Within a Budding Grove

Remembrance of Things Past, Volume 2

By: Marcel Proust, C. K. Scott Moncrieff - translator

Narrated by: Neville Jason

Remembrance of Things Past is one of the monuments of 20th century literature. Neville Jason’s widely praised abridged version has rightly become an audiobook landmark and now, upon numerous requests, he is recording the whole work unabridged which, when complete, will run for some 140 hours.

Within a Budding Grove is the second of seven volumes. The young narrator, experiencing his youthful sexuality, falls under the spell of a group of adolescent girls, succumbs to the charms of the enchanting Gilberte, and visits a brothel where he meets Rachel. His impressions of life are also stimulated by the painter, Elstir, and his encounter with another girl, Albertine.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

Public Domain (P)2012 Naxos AudioBooks

Exponential detail

Proust provides so much detail in his writing that I’m not sure I could read it in a physical book. He draws us into his world in a way that is nearly intoxicating. As an audiobook, it’s superb.

Never Gets in Ocean

I thought, "Swann's Way" was a little better. In "Within a Budding Grove" the young Proust (he never gives a name or an age, but I thin he is 16) spends the summer with his grandmother and Francious at the sea-side resort of Balbec, which is really Carboug, France. Well, NOT ONE TIME does he get into the ocean! I thought that this was negligent by Proust. How do you go to ocean but not get in the water? Nevertheless, this is definitely four stars for me, and Neville Jason is excellent. May Mr. Jason rest-in-peace.

Brilliant!

Enjoyed this reading of 'In A Budding Grove' very much! Now it's onward to The Guermantes Way!

The world’s greatest novel

The worlds, greatest novel, brilliantly, read aloud! This part is as great as all the others.

Fantastic narrator with unobtrusive French pronunciation

The narrator sounds like he understands what he's reading and pronounces French quite well and with only a few mistakes (e.g., with names ending -bourg). Highly recommended production!