Set amid the salon society of fin-de-siècle Paris, these captivating tales offer satirical and moving depictions of metropolitan life. Proust's stunning debut chronicles the lives, loves, manners, and motivations of a fascinating cast of characters. These philosophical reflections, brief narratives, and prose poems established the 22-year-old author as a remarkable collector of exquisitely poignant sensations and recollections. Appropriate for intermediate-level students of French, this dual-language volume is equally suited to classroom use and to independent study. New English translations appear on pages facing the original French text. Readers will find this volume a fascinating introduction to the works of a key figure of French literature as well as a valuable aid to mastering one of the world's most enchanting languages. Marcel Proust (1871–1922) published his first book, Les Plaisirs et les Jours, in 1896, under the patronage of Anatole France. He is best known for his six-volume, 4,000-page novel, À la recherche du temps perdu, written and published over a 14-year period. Edward Ousselin, Professor of Modern and Classical Languages at Western Washington University, is the author of The Invention of Europe in French Literature and Film.