert Mullers life, but the historical, spiritual, and self-knowledge significance that surrounds him. War and peace, two issues that Muller dealt with all his life, fighting against one, and for the other, are issues that all of us face and have to decide what we, ourselves, stand for. For Muller, peace was the overwhelming decision and one that very few can truly understand.

"Prophet is a genuine literary gem. The true mark of an excellent performance is when one hears the music, rather than the notes. Prophet meets that test and goes considerbly beyond. Douglas Gillies is an extraordinary writer. He involves us in Robert Muller's story immediately and continues doing so in subtle ways that hold us as active participants throughout. Prophet is universal in spirit and nature, encompassing all of us as human beings. Its tone and style are exquisite, and its intergenerational flow carries us all along on its living stream."
-Margery Layton, educator.

This is the story of an optimist who worked at the United Nations from its founding. Muller grew up on the German border, in occupied France and joined the Resistance. You will hear his story of World War II and the founding and growth of the UN.

Douglas Gillies is a gifted writer. He brings this story to life and makes this book a page-turner. He writes the story as through he was there himself.

Robert Muller has touched a lot of people. You can tell by the number of endorsement that have been gathered for this book.

I love history and I love this book. The story would make a great movie.

Dan Poynter, ParaPublishing.com

I've owned this book for years & I return to it regularly. There is something magical about this book. Although most of us will never experience living in a Provence villa, the photography takes you away & it is absoultely wonderful to look at. Every page offers delightful discoveries. This book has it all and is by far my favorite interior design book in my collection.

I have never been there, but through samplings such as this treasure of a book, I have seen on print what I most want to see: Provence! This "gift" presents the reader with the best views of interiors that I am aware of. I have combed my library and bookstores for views of Provence for almost forever. This book almost makes me cry, I long to see it so! Until I do, this sumptuous look at this magical region is availble in this outstanding book. I am SO glad I have my copy!

In this rich photographic essay of interiors in Provence, Lovatt-Smith captures the design, style, essence, texture, life and breath of this magical location and its occupant's beautiful interiors.

This book is a gorgeously photographed journey into the homes of wealthy and/or very stylish residents of Provence. Not a book of typical 'French Country Interiors', it covers a wide range of styles from super modern to 17th century grandeur, from 'to the manor born', to gypsy caravans (stunning). As with all things French I adore the way they so gracefully combine the old and the new. These are for the most part not homes that were 'designed', but instead homes that 'grew' with thier owners over time. This book is one of a series of books by this publisher/editor team and they are all wonderful. I have this one, the book on Indian Interiors, the book on Moroccan Interiors (my favorite) and the one on Tuscan Interiors. Each of these books is pure quality. The photography, the variety of well chosen homes, the layout and design of the books, including paper quality, binding etc. is superb. There isn't one aspect of any of these books, including this one, that is run-of-the-mill or poorly conceived. If you are interested in Provencial style, creative interiors, use of colour and texture, and French Culture, you will adore this book. It is without a doubt the best book on French Interiors that I have found.

I have never seen any 'postmodern' theorist who writes with such clarity and wit. This will help you understand Freud, in a whole new light, and shows that autobiography is much more complicated than "the truth." I have taught classes using Flieger's books and articles, and my students always really profit from and enjoy them.

Tired of trying to figure out what the poststructuralists mean? Here's a nice, clear account, reading the likes of Derrida through Freud's joke theory! I learned a great deal about Freud (beyond 'phallic symbols' and 'Freudian slips') as well as 'postmodernism' in literature.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in the theory of laughter, or in the high-falutin French theorists.

This is an important rereading of Freudian and Lacanian theory as anticipations of poststructuralist philosophy and aesthetics. It also stands as an evaluation of Freud as a major theory of literature and culture, through a striking rereading of the Oedipal configuration not as "family romance" but as aesthetic structure. Highest rating!

I have seen references to this book, and to Jerry Aline Flieger's work, by some of the top theorists and critics writing today, including Slavoj Zizek and Sander Gillman. She is without a doubt one of the best theorists of this generation, because her writing is deeply intelligent and insightful, but also CLEAR. I always recommend this book to people who want a really original take on humour.

A book that finally provides a history (and excellent coverage via footnoted documentation) on a long forgotten and overlooked occupation and its accompanying attrocities. The cynicism of the time had prompted many to dismiss these atrocities as propaganda. Let the cynics of the present and the future not be so blinded as to dismiss the crimes against humanity being committed worldwide today, especially in distant and far-off lands such as Darfur.

Growing up in Post WW2 Belgium, I never understood why those who lived through the war could not stop recalling their experience.
Couldn't they just leave the past behind?
And then I grew up and I began asking questions?

My father's parents lived on the Dutch border, by Vise and so were some of the first to witness the invasion. My grandfather was deported to Bavaria for 5 years. His wife was left to fend for herself and their 6 year old son.

My mother's parents lived a few days' walk from the border, in Jauche. They, along with many others, fled Belgium with only the clothes they had on their backs. Watching the horizon for advancing German troops from the second floor of their homes, those who had survived WW1 had encouraged their adult children to just run. Why? Was that not cowardice?

I found the answer. It was not cowardice. It was survival instincts.

In its horrifying retelling, the book presents a sort of play rehearsal for the Holocaust.
The invaders' total disregard of the law and treaties but most of all their ability to get away with it all, set the tone for the next war. A German population, lulled by false propaganda, believed they had been victimized by the Allies. When the 'right' leader came along how could they resist seeking what they felt was righteous vindication.
How wrong they were though!

How Belgium and the Belgians ever managed to get back on their feet amazes me...

WW2 might not have happened had the issue of War Crimes been taken seriously. Millions of lives might have been spared. But hindsight is 20/20.

A must-read for anyone truly interested in learning from the Past.

I have long held the view that the United States should have stayed out of World War I. Larry Zukerman is making me think twice about our involvement. Germany was guilty of war crimes against he people of Belgium. Its behavior during the invasion simply cannot be explained away. The German military did indeed seem to deliberately terrorize the population. Unfortunately, the shabbily put together Bryce Report encouraged outsiders to dismiss all reports of atrocities as mere exaggerations and outright lies. I consider this current review as incomplete. Am I perhaps too reluctant to admit being wrong in the past? Whatever, I strongly recommend The Rape of Belgium to all those interested in the history of this savage war. I will also be adding future insights in the comment section.

The propaganda wars in the First World War produced a strong reaction against the distortions on both sides. But, as the author shows, the result in the case of Belgium was to forget the reality of the German invasion and occupation, which in many ways was the first episode of the twentieth century savagery of warfare against civilian populations. The term 'totalitarian' had not yet entered the language, but the war system created to plunder and repress the Belgians was in many ways the first instance of the type. Sixth place in the ranks of industrialized nations, Belgium was plundered of its industrial capital and infrastructure. This history was a premonition of the tactics of the Nazis to come. Sets the record straight in an area where it is difficult, short of the archival research provided, to maintain objective judgments.

There are certain stories you read in childhood that stay with you forever; I don't know exactly why this story has stayed with me so, but certainly it has. Hedwig's uncertainty and her desperate need to find a place to feel loved and safe were very well portrayed. I can remember reading about her loneliness even now, a good twenty years later.

This book had a profound effect on me as a child and I have never forgotten how it made me feel. Would recommend for any young girl between 9 and 12.

Ready Made Family and Runaway Alice are the type of books you read as a child, and remember as an adult, I recently reread Ready Made Family and I enjoyed it just as much.

Hedy and her brother and sister have been bounced around by their aunts, uncles, cousins and other family members until they no longer trust that anything good will ever happen to them, learning to be a family and for Hedy to just be a kid takes time.

Read it if you can find it.

Hedwig Kowalski isn't sure she wants to be placed out. With her brother, Peter, and sister, Mary Rose, Hedwig had been passed from one relative to another. Things are better in the state home, and besides, nobody wants Peter. Hedwig's aunt had said that he was a natural born thief. He tells lies, and breaks things, and causes trouble. Hedy is afraid Peter will be sent to reform school. Then thier family will be split up.

Hedy likes thier new home with the Kennedys. So does Mary Rose. But Peter, well, Peter is still Peter. Why does he have to be such a problem? Why can't he behave? And what will happen when money is found missing from Mrs. Kennedy's handbag?

My mother read this book in grade school, and we still have her old paperback book. I don't know how many times I have read it, but it is a great story. If you can find it, I greatly recomend it.

I find it laughable that people are charging over $30 for a used, older version of the book, when it is available new from the publisher (SRI) for $20.00. Smells like profiteering to me.

I am writing this review after finding my previously misplaced copy of 'Recipe for Reading'. This book is the missing piece in the phonics instruction puzzle. Although information abounds regarding the sequence of phonics instruction this book is truly complete. It offers a solid multisensory approach and continued reinforcement (both crucial for struggling readers).

I have a deeper knowledge of the book because we went through the entire book for my Orton-Gillingham training but I can say that it, and my training manual, are the backbone of my reading program. The sound instructional methods and clear systematic, sequential approach to phonics instruction are simply excellent. This book is truly a sequential phonics program (some of you may be familiar with the disappointment that the plethora of 'phonics' books elicit from unsuspecting, yet good intentioned, buyers). The sequence chart alone is fantastic. From the basic alphabet to multisyllabic words with blends this book will cover the entire reading sequence in a truly systematic fashion. You do not have to piece it together and it makes complete sense. Having the words for spelling and sentence dictation and reading means that much of the work is done for you. The alliterative sentences are also an excellent addition to this book.

If you want to teach children to read utilizing a systematic, sequential, multisensory approach this book will prove invaluable. I am so happy my copy is no longer misplaced!

As a special education instructor, I have found this book to be a useful tool to form a succinct pattern for teaching reading to the reluctant student. Nina Traub's book starts out with the teaching of consonants and proceeds to short vowel sounds, etc. Each section requires the student to recall prior learning, therefore ensuring mastery of material. This is a great tool for not only the reluctant reader but also children with learning disabilities.

I learned about this book through a special education teacher. I have used it for the last five years, and the truth is, it's a great way to get to those kids who just can't '"get it". It is very flexible and adaptable to each student's needs.

How this book came to be is as fascinating as the story within its pages. Eighty-one year old Red Wells always felt the need to share his life story, especially his experiences during World War II. Likewise, his daughter Sharon always wanted to write a book, and learn more about her father's service during the war. In the time honored method of oral tradition, dad and daughter would spend leisurely hours together, drinking coffee, fishing, or going for a drive in the country. Red would tell stories, Sharon would listen, mentally take notes, and frantically try to organize them later sitting at her computer. It was a last minute decision to attend the dedication of the National World War II Memorial in Washington DC that prompted both Red and Sharon to agree to turn their efforts into book form. The result is one of the most beautifully written testimonies to emerge from the soul of a greatest generation hero through the diligent hands of a loving, caring, sympathetic daughter.

Writing in the first person, Ms Wells-Wagner turns Red's childhood and teen years into a captivating adventure, every bit, if not more interesting that his later war exploits.
Diagnosed with spinal tuberculosis as an infant, Red spent the first years of his life in a body cast, confined to a hospital bed, hundreds of miles from home. His physical defect would eventually heal itself, but not in time to save his parent's marriage. Wells-Wagner's choice to use such un-politically correct phrases as "crippled children's hospital," and "Tubercular Sanitarium" brings the bleak reality of those trying times to light.

Red's mother died prematurely and Red was sent to live with a series of relatives. Wells-Wagner's pen flows effortlessly as she introduces a cast of real life characters all struggling against a backdrop of hard times. All, especially aunt Margret treated Red as their own but having missed out on those formative years of nurturing made Red feel not wanted. By age fourteen, like a depression era Tom Sawyer or Huckleberry Finn, Red was fishing the local streams, wandering the streets of Reading, smoking Bull Durham cigarettes, and sleeping at a local mission.

Red soon ran away from home, lived a Hobo's existence, hopping trains and sleeping under bridges from New Jersey to Kansas. Along the way he honed the survival skills he had developed on the streets of Reading. A stint in Idaho with the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) would give Red a taste of the structure he so desperately needed in his life, and would soon find in the Army.

The United States was not yet at war when eighteen year old Red joined the Army in the summer of 1941. Red was assigned to the 33d Infantry Regiment stationed on Panama Canal duty. Red alternated between guard duty aboard ships passing through the canal, and jungle warfare training in the hot insect infested jungles of Panama. From there it was on to Port of Spain, Trinidad to build a base, and more jungle warfare training. The author makes the transition from depression era narrative to military history smoothly. Her weaving of anecdotes about Red's encounters with tarantulas, giant pet snakes, a pet monkey, and a stubborn mule named Devil adds humor to this little touched topic of early American involvement in World War II. Yet to quote a trite expression of the time, Red had "found a home in the Army!"
Soon after the Allies had landed in France on D-Day, Red volunteered to join the 99th Infantry Battalion (Separate). Made up primarily of Norwegian-Americans, the 99th was one of four ethnic units formed during the war. From Cherbourg to Aachen, the 99th was a mop-up unit, clearing pockets of enemy that were by-passed as the front moved on. Little is written about this unit, or the deadly business of digging out hidden enemy troops, many of which preferred death to surrender. The 99th became a part of General George S. Patton's Third Army and participated in the Battle of the Bulge. In the spring of 1945, General Patton utilized the 99th unique mop-up skills to hunt down Nazi SS troops and guards that had fled the Buchenwald concentration camp. Red recounts tales of fanatically defiant Nazi SS horribly wounded but still attempting to kill with any remaining strength. In one personal encounter (which Red requested be omitted from the final draft), he confided to his daughter, "One even had red hair like me."

Red remained in the Army for three years after the war ended. As a member of the 474th Infantry Regiment (Separate), Red formed an Honor Guard for returning exiled King Haakon VII of Norway. On the GI Bill, Red took flying lessons, later became a Drill Sergeant, and participated in Task Force Williwaw in the Aleutian Islands, a Cold war training exercise in winter warfare. Red's last mission was to escort returning war dead to their hometowns and attend the funerals, which required him to fold the American flag and hand it to the fallen soldier's spouse or mother.

When Red returned to Reading, Pennsylvania and married Helen, a local girl who had always had a crush on him, he had left behind him a trail of adventure no literary author could duplicate. He was twenty-five old.

Red's military career was as unique as the life he led. Fortunate for us, Red undertook one final mission, to relate his life experiences to his daughter. The book is a family effort: Sharon's husband drew the maps, her son proofread the manuscript, and a generous sampling of photographs brings the narrative to life. Her labor of love is evident; the honesty of her prose will delight. Of the dozens of World War II memoirs I've read, this is one of the most inimitably fascinating. If you read one memoir this year, read this one! Five stars, Bravo!

This book is much more than an accounting of a soldier's action in World War 2. This book is a life story of Red Wells and it's an incredible story.

The story begins with a family history, the birth and early childhood of Red Wells. The childhood portion of the book is just so inspiring. The teenage years and his many adventures at such a young age really set the stage for what the next 10 years of his life would be like. Basically it's adventure after adventure.

The World War 2 portion of this book is very introspective. If you want graphical descriptions of gore and mayhem you'll need to look elsewhere. What is covered are lots of descriptions of what he saw and how he felt about it. This really shows you the emotional side of the soldier and is something missing in many books.

In brief, here's what I liked most. The book is VERY well written. The narrative flows like a novel. The length of the chapters is short, only a few pages each so I could read a chapter or two each night before bed. The material is so interesting that you just want to keep reading. And it's all true.

I highly recommend this book.

I finished this book in one day because I was drawn in by the important, inspiring, and dramatic story. This is the history of an American soldiers life and how he was profoundly changed by WWII. We have much to learn from the personal sacrifice of the people that lived and served in our armed forces during this era.

From the beginning of this book I realized the Patriot Red Wells had given much to a thankful country. His life was one of hardships and numerous trials. One of his defining moments in life was when he decided to join the military. From his various experiences during training, to the development of his many strong friendships, to the accounts of the horrific realities of the battlefield, I along vicariously learned from Red's life journey. The journey is itself is amazing but the master story teller Sharon Wells Wagner, Red's daughter, kept me en-rapt with each page.

Red's journey demonstrated to me valuable life lessons including:

1. No matter how bad a situation could be it could always be worse. The guy with his leg shot off in the battlefield is having a worse day than the soldier who is still walking.
2. Friends are important in our life and cannot be taken for granted. Red discovers the bad news of his military buddy losing his life during a battle. This story which caused me to reflect on the friends I need to kept in touch with.
3. As Red mentions he is very much a survivor. Through his actions during battle and in his personal life I learned that we must rely on others to succeed. Most importantly we must rely on our self determination.

Most people from a strained familial relationship with no permanent father figure normally do not succeed in life. Red Wells proves that you can overcome many obstacles, but most importantly you can become successful even if you don't have the best start in life.
I enjoyed hearing the stories of Red's life because I am able to vicariously through him. More importantly I may learn from Red's life lessons without having to live them myself. Red Wells is a noble man for sharing his life experiences, even if those experiences are painful to relate. It takes a truly brave man to let us live the triumphs and pain in their life, such has Red Wells has done in his history.

It is important to have people we can look towards and continue the legacy of this proud and diverse country. We need more heroes like Red Wells to stand up and tell their story. Red Wells has become one of my heroes. I will always remember the story of Red Wells, An American Soldier In World War II, and an American hero.

Very simply written, as a simple recitation of the facts, this book is amazingly emotional. Mr. Wells's life is almost unbelievable in the number of obstacles thrown in his path from infancy onward. His very survival is remarkable, much less his bouyant attitude. All of us should be inspired by having such a man as a fellow American.
History buffs will be enlightened by his very personal story of his life as a soldier throughout World War II. There is no better reference than the personal story of a participant. And all of us should be made aware of the trials facing ordinary people during the Depression, before the welfare, social security, unemployment compensation, or workers' compensation that we take for granted now.
This should be put on recommended reading lists in schools throughout America.

It really is between joyce and proust....

Where as Joyce's Masterpice takes place in one day proust's Masterpiece Swans Way is only the begining. In the first Part Swans way we have the world of le boheim Part 2 or Guermantes way Opens the world of the bougios. A world of the rich in which image is everything...sex, obssesion, grandmothers...ect ect.. If you are reading this then you are familar with the obsesive beatuty that is proust's writing. Equally great however, personally there is a satifaction after Swans way,(first time with Proust's writing)that make the first volume my favorite.

Volume I of this Vintage series was a little bit overwhelming as a reading experience. Proust is dense, difficult and the diction takes quite a bit of getting used to. It was a relief for me that the reading experience got much easier by the time that I reached this volume. Nothing is going to leaven Remembrance or make it less dense, but if you make it as far as The Guermantes Way then you are bound to have come to some peace with the language.

The Guermantes Way and Cities of the Plain are full of both broad humor and deep sorrow. The treatment of the death of the Grandmother, particularly the way that she slowly retreats in dreams, is one of the most real and affecting sequences of its kind that I can remember in fiction. On the other hand, the comedy of manners at the society parties plays out like a kind of Belle Epoque Sex & the City. Proust skewers the foibles and fables of the relationships of the rich, and often left me chuckling to myself as I read.

The farther I go, the more I find these books to be one of the most memorable reading experiences of my life. Nothing in these books makes me lessen the recommendation that I read after reading Volume I. In fact, I find that my admiration is only increasing as I read.

If you can, try tackling Volume II as quickly as possible after finishing Volume I. It really helps a lot to treat Remembrance as a single book, rather than a series. It also avoids time re-learning the feeling of the Proust prose.

Moncrieff/Kilmartin's translation is still the best. Proust's life-work is the most psychologically acute novel ever written, and a perfect match between form and content. His form is the memoir, conceived as a piece of music, with themes and variations, codas and recapitulations. The content is a list of evolving concerns, from love (in all its forms) to aesthetic creation and appreciation, as well as a sort of living autopsy of the aristocracy of his time. His motives were manifold, but it seems Proust primarily wanted to get in the final word on those people he knew throughout his life, and show he both understood them (better than they themselves) and that they had little inkling of his amazing inner life. For all his encounters with and criticisms of snobs and poseurs throughout the work, and his tendency to fully absorb himself in his experiences, Marcel the narrator risks coming off as a snob himself; but quite the opposite, he denigrates himself constantly with reference to his own writing abilities, up into the very last section of "Time Regained" when the structural idea for the novel we have just read comes to him. He's disappointed many times by his own experiences, when they are is measured and conditioned by the background of his keen aesthetic imagination. His salvation is both the Idea for the novel, and a theory of time/identity which has been "calling out" to him with his famous episodes of "involuntary memory" (the most famous of which is the tea-dipped madeleine). As one reads on, there are times when it seems Proust has suspended all action and narrative in favor of impressions which resonate against one another. It may seem gratuitous or self-indulgent, but he is "performing" his theory at the same time he's telling you about it. They each have a purpose, and it seems he's trying to enact a philosophical theory of identity and experience: as if we the subject are nodes of activity that blend memory and present conscious experience.

"Remembrance of Things Past" can be a difficult work to read, but it is so very much worth it. One needs no guide to read this work; it's not as allusive as "Ulysses" nor esoteric like "Gravity's Rainbow". Proust's style is very reader-friendly (albeit he spins very long sentences). He respects the reader, and wants her to understand exactly where he's coming from, for this novel is like the map Borges once described in one of his "Ficciones": it's a representation so large and subtle and complex that it is as big as what it depicts.

If Proust were alive today, he'd probably be kibbitzing with Hollywood stars or the world's billionaire elites...And not much of this book would change!