Clara Reads Proust

Stéphane Carlier was born in 1971 in Argenteuil, France. Clara Reads Proust is his eighth novel and the first to be translated into English.

'[A] gently diverting tale of inspiration, bold re-inventions and the richness that great literature is a gateway to.' Daily Mail

'Clara's understanding of Proust is profound and if you wanted to know why you should read him and, perhaps more important, how, then Clara's observations are perfect.' Sunday Times


'Elegant and quietly lyrical . . . captures the quirks and intimacies of life in provincial France, without giving in to easy sentimentality or heavy-handed satire' Irish Times

'A book of great charm and quiet distinction . . . [Clara's] impressions of Proust's novel, both acute and naive, should encourage readers who might otherwise be daunted by its length and complexity' The Spectator


'Anyone who has read a singular book with the power to change their worldview will find a friend in Clara, and in Carlier' Booklist


'Effervescent ... Clara Reads Proust is a fun and moving novel about the life-altering, immortal power of words.' Foreword Review

'Full of sensitivity, charm and intelligence. Brilliant' Antoine Laurain, author of The Red Notebook


'A gorgeous coming-of-age story about the power of reading that transported me straight to France and ALMOST made me want to read Proust!' Lorraine Brown, author of The Paris Connection'A sumptuous homage to reading' Le Parisien

'An enchanting, thoroughly human story about the power of literature' L'Obs

'In Carlier's hands seriousness lacks pompousness and humour provides a trusty defence against melancholia' Le Figaro

'A book that will do you the world of good' Livres Hebdo