In the Shadow of Young Girls in Flower.

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. REMAINDER, showing a mark at the bottom edge of the text block. Else, Near Fine in Near Fine DJ: The Book shows several tiny soil spots and a couple of faint smudges at the top edge of the text block; a hint of shelving wear to the bottom edge of the grey and quarter-black boards; a touch of crimp to the heel of the backstrip; 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 copy, structurally sound and tightly bound, showing very mild wear and barely discernible cosmetic imperfections. Bright and Clean. Corners sharp. Close to 'As New'. The DJ shows just a touch of wear to the head of the backstrip and a wrinkle to the bottom of the rear panel; else flawless; the price is unclipped. Again, close to "As New". NOT a Book-Club or Ex-Library. 8vo. (9.35 x 6.35 x 1.75 inches). xvii, 558 pages. Notes. Synopsis. Translated and Introduced by James Grieve. Language: English. Language: 32 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 think 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.