It’s that part of the year when I slowly move toward bigger, more serious books—the kind that demand time and patience. Re-reading Proust was a project I’d planned for 2023 but never got around to. Now I’m reading Within a Budding Grove, the second volume of In Search of Lost Time, I knew this, But I actually began went with The Guermantes Way, which is longer in audio format (254 chapters!).
2025, Week 24
Books
Completed The Guermantes Way—a deep dive into Marcel’s encounters with aristocratic society. What stands out isn’t his admiration for that world, but his portrayal of its people. The character sketches and dialogues are impeccable.
As I mentioned, I’ve now started Within a Budding Grove, a kind of prelude to the world elaborated more fully in The Guermantes Way. Reading Edmund White’s book on Proust alongside has added layers.
Last month, I began The Tunnel by William H. Gass—this week I gave it serious time. It’s the kind of book I love. Though Ignored by my reading circles, this is said to be one of the greater novels from that part of the world.
Also started the other American legend, William T Vollmann ’s The Dying Grass – a 1300+ page mammoth.
Years ago, I listened to The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu on audio for about 3 hours. This week i restarted it – over 70 hours of audio. It’s written around 1000 BC and is considered as the first ever Novel.
Meanwhile, Deluge and Ohio continue to serve as excellent in-between reads
Articles
Opinion | Ocean Vuong on Becoming a Father to His Brother – I’ve never been a fan of his novels, but I do like his poems and short reflective pieces like this.
Calvino – Why Read Classics – the most important 14 points you need to know.
Are You the Same Person You Used to Be? – “In the voluminous autobiographical novel “My Struggle,” Karl Ove Knausgaard—a middle-aged man who hopes to be better today than he was as a young man—questions whether it even makes sense to use the same name over a lifetime”.
Movies
Mud – 2012, a rewatch, and it holds up brilliantly.
M – 2023, A zombie movie, but not really. Focuses on a child, and it’s surprisingly moving.
Series
I watched the intro to Mercy for None—then paused, wondering: should I continue, or read more Proust instead?
Music
The ever-growing June playlist.
