Customer Reviews

The Proust Questionnaire

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Marcel Proust is still somewhat of an enigma from the past century. A man whose hefty multi-volume opus 'A la Recherche Du Temps Perdu' continues to delight, puzzle, stimulate all the arts even today, Proust has had many biographies and treatises written but few supply the sheer pleasure of this perfectly designed little volume.

In Proust's time he had two questionnaires, separated by time, but similar in content, questionnaires he responded to allowing the reader to discover his psychological fears and fantasies as well as his favorite poets, writers, painters, composers, fears, embarrassing moments etc. This artfully designed volume presents copies of those questionnaires, both in Proust's handwritten responses in French in type set English form. But the pleasure of this idea doesn't stop there.

After a learned introduction by Henry-Jean Servant as to the manner in which the original questionnaires were used, William C. Carter relates the importance of Proust's influence on the arts that followed his death and the myriad films, books, studies, and conversations that continue. Then the creators of this colorful book placed the questionnaires in the hands of a number of interesting celebrities including Alain du Buton, Brigitte Bardot, Marisa Berenson, Richard Meier and Peter Lindbergh.

THEN the book opens Proust's game to the reader, supplying pages of questionnaires to pass among friends and guests in a party game for the intellect. The book makes a delightful curiosity for dinner parties, but it is the writing of the creators including the responses by Proust himself that make this book one to own. Grady Harp, December 06

NOT ONLY IS THIS INTERESTING FOR THE READER BUT IT MAKES A GREAT CONVERSATION PIECE FOR A GROUP.VERY THOUGHT PROVOKING.

My family and I had the best time filling out the questionnaire on Christmas. It will be the most memorable event for us Xmas 2008. I highly recommend this book.