≡ [PDF] Sodom and Gomorrah In Search of Lost Time Volume 4 Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition Marcel Proust John Sturrock Christopher Prendergast Books

Sodom and Gomorrah In Search of Lost Time Volume 4 Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition Marcel Proust John Sturrock Christopher Prendergast Books

Download As PDF : Sodom and Gomorrah In Search of Lost Time Volume 4 Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition Marcel Proust John Sturrock Christopher Prendergast Books

Sodom and Gomorrah In Search of Lost Time Volume 4 Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition Marcel Proust John Sturrock Christopher Prendergast Books

Proust's In Search of Lost Time is of course one of the major literary works of Western civilization. And like most such books it is generally considered a pretty ambitious read.

It turns out that a fair amount of that is because the original translation is by a Brit from the 20's and reflects both the prim sensibilities and the vernacular of that time.

This edition is the first completely new translation since then, and it shows. Proust still writes in sentences that are sometimes 1/2 page long, and paragraphs that are up to 3-4 pages. So yes, you have to get used to his expression.

But - it is delightful writing.
It is extraordinarily evocative - that is, you find yourself having an experience rather than parsing words.
It is sometimes very amusing.
This particular volume is an amazing portrait of what it was to be homosexual in early 20th century France.

If you're trying to decide which translation to use, I heartily endorse this one.


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Sodom and Gomorrah In Search of Lost Time Volume 4 Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition Marcel Proust John Sturrock Christopher Prendergast Books Reviews

Don't be a bore....Ms. Verdurin insists.
This new translations features 29 pages of helpful footnotes - limiting the need to constantly turn to Wikipedia for elucidation of Proust's many historical and literary references. The translation is easy to follow.
Rare for audio books, I can say categorically that I enjoy listening to this book better than reading it myself. I read the first three volumes of this series ("In Search of Lost Time", also called "Remembrance of Things Past") and found it tough going. Neville Jason transmits Proust's complex sentence structure with seeming effortlessness. He does a good job of changing voices in a way that brings out the personality of characters in the novel, especially for male characters.

Proust's "In Search of Lost Time" is a rewarding series for those who stick with it. (My book club is taking 2-3 years reading all 7 volumes.) Proust is like a neuroscientist, getting inside the head of his characters, especially the narrator, who resembles Marcel Proust himself. If you're looking for an action-filled page-turner, this book is not for you (even in audio form), but if you are looking for a thoughtful book with an interesting take on human nature, Proust has something significant to offer. Remember, this is volume 4. Reading or listening to the previous three volumes is a must before starting this one.
Marcel discovers inversion!
Each book that I’ve read so far in this series builds on the enjoyment of the previous one. The story keeps getting deeper. The translation here is elegant and unobtrusive. The footnotes add a great deal. Physically, these Penguin editions are a delight – the paper and covers are very high quality.
Sturrock justifies the editor's (Prendergast's) decision to include him in his lineup of translators. The English (as is the case with the preceding Penguin volumes of In Search of Lost Time) feels fresh, contemporary, and natural, never stilted or forced. Idioms and puns are almost always rendered as well in the English as they must be in the French. Even if you have read the Moncrieff translation, Sturrock and his fellow translators make a return to Proust worthwhile. After the cliffhanger at the end of The Guermantes Way, I couldn't wait to get to Sodom and Gomorrah. Proust and Sturrock deliver an always engaging follow-up.

(A quick note on the book's physical character I love how Penguin has handled these softcover editions. They are just big enough that the print can be of a legible size. They're a pleasure to hold for long spells of reading. And they're sturdily-enough constructed that the spine need not crease.)
(NOTE This is a review of the John Sturrock translation of Marcel Proust's "Sodom And Gomorrah" as published by Penguin. This is *not* the William Carter/Scott Moncrieff translation.)

"Sodom And Gomorrah" is volume 4 of the 7-volume "In Search Of Lost Time" by Marcel Proust (1871-1922).

The original book was published three sections. The first forty pages were published as the ending of "The Guermantes Way," (1920/1921) and the remainder was published in two parts (1921/1922). "Sodom And Gomorrah" was the last volume over which Proust supervised publication before he died (Nov 1922). The publication of the remaining volumes was carried out by his brother, Robert Proust, and Jacques Rivière.

Okay, this book is basically a novel about homosexuality and the various effects on the characters of the book. Readers beware Homosexuality is *not* treated with any positive or redeeming qualities; there are no positive gay role models anywhere here.

Homosexuality is not just another topic for Proust's frequent diversionary essays; we are not talking about church steeples and hawthorns. In "Sodom And Gomorrah", homosexuality plays a *major* role that drives the actions of major characters and upcooming events of the plot.

Was Marcel Proust gay? He never admitted to it. But apparently, many of his friends and contemporaries, including his fellow writer André Gide say otherwise.

The tone of the book is immediately set with the title itself, "Sodom And Gomorrah" the two cities described in the Book of Genesis which were destroyed because of the depravity of the citizens. The connection with Sodom (and its derivative 'sodomy') to homosexuality was made because in the Bible story, the citizens of Sodaom wanted to see Lot's guests so that they may "know" (sexually) them.

Proust doesn't leave the reader waiting. The very first chapter opens with a description of a scene in which the Narrator (never identified in the book) witnesses a gay encounter. This scene is meant to be comical and makes the actions of the two protagonists look silly. The Narrator not only overhears them making out together ("If there is one thing as noisy as suffering, it is pleasure"), but also their comments about other young males available in the neighborhood. The gay characters are described as women who are only male in appearance who try to conceal their feminine temperament by acting virile. Gays willingly to expose any gay trying to conceal their true sexuality. Gays are rejected even by their own kind who are disgusted to see themselves for what they really are. Proust describes homosexuality as an incurable malady, although occasionally a gay will seem 'cured' when he is, for example, grieving for a lost relative. But once the grief is over, his gay habits return.

Proust concludes this opening chapter by stating that just because there is homosexuality in the upcoming story, it does not mean that the author is trying to start a gay pride movement.

The remaining 481 pages of the book are filled with episodes involving gays. None of them are in any manner supportive or sympathetic with being gay. Gays are shown in comical scenes, scouting the territory for potential partners. They cry when the object of their affection doesn't spend time with them, then resort to hysterical schemes and deception to win back their attention. "Sodom and Gomorrah" contains the usual dinner party scenes seen in previous books. But now they re enhanced with scenes of gays admiring the young men.

The effects of same-sex attraction are not confined to male homosexuality. Lesbianism - and particularly the fear of lesbianism - is a major driver in the book's plot, and produces a significant (negative) personality change in the Narrator who now becomes obsessed with protecting his friends from being exposed to known lesbians. In fact, lesbianism is portrayed with a darker, more corrupting nature, while homosexuality is usually presented for humorous effect.

This isn't the first volume in "In Search Of Lost Time" with gay episodes. But this is the first time they take center stage.

The story in "Sodom and Gomorrah" isn't just about gays. We meet some new characters, and learn more about others. Charles Morel, for example, the teen violin virtuoso, becomes a major character, and not because he is playing concerts. Baron de Charlus's role is significantly expanded. Also, Mme de Verdurin, who seemed to fade into the background after "Swann's Way" now re-emerges as a significant force in Paris' privileged society.

In addition, we discover the rampant verbal abuse permitted in the Verdurin salon, as well as the dark side of Mme de Verdurin, who will resort to any means to keep her regulars from straying.

"Sodom and Gomorrah" is not a boring book. It is nothing like "Swann's Way" with its endless observations about the weather and and plant life. "Sodom and Gomorrah" is really a soap opera, complete with dastardly bad guys and a fast-moving, melodramatic plot. In a way, it reminds me of Émile Zola's "La Bête Humaine" with its wide array of characters and melodramatic plot.

I'm giving this book five stars for the soap opera plot, and the reader-friendly English translation courtesy of John Sturrock. The Notes and Synopsis are exceptional. But I'd hold off from the otherwise insightful Introduction because it has spoilers. Like other comments have mentioned, I like the overall book design; the pages don't tear when you handle them nor do they fall out of the binding after frequent handling.

Highly recommended.
Proust's In Search of Lost Time is of course one of the major literary works of Western civilization. And like most such books it is generally considered a pretty ambitious read.

It turns out that a fair amount of that is because the original translation is by a Brit from the 20's and reflects both the prim sensibilities and the vernacular of that time.

This edition is the first completely new translation since then, and it shows. Proust still writes in sentences that are sometimes 1/2 page long, and paragraphs that are up to 3-4 pages. So yes, you have to get used to his expression.

But - it is delightful writing.
It is extraordinarily evocative - that is, you find yourself having an experience rather than parsing words.
It is sometimes very amusing.
This particular volume is an amazing portrait of what it was to be homosexual in early 20th century France.

If you're trying to decide which translation to use, I heartily endorse this one.