The Mysterious Correspondent: New Stories

Description

"Newly discovered stories from one of the great storytellers of the twentieth century Throughout Proust's life, nine of his short stories remained unseen - the writer never spoke of them. Why did he choose not to publish them along with the others? One possible answer is that he was developing his themes in preparation for his masterpiece, In Search of Lost Time; another is that the stories were too audacious - too near to life - for the censorious society of the time. In these stories, published here for the first time, we find an intimate picture of a young author full of darkness and melancholy, longing to reveal his true self to the world. "

Marcel Proust (1871-1922) is considered one of the most influential novelists of the twentieth century. The stories that make up The Mysterious Correspondent were written when the author was still in his twenties, before his masterpiece, In Search of Lost Time, came to be seen as one of the pre-eminent works of French literature.

'Finely translated and startlingly audacious... Elements of [Proust's] greatness are already in place: his ability to combine the qualities of the satirist and the moralist; his curiosity about the workings of the human heart. There is even the first glimpse of his lasting discovery - that art, thought and analysis can draw the thorn of suffering.' * Literary Review * 'Revelatory... offers a lush and emotionally raw view into [Proust's] evolution as a writer. The nine entries, annotated by footnotes, address topics such as love and suffering, homosexuality, and, of course, time lost and regained... The stories have plenty of scholarly appeal, but they are elegant on their own... Each tale features exquisite moments with expert annotations from Friasse. This volume is a fantastic discovery.' * Publisher's Weekly, starred review * 'A hundred years after his Prix Goncourt, the author of In Search of Lost Time returns, stronger than ever!' * Michel Schneider, Le Point * 'To think that this treasure might have remained hidden in the shadows of the archives...' * Mohammed Aissaoui, Le Figaro Litteraire * 'The dramatic birth of a writer destined for greatness.' * Nelly Kaprielian, Les Inrockuptibles * 'Fascinating.' -- New Yorker 'The stories are of considerable scholarly interest... at once revelatory and oddly familiar... intriguing.' -- Ian Thomson * Evening Standard *