An electrifying analysis of one legendary giant of twentieth-century literature by another: Beckett on Proust.
The whole of Proust's world comes out of a teacup . . .
When he was only 25, Samuel Beckett published his first ever book: an electrifying dissection of Marcel Proust's masterpiece À la recherche du temps perdu.
Habit, memory and time: Beckett argues that these are the defining characteristics of the human condition. Involuntary memories - like those prompted by Proust's famous madeleine - are radical moments that pierce the veil of habit, and offer inspiration that soothes the existential anguish of time passing.
Through analysing Proust's technique, the young Beckett puts forth a blazing artistic manifesto for his own future works, such as Waiting for Godot, Molloy, Malone Dies and The Unnamable. The result is a totemic meeting of literary minds that illuminates the philosophies of two creative geniuses.
*Read in a new audiobook edition by Eimear McBride*
| ISBN: | 9780571399994 |
| Publication date: | 30th July 2026 |
| Author: | Samuel Beckett |
| Publisher: | Faber & Faber |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Pagination: | 96 pages |
| Genres: |
Literary studies: fiction, novelists and prose writers Literary studies: c 1900 to c 2000 Biographies & Autobiographies |
An electrifying analysis of one legendary giant of twentieth-century literature by another: Beckett on Proust.
The whole of Proust's world comes out of a teacup . . .
When he was only 25, Samuel Beckett published his first ever book: an electrifying dissection of Marcel Proust's masterpiece À la recherche du temps perdu.
Habit, memory and time: Beckett argues that these are the defining characteristics of the human condition. Involuntary memories - like those prompted by Proust's famous madeleine - are radical moments that pierce the veil of habit, and offer inspiration that soothes the existential anguish of time passing.
Through analysing Proust's technique, the young Beckett puts forth a blazing artistic manifesto for his own future works, such as Waiting for Godot, Molloy, Malone Dies and The Unnamable. The result is a totemic meeting of literary minds that illuminates the philosophies of two creative geniuses.
*Read in a new audiobook edition by Eimear McBride*
Proust features in the following genres: Literary studies: fiction, novelists and prose writers, Literary studies: c 1900 to c 2000, Biographies & Autobiographies
Proust is available in Paperback
Proust was written by Samuel Beckett and published by Faber & Faber
Proust has 96 pages
£8.09