On Pausing

; or, I have surgery again (plus! a volume 2 reading schedule)

Hello my darlings—

A brief note to say I’m going in to surgery again tomorrow. It’s a happy event, and I’m particularly happy everything lined up quickly and fortuitously enough for this to be happening now (—rather than, as I’d imagined, at the end of the summer or in early autumn). I feel incredibly lucky: insurance is covering the procedure, I have a fantastic support network in place, and am able to take time away from bartending to properly recover.

That said, this recovery will be a more intense process than my last one. As such, I’ve decided to pause this newsletter for the month of June, and we’ll resume our reading of La Recherche in July, with volume two: A l’ombre des jeunes filles en fleurs.

Here’s a schedule, in case you’d like to get ahead. I’m going to be listening to the audiobook over the next couple weeks to keep a foot firmly planted in Proust’s world. I’m excited to be back with you all soon!

xo

Jamie

SCHEDULE: A l’ombre des jeunes filles en fleurs

July - through “certain images which the judge would certainly never have perceived” (~183 in the Moncrieff)

August - through “the infinitely wide social gulf which separated me—at least at Balbec—from Mlle de Stermaria” (~359)

September - through “the accumulation of its labours and the hopes of its hive” (~540)

October - through the end

she’s judging me for taking a break!!!