The Guermantes Way.

New York, NY Viking Penguin: Viking, 2004. Hardcover First Edition USA (2004), so stated. First Printing indicated by a complete numerical sequence. First Edition USA (2004), so stated. First Printing indicated by a complete numerical sequence. Very Near Fine in Fine DJ: The Book shows a tiny soil spot at the top edge of the text block and a couple of the faintest thumb-smudges to the fore-edge; else flawless; the binding is square and secure; the text is clean. Free of creased or dog-eared pages in the text. Free of any underlining, hi-lighting or marginalia or marks in the text. Free of ownership names, dates, addresses, notations, inscriptions, stamps, or labels. A handsome very nearly-new copy, structurally sound and tightly bound, showing barely discernible cosmetic imperfections only. Bright and Clean. Corners sharp. Very close to 'As New'. The DJ is flawless; the price is unclipped; mylar-protected. Virtually "As New". NOT a Remainder, Book-Club, or Ex-Library. 8vo. (9.35 x 6.35 x 2 inches). xvii, 619 pages. Notes. Synopsis. Translated and Introduced by Mark Traherne. Language: English. Language: 33.3 ounces. Hardback with DJ. We apply "classic" and "masterpiece" too liberally, but regardless of how loosely or strictly we deploy the terms, Marcel's Proust's extraordinary novel belongs to the shortest of short lists deserving such description. At the risk of hyperbole (though I do not thing it is hyperbolic), Proust is the one writer of the 20th century who perhaps belongs to the ages more than to his own time, who belongs with Shakespeare and Dante and Homer. Many are put off Proust by not understanding the structure of his work and his writing strategy. The book, to many, seems to have no point and no plot. The novel actually does have a plot, albeit a simple and not easy to discern one: Will the narrator (usually termed "Marcel") become a writer? Through seven long volumes, we watch Marcel variously resolve to write and then forsake his resolve, we see him even forget for enormous lengths of time his intent to write. Through love affairs, through events with his friends, through reflections on all matter of subjects and experiences of every kind, Marcel finally comes in the final volume to rediscover his vocation and the subject of his work.