Whatever the merits of Proust's work even a fervent admirer would be hard pressed to deny one
of its awkward features: length. A novel in seven volumes Marcel Proust's In Search of Lost
Time is considered a major literary work of the twentieth century. And even more crucially one
that you should have read by now. However as one of its most distinguishing features is its
staggering length many of us feel intimidated and perhaps even fatigued at the thought of
diving in. Alain de Botton's hilarious and unexpected Proustian manual then is the perfect
antidote to this problem. In How Proust Can Change Your Life de Botton masterfully distils
what Proust says about friendship reading being alive and taking your time and mixes it with
his own no less nourishing commentary. As de Botton examines Proust for our collective benefit
we see the continued relevance of his work and the rich and varied insights he can offer us
from how to reinvigorate our relationships to being a good host. This is Proust as you've never
seen him before. He may even change your life. 'Curious humorous didactic and dazzling' New
Yorker 'As intoxicating as it is wise' Mail on Sunday
