{"product_id":"letters-to-his-neighbor-9780811224116","title":"Letters to His Neighbor","description":"\u003cp\u003eMarcel Proust's genius for illuminating pain is on spectacular display in this recently discovered trove of his correspondence, \u003cem\u003eLetters to His Neighbor\u003c\/em\u003e. Already suffering from noise within his cork-lined walls, his poor soul was not ready for the fresh hell when his neighbor Dr. Williams married a widow with small children.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eChiefly to Mrs. Williams, these ever-polite letters (often accompanied by flowers, compliments, books, even pheasants) are frequently hilarious--Proust couches his fury in a gracious tone. In Lydia Davis's hands, the digressive brilliance of his sentences shines: \"Don't speak of annoying neighbors, but of neighbors so charming (an association of words contradictory in principle since Montesquiou claims that most horrible of all are 1) neighbors 2) the smell of post offices) that they leave the constant tantalizing regret that one cannot take advantage of their neighborliness.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eProust makes fine distinctions among his auditory torments: \"The valet de chambre makes noise and that doesn't matter. But later he knocks with little tiny raps. And that is worse.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLydia Davis has written a generous translator's note, tracing much of what we can know about Proust's perpetually dark room; she details the furnishings as well as the life he lived there: burning his powders, talking with friends, hiring musicians, and, most of all, suffering. Letters to His Neighboris richly illustrated with facsimile letters and photographs--catnip for lovers of Proust.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith an Introduction by Jean-Yves Tadié and a translator's note by Lydia Davis.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e New Directions Publishing Corporation\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 08\/22\/2017\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780811224116\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 112\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.70lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.10h x 5.90w x 0.80d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview Citations: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e 02\/27\/2017\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e 05\/01\/2017\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Marcel Proust","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44240977985717,"sku":"9780811224116","price":16.96,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0473\/0804\/6492\/files\/img_64237d3e-94ae-4bd3-a2a6-ab7e5b033119.jpg?v=1717470251","url":"https:\/\/pastforward.org\/products\/letters-to-his-neighbor-9780811224116","provider":"Past Forward","version":"1.0","type":"link"}