From Library Journal
In The Fugitive, the seventh volume of Proust's classic Remembrance of Things Past, the focus is grief. The plot is superficially simple: Albertine, the narrator's mistress, has left him; he considers his love for her, her reasons for departure, what response(s) he should make, and his life. He makes several attempts to manipulate her return; when it becomes impossible, he mourns and remembers the past. This series is a pseudoautobiographical study of the author's own self-centered, physically restricted, self-reflective life in pre-World War I France. In Time Regained, the final volume, Proust gathers together all the themes of the previous seven. The narrator pays several visits to Paris, during and after the war, observing the military and nonmilitary behaviors of old and new acquaintances. Later, he is shocked to recognize that they and he have become old. Finally, his thoughts turn to former events, old loves, and reliving his experiences through writing. The author is known for his complicated thought patterns and recurring, interwoven themes. Unfortunately, both the abridgment and the format compound these textual difficulties. There is likely to be little demand for this abridged French classic in translation, unless it is made into a movie. Neville Jason has a beautiful voice and an obvious love for the text. Recommended for large academic and public libraries. I. Pour-El, Iowa State Univ. Lib., Ames
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From AudioFile
Considered to be one of the most important works in Western literature, REMEMBRANCE OF THINGS PAST would be a formidable undertaking for many readers. Page-long sentences, three-page paragraphs, and entire chapters in which virtually no "action" takes place (save the passage of time, and sometimes little of that) make it difficult to decipher the course of Proust's reflections. Listening to Neville Jason's nuanced reading of TIME REGAINED--the final volume of Proust's work--helps. His deft pacing and selective emphasis enhance comprehensibility and create an opportunity for deeper understanding. Jason's notes on the author and his work, provided in an enclosed booklet, contribute a revelatory context. T.J.W. © AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine
