In search of lost time. In the shade of girls in bloom

Marcel Proust (1871-1922) is a famous French writer, essayist, and critic who gained worldwide recognition as the author of the seven-volume epic novel In Search of Lost Time, one of the most prominent works of world literature of the 20th century. Proust's literary career began at the Lycée Condorcet, after which he entered the École Polytechnique, where he received a law degree in 1893 and a philosophy degree in 1895. He was made a Knight of the Legion of Honor (1920).

In the Shadow of the Girls in Bloom is the second novel in the In Search of Lost Time series, first published in France in 1919 and awarded the Prix Goncourt. In this work, the author delves into the themes of love, memory, and social dynamics in the context of French society. The story is centered around the experiences and reflections of the young hero in adolescence, when he establishes relationships with various characters. First meetings, first friendships, first love... Considering that he is still on the threshold of life, the fifteen-year-old narrator suddenly feels the pain caused by the realization of the laws of time. This is a stage of transition from childhood to adulthood, where mirages often appear and disappear on the way from dream to reality. Describing the feelings and reflections of his hero, M. Proust reveals a combination of the most touching lyricism of love and the deepest existential suffering of the individual.