"Marcel Proust: A Very Short Introduction provides an overview and brief guide of the magnum opus of Marcel Proust. Proust, who wrote stories, essays, and translations, was arguably the best-known literary writer in France during his time. Moreover, Proust wrote a 3,000-page novel known as "In Search of Lost Time" (1913-27). The novel primarily revolves around the quest for purpose, enchantment, identity, connection, and belonging. Additionally, the VSI elaborates on the key concepts and the novel's fascinating treatments of memory, society, art, same-sex desire, knowledge, self-understanding, self-fashioning, and the unconscious mind as presented in In Search of Lost Time"-- Provided by publisher.