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Swann's Way

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About this listen

Remembrance of Things Past is one of the monuments of 20th-century literature. Neville Jason’s widely praised abridged version has rightly become an audiobook landmark, and now, upon numerous requests, he is recording the whole work unabridged which, when complete, will run for some 140 hours.

Swann’s Way is the first of seven volumes and sets the scene with the narrator’s memories being famously provoked by the taste of that little cake, the madeleine, accompanied by a cup of lime-flowered tea. It is an unmatched portrait of fin-de-siècle France.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

Public Domain (P)2012 Naxos AudioBooks Historical Fiction World Literature Fiction
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Tender-recollections-of-a-pristine-boyhood-whose-places-people-feelings-now-long-past-softly-flow-and-intimately-engage/frame-a-love-story-of-a-French-gentleman-of-perfect-breeding-caught-in-the-web-of-a-Parisian-courtesan-whose\generous-telling-and-penetrating-observation-of-late-19thC-social-mores-captures&hold&charms-over-this-novel-length-part-1-of-7.
Proust,-more-often-studied-than-simply-read,-turns-out-to-be-a-delight. Although-older-translations-are-available-free-on-youtube-this-investment-repays-handsomely.
Excellent-flow-in-English-retaining-just-the-right-amount-of-French-place-names-etc.
This-narrator-clearly-has-an-excellent-grasp-of-the-original-language.
Unfortunately-translation-cannot-reproduce-puns-etc-but-this-sensitive-narrator-makes-sure-we-get-the-gist-anyway.
Proust-occasionally-indulges-in-elaborate-sub-clauses,but-even-his-longest-sentences-are-quite-intelligible-in-this-edition.
Proust-has-a-remarkable-sensitivity-to-shades-of-human-sexuality-particularly-lesbian-highly-recommended.
This-narrator-captures-Proust's-non-judgemental-tone-of-humanity-in-relating-such-subjects.
I-listened-twice-and-feel-thrice-would-still-yield-fresh-pleasures.
This-narrator-deftly-&-consistently-reproduces-character-in-his-voicing-of-both-male/female/old/young-without-the-dreadful-slips-in-my-last-JRR-Martin-read.
Classics-of-literary-fiction-can-be-done-well-in-audiobook-format-&-I-struck-gold-here.
6-more-volumes-to-go!
Can't-wait!
Buy-this-using-monthly-credits-7-vols@-retail-price-would-break-the-bank.

Without Peer

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If you want or need a 'story' or 'plot' of any kind, steer clear of Proust. A multilayered series of extraordinarily long sentences on the minutiae of memory, conversation, thought and human experience is what we have here. If you know what to expect this is an excellent reading.

Not for everyone, but beautifully read

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Like many people, I am listening to 'In Search' in an attempt to catch up on reading I would like to have done when I was younger. I was warned it may be tedious, but decided to give it a go anyway. I have been trying to like it, but I am deterred by Neville Jason's reading. It is deeply irritating, and he sounds like a creepy vicar. I will try John Rowe's version, as the reviewers seem to be saying that it is at least less dreary than the Jason version. There are also unforgivable pronunciations of French words, such as "rams" for Reims (rather than the more correct pronunciation of "ra~s").

Holier than vous

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I have struggled many times over the years to make it more than 50 pages into this first volume of Proust's masterpiece. The time and attention to navigate my way through the dense prose was beyond me. This audio book has changed that. The masterful reading has made the long phrases and sentences clear and a joy to experience. The sublime skill and humane artistry of Proust shines clear through this reading. I feel my life has been enriched through this book and I have already bought the next volume. I cannot recommend this recording highly enough.

Excellent

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A fabulous reading of one of the great novels. It’s difficult, filthy, camp and brilliantly detailed and Neville Jason manages the ever-extending sentences and changes of pace wonderfully. Throughly recommend.

Extraordinary

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