Marcel Proust (1871-1922) was a French novelist, critic and essayist. He is considered by critics and writers to be one of the most influential authors of the 20th century. Proust's most prominent work was In Search of Lost Times, a seven-volume novel based on his own life told psychologically and allegorically. The series consists of 3,200 pages and features more than 2,000 characters, and is known for its length and its theme of involuntary memory. The first volume was initially refused by the publisher Gallimard on Gide's advice. He later wrote to Proust apologizing for his part in the refusal and calling it one of the most serious mistakes of his life. The conception and design behind our bookends stem from Swedish renowned industrial designer, Jan Landqvist and are made in the small town of Gnosjö in the south of Sweden.