Swann in Love

Swann in Love is a brilliant, devastating novella that tells of infatuation, love, and jealousy. Set against the backdrop of Paris at the end of the nineteenth century, the story of Charles Swann illuminates the fragilities and foibles of human beings when in the grip of desire. Swann is a highly cultured man-about-town who is plunged into turmoil when he falls for a young woman called Odette de Crécy. The novel traces the progress of Swann's emotions with penetrating exactitude as he encounters Odette at the regular gatherings in the salon of the Verdurins. His wilful self-delusion is both poignant and ridiculous , and his tormented feelings play out in scenes of high comedy amongst Odette's socially pretentious circle.

Swann in Love is part of Proust's monumental masterpiece In Search of Lost Time, and it is also a captivating self-contained story. This new translation encapsulates the qualities that have secured Proust's reputation, and serves as a perfect introduction to his writing.

Author: Marcel Proust

Paperback  Published 23 November 2017  240 pages

"As well as extensive notes at the back of the book, there is also a highly readable introduction by Adam Watt." - Lisa Hill, ANZ LitLovers

"[An] excellent introduction (supplemented by copious notes) [by] the Proust specialist Adam Watt." - Adrian Tahourdin, Times Literary Supplement