Swann's Way

Begun in 1909, finished just before Proust's death in 1922, many of the novel's ideas, motifs, and scenes appear in adumbrated form in Proust's unfinished novel, Jean Santeuil, and in his unfinished hybrid of philosophical essay and story, Contre Sainte-Beuve. His novel has had a pervasive influence on twentieth-century literature.

Marcel Proust (1871-1922) was a French novelist, critic, and essayist best known for his monumental work, In Search of Lost Time (À la recherche du temps perdu). Born in Paris, Proust's life and writings were deeply influenced by his observations of society, art, and memory. Despite suffering from chronic illness, he meticulously crafted his seven-volume masterpiece, which explores themes of time, identity, and desire with unparalleled depth. Proust's complex portrayal of human emotions and his exploration of homosexuality in his writing have cemented his legacy as one of literature's most profound and innovative voices.