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How Proust Can Change Your Life

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How Proust Can Change Your Life

By: Alain de Botton
Narrated by: Nicholas Bell
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About this listen

 For anyone who ever wondered what Marcel Proust had in mind when he wrote the one-and-a-quarter-million words of In Search of Lost Time (while bedridden no less), Alain de Botton has the answer. For, in this stylish, erudite and frequently hilarious book, de Botton dips deeply into Proust’s life and work - his fiction, letter, and conversations - and distils from them that rare self-help manual: one that is actually helpful. Here, tendered in prose almost as luminous as it’s subject’s, is advice on cultivating friendships, suffering successfully, recognising love and understanding why you should never sleep with someone on the first date. And here, too, is a generously perceptive literary biography that suggests that the master is as relevant today as he was in fin de siècle Paris.©1997 by Alain de Botton. (P)2010 Bolinda Publishing European Literary History & Criticism Literature & Fiction Personal Development Personal Success Philosophy World Literature Celebrity Funny Witty

Critic Reviews

"This engaging book is one of the most entertaining pieces of literary criticism I have read in a long while." (The Sunday Telegraph)
"De Botton's little book is so charming, amusing and sensible that it may even itself change your life." (The Daily Telegraph)
"A self-help manual for the intelligent person . . . witty, funny, and tonic." (The New York Times Book Review)
"Delightfully original. . . . As well as being criticism, biography, literary history and a reader's guide to Proust's masterpiece, How Proust Can Change Your Life is a self-help book in the deepest sense of the term." (The New York Times)
"Curious, humorous, didactic and dazzling. . . . It contains more human interest and play of fancy than most fiction." (The New Yorker)
All stars
Most relevant  
Given that many of us will not have the time to read Prousts In Search of Lost Time save in retirementment or a year of long service leave, this book serves as a means benifit from Proust without having to put life on hold for a while.

De Botton has here distilled some of the lessons that Proust put forth in his seminal novel on love, friendship, art and reading. His ideas should help us look at the world with wonder once again rather than being pleased only by the fleeting extraordinary.

A Great Introduction to Proust

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Will I read Proust now? Quite likely. Have I come to appreciate Proust:? Absolutely.

A well constructed and narrated walk into the world of a great author with wry perspectives and a utter lack of either toadieism or worship. A book about an author who writes about other books and authors and places and in the end acknowledges literatures place in inspiring and instigating rather than delivering and which does the same itself.

Worth the time. I’ve listened twice and plan a third.

Peter Howie
Brisbane
Australia

Terri’s and improves with each listening

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Proust has changed my life in many ways - not least leading to the dissolution of my marriage and my divorce! Much better to stay wrapped up in a 'fur coat' and lie in bed. The real problem with life is all these other people in the world! Proust knew this and yet he was a good friend. So much to learn but please, please read (or listen to) the books. 100 hours of intense pleasure!

A great introduction to Proust

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Most memorable moment was chapter seven. Still thinking about it. Wasn't too familiar with Proust before this, but I loved being introduced to his philosophies and would like to read his books now.

Superb

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This review kept me great company while I was painting. I will return to it soon after I re listen to Marcel Proust work.

A reference point to always return to!!!

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Sometimes when you read a book, you just want to reread it.

I am an artist and a scribe and an Invalid confined to quarters. So there is much that I can identify with. I have tried to read Proust over the years and found it too wordy. And de Botten demystifies a personal experience.
I also studied philosophy in the Visual Art Degree I completed and have loved de Botten since the time he wrote the preface in a book I bought on Plato, that was over 30 years ago. Cheers and enjoy listening.

“How Proust Can Change Your Life”. By Alain De Botton.

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