Sunday 15th Jan 2012

Lucinda Corby

Proust Support Group: Inaugural Meeting

The Proust Strategy Meeting:

10th January 2012

Happy New Year to you all. New Year, new reading challenge...although this one is slightly more slippery than Ulysses. So many volumes, so many translations. We needed a sit down and a pint just to decide how to proceed. Encouragingly, everyone had done some research into the issue of which version to read (those who are intending to read A la recherche du temps perdu en Francaise, look away now) In summary, there were two main contenders: the Scott Moncrieff translation which was produced shortly after publication of the French original (and later updated by Terence Kilmartin) or the 2001 Penguin commissioned translation - of which volume I was tranlated by Lydia Davis. We were quick to agree that for ease of organisation and discussion, we should all read the same version. It makes the whole page number target thing so much more straightforward - and also means that when a particular episode is discussed, we can quickly flick to the appropriate page. 

After some informed debate and the chance to read the opening paragraphs of each version, we plumped for Lydia Davis - numerous sources point to her translation as 'flowing' and we agreed. All nice and neat...but hang on...Lydia Davis was only responsible for the first volume of the new Penguin translation, which means that the thorny question of the impact of translation will resurface when we commence volume II! The idea of switching to Moncrieff for the second volume was mooted.

Copies of the Penguin edition of 'The Way by Swann's' are available from Mr B's right now!

Next Meeting: January 24th 2012

The plan is to read Part 1, Chapter 1 (around 40 pages) by the next meeting which is Tuesday, January 24th at the Salamander Pub from 6:45pm. I have to make my apologies right now because I am going to be on holiday - but don't worry, you won't be entirely escaping my two penn'orth, as I shall send some notes via email in time for the meeting. Best not to ask where I'm jetting off to.

(Lucinda)