A brilliant biographical sketch of one of literature's most beguiling figures and a perfect companion to Swann's Way. Combining two unlikely genres – literary biography and self-help manual – this charming and unexpectedly practical book draws from Proust's letters, essays, and fiction. De Botton transforms Proust's life and work into a no-nonsense guide to life, including: enjoying your vacation, reviving a relationship, articulating yourself in an original way, being a good host, recognizing love, and why not to sleep with someone on the first date.