Patrick Alexander (1) (1946–)

Very well done. It's important to note this is a reader's guide, not an analytical book, as Alexander notes in his commentary, he restricts himself (more or less) to the narrative sides of things. If you're looking for a bit more of a scholarly analysis ,read David Ellison's Reader's Guide, and then go to Roger Shattuck and the other books of essays. But this is very nicely done, particularly with a list of places and characters in the second half. More importantly, this is a clear and concise precis of the books - perhaps best suited to people who either aren't able to read the whole thing, or feel daunted by the piece. The other books on this subject are all fairly "academic"even when they're not trying to be, so this one is a sure bet for the novice reader!
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Since reading Proust can take years, this guide provides a useful summary of the books and characters which can serve as a "refresher" between books. I am just about to start book 4, and it's been months since I finished book 3, so the book summaries were a good reminder of "the story thus far.".

The short biography and background chapters are also useful. On the whole, though, there aren't any great or even new insights here. Mary Ann Caws book covers most of the same info found in these background chapters with more useful insights and fantastic illustrations.

I'm still waiting for the annotated Proust or something like Ulysses Seen (I realize there is a graphic novel version, but Ulysses Seen is also annotated).… (more)