Swann in Love Author:Marcel Proust First published in France in 1913 as part of "Swann's Way" (the first volume of "Remembrance of Things Past"), "Swann in Love" stands as a complete and compelling novel in its own right. Set in France in the late nineteenth century, it is the story of Charles Swann, a naive, overly romantic member of the Parisian "haute bourgeoisie," and of his... more » desperate pursuit of a beautiful courtesan named Odette. Glittering social gatherings, exclusive clubs and enormous wealth provide the backdrop against which Proust creates one of the most penetrating analyses ever written of the psychology of love, as well as a pitilessly accurate and beautifully crafted portrait of the social mores of the time.« less