Pleasures and DaysA stunning volume of philosophical reflections, short narratives, and prose poems, Pleasures and Daysprovides an early glimpse into Proust's genius as a collector of exquisitely poignant sensations and recollections. Set amid the salon society of fin-du-siecle Paris, these sketches and short stories depict the lives, loves, manners, and motivations of a host of characters, all viewed with a famously knowing eye. By turns cuttingly satirical and bitterly moving, Proust's portrayals are layered with imagery and feeling--whether they be of the aspiring Bouvard and Pecuchet, the deluded Madame de Breyves, or of Baldassare Silvande, steeped in memories, regret, and final understanding at the end of his life. Novelist Marcel Proust was a prominent figure in the French salons of the late 19th century; he is best remembered for his seven-volume masterpiece In Search of Lost Time. |
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A.N. Wilson able Alexis already artist asked Augustin Baldassare beauty Biarritz Bois de Boulogne Bouvard Bouvard and Pécuchet breath Buivres calm carriage charm dark death deep desire dinner Dominique dream dressed Duchess Duke of Parma elegance everything eyes face feeling felt filled flowers forever Françoise gaze Geneviève gentle Germaine Greer Gilbert Adair give gleam grace Guermantes hand happiness hear heard heart Henri de Régnier Honoré imagination indifferent kiss knew Laléande leaves lips live longer looked Maurice Barrès melancholy memory Mme de Breyves Monsieur mother Myrto mysterious never night pain Pécuchet perfume perhaps Pleasures and Days Proust realised recognise Search of Lost seemed sense shadow sleep smile snobbery society sorrow soul started Styria suddenly suffering Swann sweet tears tell tenderness things thought Tim Parks trees uncle Violante Viscount walking weep woman women young