In Search of Lost Time

Marcel Proust

Recommended By

Book Synopsis

In Search of Lost Time follows the story of an unnamed narrator as he navigates the complex landscape of memory, time, and social conventions in early 20th-century France.

The narrator, reflecting upon his own experiences, delves into his past, exploring themes of love, desire, art, and societal expectations. Through his meticulous observations, the narrator examines the nature of human perception and introspection, often pausing to examine everyday events and objects in great detail.

The book is divided into seven volumes, with each volume presenting a different phase of the narrator's life. From his childhood memories in Combray, to his formative years in Parisian society, to his encounters with lovers and friends, the narrator’s journey is marked by introspection and profound insights.

The narrative is fueled by the narrator’s encounters with figures from his past, many of whom have had a lasting impact on his life. Central to the story is his unrequited love for a woman named Albertine, whose presence haunts him throughout the narrative. The narrator’s relationships and interactions with others serve as a means to explore larger themes of identity, society, and the passing of time.

In Search of Lost Time is a sprawling and deeply introspective work, renowned for its rich prose and vivid descriptions. Proust’s masterpiece invites readers to contemplate the nature of memory and the ways in which our past experiences shape our present. Through its exploration of the human condition, Proust's masterpiece remains a timeless classic, challenging readers to reflect on their own lives and the passage of time.

Explore More Books

See All
Obvious Adams
How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk
The Wager
Musashi
Destined For War
Who We Are and How We Got Here
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Dirt to Soil
King Lear
The Blue Sweater
God's Debris
A Splendid Exchange
The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty
Nudge
Neuromancer
The Great Mental Models
American Nations
Incognito
Kochland
Ringworld
The Sacred Mushroom and the Cross
Eating Animals
The Jewish Century
Something Like an Autobiography
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
The Art of  Scientific Investigation
The Fourth Turning
Technofeudalism
Physics of the Future
Stories of Your Life and Others
The Big Score
The Man Who Solved The Market
Recapturing The Spirit Of Enterprise
Slouching Towards Bethlehem
Creativity, Inc.
Building the Intentional University
The Hour Between Dog and Wolf
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions
Math, Better Explained
The Unquiet Grave
Bad For You
Scaling People
The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind
What is Life?
Road to Wigan Pier
In Over Our Heads
Prosperity
Fewer
The Lizard King
Social Cognition
A Mind At Play
The Essays of Schopenhauer
The Dream of Reason
End of Illness
Stumbling on Happiness
Automate This
The 4 Hour Body
Investment Biker
Creative Selection
The Doors of Perception
Citizen Coke
Thermoinfocomplexity
You
Who
Adult Children of Alcoholics
The Gospel of Wealth
A Father First
James Turrell
Where Good Ideas Come From
Sex, Murder, and the Meaning of Life
Judgment in Managerial Decision Making
The Hydrogen Sonata
Midnight In Chernobyl
Cryptonomicon
Secrets of Closing the Sale
The Power Broker
Charged
Tools and Weapons
Deep Medicine
Tribe
Think Again
Getting It Done
Rise of the Robots
The Global Macro Edge
Entangled Life
Conscious Business
Taxes Have Consequences
The Visual Display of Quantitative Information
The New Jim Crow
The Ordeal of Civility
The Little Bitcoin Book
Happiness
Biography of the Dollar
Future Forward
The New One
Breaking Out of Beginner's Spanish
Man's Search for Meaning
Loonshots
The Underdog Founder
Prisoners of Geography