The Guermantes Way (1920/21) is the third volume of Marcel Proust's
seven-part novel In Search of Lost Time. Written while Proust was
virtually confined to his bedroom from a lifelong respiratory illness,
The Guermantes Way is a story of memory, history, family, and romance
from a master of Modernist literature. Praised by Virginia Woolf,
Vladimir Nabokov, Michael Chabon, and Graham Greene, In Search of Lost
Time explores the nature of memory and time while illuminating the
history of homosexuality in nineteenth century Europe. The narrator
moves to an apartment neighboring the home of the aristocratic
Guermantes family. He soon grows obsessed with the beautiful Mme. de
Guermantes, who refuses his invitation to meet. Disappointed, he
rekindles his friendship with her nephew Saint-Loup, a soldier who
introduces him to the salon of Mme. de Villeparisis. There, he observes
Mme. de Guermantes up close, but soon loses interest as he attempts to
pursue Mme. de Stermaria. Only then, as his attention wavers, does he
receive an invite to the Guermantes home. As he grows and learns, he
begins to recognize the reality concealed by convention: the secret
liaisons between lovers; the petty competitions of artists; the fleeting
nature of affection and lust alike. Written in flowing prose, The
Guermantes Way is a masterpiece of twentieth century fiction that
continues to entertain and astound over a century after it appeared in
print. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset
manuscript, this edition of Marcel Proust's The Guermantes Way is a
classic work of French literature reimagined for modern readers.
