Marcel Proust’s À la recherche du temps perdu (translated as In Search of Lost Time) holds the distinction of being the longest novel ever written, renowned for its staggering length and complexity. First published in 1913, this monumental work is estimated to contain over 9.6 million characters — a figure that eclipses typical novels by more than twenty times.
The French author’s 13-volume masterpiece has challenged readers worldwide for over a century, demanding a significant time commitment to complete. To put its size into perspective, an average book contains between 350,000 and 400,000 characters, while Proust’s opus boasts nearly 10 million, making it a literary colossus.
The novel’s publication began in 1913 with its first volume, eventually leading to international acclaim with the release of its second installment. Proust’s intricate prose and introspective narrative style have since established him as one of the 20th century’s most influential authors.
For the average reader, finishing In Search of Lost Time is no small feat. Reading at a pace of 300 words per minute, one would need approximately three days and nearly four hours of continuous reading to complete the entire text. Realistically, most readers take much longer, often spanning a year or more.
Readers on forums like Reddit have shared their personal experiences with the novel’s demanding length and style. One reader commented, “Proust had been on my literary bucket list for nearly 20 years, and last year I finally decided to tackle it. My edition is around 3,700 pages including endnotes. It took me just over a year to read it all, about 10 pages per day. There were countless beautiful passages and incredible insights, but also many slow, dense sections.”
Despite the challenge, many find the novel’s depth rewarding, though opinions vary on whether the effort is ultimately worth it. The same reader admitted, “It definitely felt good to cross it off my list, but if I step back, I’m not sure I would recommend it to everyone. It’s a book like no other, but also a very demanding one.”
In Search of Lost Time remains a landmark in literary history, captivating scholars and readers who appreciate its profound exploration of memory, time, and identity.
