'In Search of Lost Time' by Marcel Proust | a year long reading vlog

[@janethansen9612]

I don't own a television, and the Proust update has been my serialised highlight of this year. Thank you, it has been delightful. It looks like locally I can get the vintage Proust with the orange flower on the cover. I shall add Swann's Way to my 2023 tbr with some trepidation.

[@somebenfen]

Thank you so much! Good luck if you get to it. It's a slog at times but worth it!

[@barbarahelgaker390]

I will now always think of it as In Search of Lost flipping Time!😂

[@somebenfen]

😂😂

[@pamelatarajcak5634]

Ditto! 😂

[@lorimiller854]

This is an incredible achievement. Following your whole experience has been so informative and hilarious. I love your “tips.”

[@somebenfen]

Thank you! ☺️

[@kasiakwiatkowska5816]

I absolutely love this video and your work is amazing here. What a delightful energy and humor 😊 thank you for sharing this epic journey

[@CharlesHeathcote]

This is certainly a fantastic achievement and I commend your efforts. Thank you for bringing us along on your journey and for sharing your thoughts. One day I'm sure I'll get to Proust. I don't believe that it will happen any time soon mind.

[@somebenfen]

Thank you! ☺️ Just have a go at swanns way without thinking you'll carry on first and see how you go....

[@Fuliginosus]

It's the best thing ever! I've read the whole thing three times, and I agree that reading ten pages a day is an appropriate pace. I think the Moncreiff/Kilmartin/Engright version was the best.

[@kirstencristobal3204]

What daily reading pace did you use?

[@Fuliginosus]

@@kirstencristobal3204 Usually about ten pages a day. My three readings were spaced about eight years apart.

[@yenasung]

Ahhh you are bookfluencing me!! And oo you speak french, ohlala 😍 What a fab vlog of your journey reading through this beastly tome! It was so fun to watch and thanks for the tips!

[@somebenfen]

Thank you! ☺️

[@manuetells]

That was awesome! Congrats and thank you for sharing. I will read Proust one day.

[@somebenfen]

Thank you! ☺️

[@DavidHartley88]

You Nutty-Bonkers Bozo !! That opening 30 seconds is hilarious. I’m about to start reading so I’m excited to watch the rest of your vlog.

[@marcpaters0n]

Great stuff as always. Just reporting back on my latest Ulysses attempt. I was listening to an audio edition on YT which was about 8-9 hours long. I got further into the book than I ever had before, however... After several hours I realised that this video was 1 of 4 parts. 4! In total it was nearly 24 hours of audio, so I gave up again. James Joyce, much like Proust, is a stark lesson in endurance. Have a good new year!

[@somebenfen]

Oh blimey haha I'm gonna have a break from modernist tomes for a while! I do want to try portrait of an artist some point this year though

[@ReadADayClub]

Accurately put "In Search of Lost Flipping Time" I'm on Within a Budding Grove. Can't possibly read more than 15 pages a day. It's intense. But anyway, loved your video on it. It's brilliant!! Looking forward to more. :)

[@somebenfen]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed. Good luck with the rest of it, it's a ride!

[@troytradup]

Congratulations on making it to the finish line! I have Proust on my someday list, and even have the multi-translator editions on my Kindle. Someday ... but not this day. Happy New Year, Ben!

[@somebenfen]

Happy new year! And thank you 😊

[@Kimberton149]

Well done and thanks for a great review! You've not quite twisted my arm on ISOL(F)T yet, but I did spot "Days of Reading" in a charity shop recently and bought it based only on your pronunciation of "Marcel" suddenly popping into my head and making me laugh. It includes an essay titled "Swann Explained By Proust" which I'm now really looking forward to reading :)

[@somebenfen]

Thanks for watching! Ooo that essay sounds intriguing, I might check it out :p

[@ririschannelx]

I for one thought the moustache gave you a lot of character 😂 Also you would have made a great silent movie actor, you’re so expressive 😀

[@somebenfen]

I didn't hate the moustache myself haha May experiment a little... 👨

[@girishgowda7661]

I bought a copy of The Swann's Way in an Oxfam shop in Convent Garden a month ago just to get started because why not. But I'm sure it'll take me a while to finish the whole thing. Maybe 3 years. I'm a slow reader but I have a feeling it will be worthwhile. Happy holidays and I hope u read wonderful books in 2023.

[@somebenfen]

Good luck with it! It's definitely worth it as a slow reading project :)

[@Sopranistineberhard]

Thank you for this! I have just purchased the first part and your reviews have given me courage! Merci!!

[@somebenfen]

Thats awesome! 😃

[@JuanReads]

Well done! It took me seven months, but I wish I had devoted more time to each of the volumes. Having said that, I feel like I'm ready for a reread :)

[@somebenfen]

Thank you! I'd be interested in another translation, but I may leave a few years gap before tackling it again haha

[@alanaestelle2076]

Did you really need Swann in Love in French? YAS, MY GUY! YAS! 🤣 your sister is the MVP. Omg this was so good and so funny. Congrats on finishing this beast. You’re making me want to read two of them in 2023, instead of just Within a Budding Grove. And thank you for linking my video!

[@somebenfen]

Thanks so much! I'm gonna be really interested in your thoughts when you get to them!

[@ariannelg]

I’m gonna read it this year and all I can think about is your voice saying “Marrrrceelllll” And calling it in search of lost flipping time 😂

[@somebenfen]

I wish you the best of luck with MARRCEEELL 😄

[@BrandonsBookshelf]

Well done! you did so well with this!

[@somebenfen]

Thank you ☺️

[@sebastiancastillo8704]

I started it January 1st of 2023 and finished it on I believe December 20th or so-also took me a year. Nothing short of life changing, with the greatest ending I've read and expect will ever experience, a full body dissociation.

[@eyeshandy]

Just finished a few days ago - it's quite a journey. WABG is my favourite vol!

[@ThatReadingGuy28]

I loved your thoughts! Honestly I felt the same way you did going through it. Took me nine months (same translation) and I quite enjoyed it despite the looong boring parts. Like you, I loved Charlus, he was great. my least favorite part was the entire Albertine obsession story. That was such a drag. And his digressions on art and love were so tedious. But the characters for the most part were fascinating and I ate up the salon scenes. Right now I'm reading a biography of Proust and it's crazy how similar Proust was to his narrator. Except Proust never actually had a girl captive in his apartment. Temperament is spot on though.

[@somebenfen]

Thanks for watching! Glad you enjoyed it too, albeit with long.boring parts haha. I'd be interested in reading more about Proust himself too :)

[@1985-f5y]

I see what you did with the remix of the Super Mario “running out of time” music!! 😮

[@somebenfen]

😁

[@dfjpr]

The introduction was très Proust! ❤

[@angiejones5918]

A round of applause 👏👏👏👏👏

[@somebenfen]

☺️☺️☺️

[@juliereadsherbookshelf]

Congratulations! It’s an achievement. Took me from Feb to Dec a few years ago when I did it too. Can I recommend Josef Czapski’s lectures on Proust from a Soviet Prison camp? Extraordinarily good (And very short).

[@somebenfen]

Ooo thanks you! I'll check that out :p

[@patrickemanuel2789]

totally agree with your take on the fugitive. man that was a slog.

[@somebenfen]

After the cliffhanger of the captive it should have been more compelling but no, Marcel has to be Marcel about it 😄

[@drawyourbook876]

The dance at the end made me happy 🤣

[@somebenfen]

😁😁

[@ameliareads589]

There we have it. 😯

[@somebenfen]

It's been a ride!

[@ameliareads589]

​@@somebenfen I finished War and Peace today. Nothing in comparison to seven volumes of In Search of flipping Time, but it has been a ride too. 🎢

[@johncrwarner]

I am impressed you got through it. I started "Swann's Way" and was totally uninterested in the characters and the milieu they are in. (There didn't feel like a story at all). I then tried the graphic novel of it - in French and it was a bit better but still I couldn't get into it so it is a "haven't finished yet" and likely won't finish in this lifetime.

[@somebenfen]

I must check out the graphic novel that would be intriguing....

[@johncrwarner]

@@somebenfen Stéphane Heuet is the graphic artist. They are well produced.

[@johncrwarner]

@Ryan That would be a HUGE punishment.

[@alohm]

To go home again, for the first time...

[@Thomas-fu8vp]

I have read the G. Painter & R. Barker biographies that add to the joy of it all.This tome is a gay classic. The literary world in MP's time promoted it.I bought my 7 books at an outdoor used book vendor's stand in the centre of Florence, Italy. Though a 1975 edition, it had never been read. Love the hair changes throughout.Have you been to Venice? I suppose so.

[@myhandle321]

Which edition are these? I would like to buy. Presently reading Swan's way in epub version.

[@valentinekizito661]

Just begun the journey

[@amelmahmoud8221]

THIS BOOK IS THE MSOT BEAUTIFUL NOVELS ALAS GOOGLE AND THE AMERICAN MEDIA DOESNT FOCUS ON IT. HERE IN THIS VIDOE YOU SEEM NOT PASSIONATE ABOUT IT EVEN SUMMARIZING IT AS HEAVY AND SOMEHOW SILLY...THIS IS NOT FAIR...

[@TK-kf8zc]

Sounds utterly exhausting

[@somebenfen]

It was! 😄😄

[@TK-kf8zc]

I would only read it in French for practice but if I am going to read French - Annie Ernaux 😍

[@Leebearify]

I am afraid that I completely agree. I am afraid that his is just not going to be for me. However, I can't say TY enough for going through this and then sharing.

[@somebenfen]

@@Leebearify thank you so much!

[@oxfordden3661]

Congrats on finishing ... I did it 3 times over 30 years ... I recommend reading the entire works after 40 years of age ... appreciate your review ... but with all due respect - could do without the forced French accent ... not a good look ...

[@somebenfen]

I don't know what you're talking about, my forced french accent is impeccable 😄. Thanks for watching!

[@oxfordden3661]

@@somebenfen :-)