How Proust Can Change Your Life

Whatamarvellousbookthisis...deBottondissectswhat(Proust)hadtosayaboutfriendship,reading,lookingcarefully,payingattentiontakingyourtime,beingaliveandaddshisowndeliciouscommentary.Theresultisanintoxicatingasitiswise,amusingaswellasstimulating,andpresentedinsofreshafashionastobeunique...Icouldnotstop,andnowmuchstartalloveragain.'-BrianMasters,"MailonSunday".'DeBottonnotonlyhasacompleteunderstandingofProust'slife...butwhatisparticularlycharmingaboutthissmall,readablebookisitstongue-in-cheekbenignity,itslightlyhelderuditionanditsgenerouswayoflendingitselftowhatisnotonlythegreatestbookofthecenturybutalsothedarkestandthemosteccentric'-EdmundWhite,"Observer".'Itcontainsmorehumaninterestandplayoffancythanmostfiction...deBotton,inemphasizingProust'shealing,advisoryaspects,doesustheserviceofrereadinghimonourbehalf,providingofthatvastsacredlakeasweetandluciddistillation.