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Proust in Love
The acclaimed Proust biographer William C. Carter portrays Proust’s amorous adventures and misadventures from adolescence through his adult years, supplying where appropriate Proust’s own sensitive, intelligent, and often disillusioned observations about love and sexuality. Proust is revealed as a man agonizingly caught between the constant fear of public exposure as a homosexual and the need to find and express love. In telling the story of Proust in love, Carter also shows how the author’s experiences became major themes in his novel In Search of Lost Time.
Carter discusses Proust’s adolescent sexual experiences, his disastrous brothel visit to cure homosexual inclinations, and his first great loves. He also addresses the duel Proust foughtÌýafter the journalist Jean Lorrain alluded to his homosexuality in print, his flirtations with respectable women and high-class prostitutes, and his affairs with young men of the servant class. With new revelations about Proust’s love life and a gallery of photographs, the book provides an unprecedented glimpse of Proust’s gay Paris.
Carter discusses Proust’s adolescent sexual experiences, his disastrous brothel visit to cure homosexual inclinations, and his first great loves. He also addresses the duel Proust foughtÌýafter the journalist Jean Lorrain alluded to his homosexuality in print, his flirtations with respectable women and high-class prostitutes, and his affairs with young men of the servant class. With new revelations about Proust’s love life and a gallery of photographs, the book provides an unprecedented glimpse of Proust’s gay Paris.
252 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2006
13 people are currently reading
176 people want to read
About the author
William C. Carter
15Ìýbooks20ÌýfollowersDistinguished Professor of French. Ireland Award for Scholarly Distinction 2002. Specialist in Proust Studies and nineteenth- and twentieth-century French literature. Project Director for Marcel Proust at UAB, 1988, which was featured on National Public Radio’s “Performance Today.â€� Palmes Académiques awarded by the French government in 1989. Inducted into Alabama Arts Hall of Fame, 1990. Prix Servir du Rotary International de Paris, 1992 Winner of the Alabama Association of Teachers of French 1994 Prix d’Excellence “for services rendered to French cultureâ€� 1994 and 2000. Named the Outstanding Foreign Language Teacher: Postsecondary by the Alabama Association of Foreign Language Teachers for 1999. He served as project director and coproducer for a prize-winning documentary, Marcel Proust: A Writer's Life, which aired nationally on PBS in 1993. This involved adapting works by Proust as well as selecting music, photography, and other archival material to tell the story of Proust's life. His book, The Proustian Quest, was selected by CHOICE as an “Outstanding Academic Book of 1993. His recent biography, Marcel Proust: A Life (Yale University Press, 2000), was selected by The New York Times Book Review,The Los Angeles Times, and the Sunday Times (London) as one of the best books of 2000. Harold Bloom in Genius calls Carter’s biography the “definitiveâ€� one. This biography was also selected by Foreword Magazine as “The Book of the Yearâ€� 2000 in the non-fiction category. That same year Professor Carter was invited by PEN America to be part of a special tribute to Proust at Lincoln Center. Carter is frequently interviewed and consulted on Marcel Proust by the national and international media, print, radio, and television. He is a member of the editorial board of the Proust journal Bulletin Marcel Proust and a permanent correspondent of the Proust Research Center at the Sorbonne. Carter’s most recent books are Proust in Love and The Memoirs of Ernest A. Forssgren: Proust’s Swedish Valet, both published in 2006 by Yale University Press.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
July 18, 2023
Um cuidado e culto ensaio sobre amores e desamores na vida é obra de Marcel Proust.
Muitas referências à homossexualidade que são bem documentadas.
Muitas referências à homossexualidade que são bem documentadas.
September 1, 2012
This could have been just a tawdry (dirty) laundry list of Proust's many liaisons, but the author does a fine job of showing how Proust wove the personal into his magnum opus novel, "In Search of Lost Time". Among the gems are the revelations that the artist Elstir was most likely based on Whistler, and that the mystery composer, Venteuil is based on Camille Saint-Saens--even suggesting a couple of pieces that contain the melody that so entrances the narrator.
So, it's a good and somewhat short read that is both entertaining and sheds further light upon "Lost Time". My only frustration is that it makes we want to go back and re-read all 2,000 some-odd pages of Proust's novel!
So, it's a good and somewhat short read that is both entertaining and sheds further light upon "Lost Time". My only frustration is that it makes we want to go back and re-read all 2,000 some-odd pages of Proust's novel!
July 27, 2016
Some things I learnt in this book: Proust spent a fortune in prostitutes, call them what you may, valets, secretaries, manservants but the guy almost went broke seeking pretty companions. I also learnt I don't drink nearly as much coffee as I thought. Marcel could sip 16 cups in the parlor at the Ritz in one languid-if jittery- sitting. But about the book. It is well documented but if feels disjointed. It follows Marcel's love and erotic interests in chronological order and reveals where the author might have used real life friends and lovers to breathe life into his characters, on many occasions switching the gender from masculine to feminine. It also explores how Prousts own experiences inform the Narrator of "A la recherche.." in his progressive disenchantment with high society, love, erotic pursuits and the perils of habit. The author fails in weaving excerpts, biographies and breakups into a coherent book. The ideas are there, the inspiration for the characters, Charlus, Albertine, the lot; the pain and agony that Proust came to accept as his need to be loved pushed away those who genuinely loved him; the final refuge in art,the pathetic attempts at conforming to societies expectations, the variety of types and sexual types and outlet venues in Proust's milieu etc.. It also explores the significant influence of Reynaldo Hahn , the hottie music genius that Proust fell in love with and Alfred Agostinelli , the italian chauffeur that used the writer to finance his aviation dreams. But the armature that holds all the letter excerpts and literary quotes is so threadbare as if to seem that we are just reading the notes on a lecture, factual, unframed by life events or historical context. There is no doubt that the uathor loves his subject but this work fails to make us love it as well. No matter how he wraps up the book, literally in the last 5 five pages with a passionate praise of Prousts' significance, his overcoming of all his travails into one magnificent book that succeeds at recreating the universe. Only a few pages before, Marcel was picking up waiters at the Ritz, having pictures of his mother spat upon by whores and sharing gossip with Celeste.
November 11, 2012
I read this as one of some preliminary reads in preparation for a year-long group read of . Carter has a longer biography, , which I chose not to find time to read before January.
For me, it was absolutely perfect preparation. There are extensive quotes of both Proust and those who have written about Proust. The quotes of Proust include his letters as well as the novel. At first I was hesitant about the novel's quotes because, of course, discussion of them become spoilers.
In this case, I don't think it will matter much. With such a long novel involving so many characters, and that I won't even start reading it for another 6 weeks, it's unlikely I'll remember any specifics anyway. But I also chose to be thankful for them because Proust in Love has helped enormously toward my appreciation of a 4200+ page novel.
Carter ends with a discussion of why In Search of Lost Time continues to find followers even 100 years after Swann's Way first found print. It leaves the reader feeling joy about life. I can't wait!
For me, it was absolutely perfect preparation. There are extensive quotes of both Proust and those who have written about Proust. The quotes of Proust include his letters as well as the novel. At first I was hesitant about the novel's quotes because, of course, discussion of them become spoilers.
In this case, I don't think it will matter much. With such a long novel involving so many characters, and that I won't even start reading it for another 6 weeks, it's unlikely I'll remember any specifics anyway. But I also chose to be thankful for them because Proust in Love has helped enormously toward my appreciation of a 4200+ page novel.
Carter ends with a discussion of why In Search of Lost Time continues to find followers even 100 years after Swann's Way first found print. It leaves the reader feeling joy about life. I can't wait!
January 12, 2009
Exhaustive, authoritative, and relevant, but ultimately a bit lackluster. I feel the author did his homework, and loves Proust's work, but was unable to truly synthesize all of his findings into anything revelatory. To go this deeply into the irreconcilable and perverse nature of someone's private life and, in the end, to come up with only a generalized affirmation of his art makes for an uneven performance and evinces something almost like shyness on the author's part. Nonetheless, the reader can do with the facts what he wants, and, as the work is authoritative and clear, it is a very worthwhile read; but there is nothing as groundbreaking as the subject seems to demand.
August 29, 2020
Excellent! As a reader of Proust I am frequently mystified by the weave of observational threads. Carter’s book has helped me to see the images in the tapestry. Carter has been clearly exhilarated by his reading and study of Proust. He effectively passes that on to the readers of his book.
March 5, 2023
Genres : (Auto)biografie;Mood: Passioneel, sensueel
Citaat : De grondgedachte van Proust over de persoonlijkheid van de mens zoals hij die in zijn ro-man naar voren brengt, was dat de meeste mensen androgyn zijn: ze hebben mannelijke en vrouwelijke kenmerken. Dat ging vooral op voor kunstenaars, meende hij.
Review : Proust verliefd, van William C. Carter is een soort korte samenvat¬ting van zijn biografie Proust: A life waarin het liefdesleven van de hoofdrolspeler ook een zeer grote rol speelde.
Proust was biseksueel met een voorkeur voor mannen. Binnen die voorkeur weer een voorkeur voor jongens en mannen uit de arbeidersklasse. Hij was ook dol op bordeelbe-zoek waarin hij alweer jonge mannen betrok...
Op basis van de memoires van tijdgenoten en de uitputtende correspondentie van Proust zelf, schetst Carter, in los chronologisch verband, diverse erotische en amoureuze episodes. Carter gaat nadrukkelijk in op de vraag hoe het nu ei-genlijk zat met Prousts seksualiteit: moeten we in zijn portretten van heteroseksuele of biseksuele verhoudingen transposities van homoseksuele ervaringen zien, of had hij daadwerkelijk kortston-dige affaires met vrouwen, zoals hij zelf heeft gesuggereerd? Zijn Prousts vrouwelijke hoofdper-sonen feitelijk verkapte mannen, en waren de in zijn correspondentie gemaakte opmerkingen over zijn vrouwelijke verliefdheden een rookgordijn om zijn homoseksualiteit � de liefde die ‘haar naam niet durft te noemen� � aan het zicht te onttrekken?
De meningen van Prousts tijdgenoten zijn verdeeld: sommigen meenden dat Proust zelf alleen liefde met mannen kende (zoals hij ´¡²Ô»å°ùé Gide in een gesprek toevertrouwde), anderen dat hij ook avontuurtjes met vrouwen had. Carter houdt zich op de vlakte, vanuit het gezonde uitgangspunt dat de vraag naar de homo- of biseksualiteit van Proust of van zijn personages er niet echt toe doet; uiteindelijk staan de kwellingen van liefde en jaloezie los van geslacht en seksuele voorkeur.
Prousts eigen moeder was zijn grote liefde. Die allesoverheersende moederband heeft volgens Carter veel te maken met zijn vergeefse pogingen andere volwaardige liefdesverhoudingen aan te gaan. Zijn hevige bezitsdrang, zijn jaloerse behoefte aan exclusieve aandacht stootten potentiële geliefden af.
De centrale stelling van Proust verliefd is dat ‘de verlangens, seksuele te-kortkomingen en ontberingen van de schrijver zijn overgedragen op de Verteller�: beiden lijden aan een ‘onvermogen tot geluk�, zoals Proust het formuleert. Dit boek leest als een trein en spoort zeker aan om het werk van Marcel Proust te gaan lezen.
Citaat : De grondgedachte van Proust over de persoonlijkheid van de mens zoals hij die in zijn ro-man naar voren brengt, was dat de meeste mensen androgyn zijn: ze hebben mannelijke en vrouwelijke kenmerken. Dat ging vooral op voor kunstenaars, meende hij.
Review : Proust verliefd, van William C. Carter is een soort korte samenvat¬ting van zijn biografie Proust: A life waarin het liefdesleven van de hoofdrolspeler ook een zeer grote rol speelde.
Proust was biseksueel met een voorkeur voor mannen. Binnen die voorkeur weer een voorkeur voor jongens en mannen uit de arbeidersklasse. Hij was ook dol op bordeelbe-zoek waarin hij alweer jonge mannen betrok...
Op basis van de memoires van tijdgenoten en de uitputtende correspondentie van Proust zelf, schetst Carter, in los chronologisch verband, diverse erotische en amoureuze episodes. Carter gaat nadrukkelijk in op de vraag hoe het nu ei-genlijk zat met Prousts seksualiteit: moeten we in zijn portretten van heteroseksuele of biseksuele verhoudingen transposities van homoseksuele ervaringen zien, of had hij daadwerkelijk kortston-dige affaires met vrouwen, zoals hij zelf heeft gesuggereerd? Zijn Prousts vrouwelijke hoofdper-sonen feitelijk verkapte mannen, en waren de in zijn correspondentie gemaakte opmerkingen over zijn vrouwelijke verliefdheden een rookgordijn om zijn homoseksualiteit � de liefde die ‘haar naam niet durft te noemen� � aan het zicht te onttrekken?
De meningen van Prousts tijdgenoten zijn verdeeld: sommigen meenden dat Proust zelf alleen liefde met mannen kende (zoals hij ´¡²Ô»å°ùé Gide in een gesprek toevertrouwde), anderen dat hij ook avontuurtjes met vrouwen had. Carter houdt zich op de vlakte, vanuit het gezonde uitgangspunt dat de vraag naar de homo- of biseksualiteit van Proust of van zijn personages er niet echt toe doet; uiteindelijk staan de kwellingen van liefde en jaloezie los van geslacht en seksuele voorkeur.
Prousts eigen moeder was zijn grote liefde. Die allesoverheersende moederband heeft volgens Carter veel te maken met zijn vergeefse pogingen andere volwaardige liefdesverhoudingen aan te gaan. Zijn hevige bezitsdrang, zijn jaloerse behoefte aan exclusieve aandacht stootten potentiële geliefden af.
De centrale stelling van Proust verliefd is dat ‘de verlangens, seksuele te-kortkomingen en ontberingen van de schrijver zijn overgedragen op de Verteller�: beiden lijden aan een ‘onvermogen tot geluk�, zoals Proust het formuleert. Dit boek leest als een trein en spoort zeker aan om het werk van Marcel Proust te gaan lezen.
February 8, 2021
A thematic source for demystification of the "sick, bed-bound" image of the genius. The book provides gender-sensitive insights by conveying anecdotes about the carnal longing, fetishistic desires, cross-dressing fantasies, love-obsessed character of the author. The final chapter, called "Love Is Divine", seems to be a piece of (arguably structuralist) literary criticism that focuses on the concept of transcendent love and praise of androgyny within the text and it might be differentiated from the previous chapters. The discussion of the dynamic, seemingly contradictory relationship between "Marcel the narrator" and "Marcel Proust, the author" is inspiring (and I still need to process what's really going on between them. Was he a homophobe or was he a rebel? Did he hate "his kind" or did he create an eternal, conscious irony?).
...A sophisticated celebrity gossip which I mostly enjoyed while reading.
...A sophisticated celebrity gossip which I mostly enjoyed while reading.
October 24, 2020
3.5 stars - While it delves a little more deeply into Proust’s love life and the way love is dealt with in the Search, it doesn’t add a lot if you’ve read Carter’s biography of Proust. I appreciate the clear, concise and entertaining way he writes.
April 29, 2021
what is it with great writers and being just fucked up guys? jeez
July 16, 2024
This fascinating book examines Prost's romantic life, and reveals how he used events and characters to create In Search Of Lost Time. I wish I'd read it earlier (i.e. before reading Lost Time).
January 23, 2010
Early readers of Proust observed that many of his female characters are men in disguise � and this is the thing that has always disturbed my pleasure in In Search of Lost Time. For several months I've been stuck in The Prisoner (the 5th of the 6 volumes of the Penguin Proust), irritated by the improbability of the Narrator's jealousy toward Albertine, his ostensible erotic obsession � when (for me) the Narrator's entire sensibility is palpably gay. The whole setup feels false, strained and ridiculous.
Carter's Proust in Love addresses Proust's homosexuality with sophistication and grace. Unlike critics who seem content with providing the scandalous biographical "keys" to Proust's characters (e.g., Albertine = Alfred Agostinelli, Proust's chauffeur), Carter delves into the delicate dynamic of jealousy, eros and loss that troubles the heart of Proust's novel. All the juicy details are abundantly registered, but Carter restores the numinous essence of "time regained" � the mystery by which Proust transformed the tragic comedy of his life into art. I think I'm ready to enjoy the book again.
Carter's Proust in Love addresses Proust's homosexuality with sophistication and grace. Unlike critics who seem content with providing the scandalous biographical "keys" to Proust's characters (e.g., Albertine = Alfred Agostinelli, Proust's chauffeur), Carter delves into the delicate dynamic of jealousy, eros and loss that troubles the heart of Proust's novel. All the juicy details are abundantly registered, but Carter restores the numinous essence of "time regained" � the mystery by which Proust transformed the tragic comedy of his life into art. I think I'm ready to enjoy the book again.
October 8, 2012
I read this as a preliminary to tackling 'In Search of Lost Time' with the Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ group next year. I wanted to learn something about Proust without having to read a long biography that would inevitably go over most of the plot of the novel, which I've never read. This was perfect. It brings together a lot of detail about Proust's loves and obsessions and explains how they relate to the novel without being an analysis of the novel itself (except perhaps for the last chapter).
December 26, 2013
You can't end the centennial year of Proust's Recherche by reading - well at least something, so I chose this book which turned out to be a gem. It is like no book on Proust that I read before, in the way it shows how pain could be transformed into one of the greatest works of literature ever.
August 15, 2008
Reading Carter on Proust induces many of the same feelings as reading Proust himself.
February 4, 2010
The various love affairs of author Marcel Proust, and how they influenced his master work.
May 18, 2011
Author draws sad conclusions as to the personal life of one of Love's great chroniclers.
Want to read
January 26, 2013Unfortunately i got sick with a horrible cold and wasn't able to finish this before i had to return it to the library. But i'll get back to it at some point this year.
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