Episode 52|5: In Search of Lost Podcasts: Les Bookworms Revival

Overview

We’re BACK! After a long hiatus, Les Bookworms are back with an episode reflecting on our Proustian journey or lack thereof (spoiler alert…c’mon not really). We also chat some of our favorite books from our break, books we are excited to read and some other literary moments that have sparked joy in the last few months.

Books

In the episode, we reference a new bilingual literary journal – ⁠Version Original ⁠– which you can order on their website or pick up in several bookstores across Paris.

• Dinner for One by Sutanya Dacres
• Motherhood by Sheila Heti
• Mangeuses by Lauren Malka
• La vie têtue by Juliette Rousseau

Country

France (Paris)

Canada

Episode 51|4: 2 Down 5 to Go: Reflections on Volume II of Proust

Overview

This episode is a pull back and pause on the journey of reading the world’s longest novel. We’ve officially completed the first two volumes of In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust. We look at the volume as a whole and discuss a few issues we’ve had with the text so far. We also discuss why people consider this classic on of the greatest of all times and if we would recommend reading it. Happy reading!

Section

Tome 2/Volume 2

“A l’ombre À l’ombre des jeunes filles en fleurs” (In the Shadow of Young Girls in Flower)

Pages:

347-745

Country

France

Episode 50|4: A mix of gumption and courage: Paris memoirs

Overview

This week on Les Bookworms Pod features two Paris memoirs that we enjoyed reading: Paris on Air by Oliver Gee and No. 91/92: notes on a Parisian commute by Lauren Elkin. Two short reads that transport you directly to the heart of Paris. Both stories touch on the experience of living in Paris following the 2015 terrorist attacks, while also navigating personal insights and reflections of the daily experience of life as foreigners in Paris and France in general. We are longtime fans of both and enjoyed reflecting on what about these books spoke to us. 

Books

• « Paris on Air » Oliver Gee (2020)
• « No. 91/92: notes on a Parisian commute » by Lauren Elkin (2021)

Country

France (Paris)

Episode 49|4: Coming of Age with Proust: Virtues, faults and discovering the self

Searching for Justice: Proust and the Dreyfus Affair – Les Bookworms

We're back on the Proust train. This episode covers the first chapter of Volume 3 – The Guermantes Way (Le Côté de Guermantes). We focus on the Dreyfus Affair and its role in French society at the time of Proust and today.

1. Searching for Justice: Proust and the Dreyfus Affair 40:50
2. Through the Pages of Time 55:01
3. In Search of Lost Podcasts: Les Bookworms Revival 28:08
4. 2 Down 5 to Go: Reflections on Volume II of Proust 30:07
5. A mix of gumption and courage: Paris memoirs 26:56

Overview

Les Bookworms are back for 2023 with an update on Proust! The third check-in covers mainly the second part of Volume qui – “À l’ombre des jeunes filles en fleurs” (In the Shadow of Young Girls in Flower). This section was packed with very interesting and profound ideas on love and the construction of our identities by ourselves and others. No need to have read Proust to listen we give a 30 second recap of everything that is important.

Section

Tome 2/Volume 2

“A l’ombre À l’ombre des jeunes filles en fleurs” (In the Shadow of Young Girls in Flower)

Pages:

523-685 Helen

395-744 Miranda

Country

France

Episode 48|4: PALing around Paris

Searching for Justice: Proust and the Dreyfus Affair – Les Bookworms

We're back on the Proust train. This episode covers the first chapter of Volume 3 – The Guermantes Way (Le Côté de Guermantes). We focus on the Dreyfus Affair and its role in French society at the time of Proust and today.

1. Searching for Justice: Proust and the Dreyfus Affair 40:50
2. Through the Pages of Time 55:01
3. In Search of Lost Podcasts: Les Bookworms Revival 28:08
4. 2 Down 5 to Go: Reflections on Volume II of Proust 30:07
5. A mix of gumption and courage: Paris memoirs 26:56

Overview

On this episode of Les Bookworms Pod, we chat about two books that have been in our PAL (pile à lire aka TBR) for awhile. Each is written by women who love the City of Lights! Both books are relatively short and provide unique perspectives of Paris. The collection of short stories « There’s Only One Paris » snakes around each arrondissement and gives glimpses into the different lives of Parisians, activities and landmarks each district has to offer. « L’Origine » offers a personal perspective of an artistic journey and deep dive into the history behind the painting L’origine which can be found in the Musée d’Orsay. Come pal around Paris with us!

Books

• « There’s Only One Paris: Tales from our Times » April Lily Heise (2020)
• « L’Origine: The Secret Life of the World’s Most Erotic Masterpiece » by Lilianne Milgrom (2020)

Country

France (Paris)

Episode 47|4: Searching for Proust – Millennial angst and Gilmore Girls

Searching for Justice: Proust and the Dreyfus Affair – Les Bookworms

We're back on the Proust train. This episode covers the first chapter of Volume 3 – The Guermantes Way (Le Côté de Guermantes). We focus on the Dreyfus Affair and its role in French society at the time of Proust and today.

1. Searching for Justice: Proust and the Dreyfus Affair 40:50
2. Through the Pages of Time 55:01
3. In Search of Lost Podcasts: Les Bookworms Revival 28:08
4. 2 Down 5 to Go: Reflections on Volume II of Proust 30:07
5. A mix of gumption and courage: Paris memoirs 26:56

Overview

The second check-in on In Search of Lost Time covers part of the second volume – “À l’ombre des jeunes filles en fleurs” (In the Shadow of Young Girls in Flower). Our reflections vary from women’s choices and societal pressure at the turn of the 20th century as well as in today’s modern society to the misalignment of our own idea of self and the identity we present to the world to searching for the author in the text of their novel. No need to have read Proust to listen we give a 30 second recap of everything that is important. If you want to know how many times Proust is reference in Gilmore Girls, give this episode a listen!

Section

Tome 2/Volume 2

“A l’ombre À l’ombre des jeunes filles en fleurs” (In the Shadow of Young Girls in Flower)

Pages:

347-523 Helen

347-395 Miranda

Country

France (Paris)

Episode 46|4 : French Classics Book Club

Searching for Justice: Proust and the Dreyfus Affair – Les Bookworms

We're back on the Proust train. This episode covers the first chapter of Volume 3 – The Guermantes Way (Le Côté de Guermantes). We focus on the Dreyfus Affair and its role in French society at the time of Proust and today.

1. Searching for Justice: Proust and the Dreyfus Affair 40:50
2. Through the Pages of Time 55:01
3. In Search of Lost Podcasts: Les Bookworms Revival 28:08
4. 2 Down 5 to Go: Reflections on Volume II of Proust 30:07
5. A mix of gumption and courage: Paris memoirs 26:56

Overview

Les Bookworms take on more classics. This week Helen and Miranda give their takes on three French classics: François le Champi (Georges Sand), Le Père Goriot (Honoré de Balzac) and Madame Bovary (Gustave Flaubert). If you have ever been interested in reading French classics, this episode is for you! We give a brief summary before giving our thoughts on these famous classics. We also ask whether these books should continue to be passed down? 

Books

• François le Champi by Georges Sand (1848)
• Le Père Goriot by Honoré de Balzac (1835)
• Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert (1856)

Country

France

Episode 45|4 : Reading the World’s Longest Novel

Searching for Justice: Proust and the Dreyfus Affair – Les Bookworms

We're back on the Proust train. This episode covers the first chapter of Volume 3 – The Guermantes Way (Le Côté de Guermantes). We focus on the Dreyfus Affair and its role in French society at the time of Proust and today.

1. Searching for Justice: Proust and the Dreyfus Affair 40:50
2. Through the Pages of Time 55:01
3. In Search of Lost Podcasts: Les Bookworms Revival 28:08
4. 2 Down 5 to Go: Reflections on Volume II of Proust 30:07
5. A mix of gumption and courage: Paris memoirs 26:56

Overview

Today’s episode is a check-in on how the adventure of reading the world’s longest novel – In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust – is going for each of us. Join us for this literary odyssey as we make our way through the 1 267 069 words in this novel with the lens of understanding why this book is known to be so rewarding and considered among the greatest of all time. Have no fear we aren’t Proustian and are not attempting to provide literary criticism! If you’ve ever been curious about Proust or simply want to read the book with or through us, this episode is for you!

Section

Tome 1/Volume 1 – Du cote de chez Swaan or Swann’s Way

Pages 13-342 (Helen & Miranda)

Country

France

Episode 44|4 : How Proust Can Change Your Life

Searching for Justice: Proust and the Dreyfus Affair – Les Bookworms

We're back on the Proust train. This episode covers the first chapter of Volume 3 – The Guermantes Way (Le Côté de Guermantes). We focus on the Dreyfus Affair and its role in French society at the time of Proust and today.

1. Searching for Justice: Proust and the Dreyfus Affair 40:50
2. Through the Pages of Time 55:01
3. In Search of Lost Podcasts: Les Bookworms Revival 28:08
4. 2 Down 5 to Go: Reflections on Volume II of Proust 30:07
5. A mix of gumption and courage: Paris memoirs 26:56

Overview

Kicking off Season 4 of Les Bookworms Pod by diving straight in to our newest adventure – tackling Marcel Proust. We discuss Alain de Botton’s novel “How Proust Can Save Your Life” as a primer before diving head first in to “In Search of Lost Time”. 

Country

France

Episode 43|3 : Reunited at Last

Searching for Justice: Proust and the Dreyfus Affair – Les Bookworms

We're back on the Proust train. This episode covers the first chapter of Volume 3 – The Guermantes Way (Le Côté de Guermantes). We focus on the Dreyfus Affair and its role in French society at the time of Proust and today.

1. Searching for Justice: Proust and the Dreyfus Affair 40:50
2. Through the Pages of Time 55:01
3. In Search of Lost Podcasts: Les Bookworms Revival 28:08
4. 2 Down 5 to Go: Reflections on Volume II of Proust 30:07
5. A mix of gumption and courage: Paris memoirs 26:56

Overview

What could be a better way to wrap Season 3 of the Les Bookworms Pod than being in the same room for the first time in 3 years? While there is no book this week, we chat all about what’s changed, what’s stayed the same here in France and the reverse culture shocks after being away for so long. We also finally let you in on what we have in store for Season 4, which is going to be a completely different season for us! 

Country

France