Mariusz Szczygieł: Hanna Krall urged me to read Proust, but listening works better

Writer Mariusz Szczygieł has found a way to finally engage with Marcel Proust's monumental work, "In Search of Lost Time." While previously daunted by the prospect of reading the multi-volume novel, Szczygieł is now immersed in it via an audiobook, listening primarily while doing chores or tending to his aquarium.

He admits to feeling a sense of shame for not having tackled Proust's masterpiece earlier, especially since the late journalist Hanna Krall had repeatedly urged him to do so. Szczygieł notes that while reading proved difficult, listening has been a smooth and enjoyable experience. He is currently on the fourth volume, having completed over five hours of it, with more than twenty-five hours still to go.

Szczygieł expresses profound appreciation for Proust's intricate descriptions of life, stating that certain sentences evoke feelings of happiness. His current engagement with the author is further informed by Alain de Botton's "How Proust Can Change Your Life," a book he describes as "fantastic."