BORN ON THIS DAY

MARCEL PROuST (1871-1922). The french novelist’s most famous work, A La Recherche Du Temps Perdu (In Search Of Lost Time), was published in seven parts between 1913 and 1927 and features more than 2,000 characters across 3,000 pages and is famous for his description of how the taste of madeleine cakes could evoke an ‘involuntary memory’. He didn’t get up before 3pm, then had opium (to treat asthma), plus coffee and croissant for breakfast. JAkE LAMOTTA (19222017). The u. S. boxer, former world middleweight champion, was the subject of the 1980 film Raging Bull, based on his memoirs. To prepare Robert De Niro (pictured) for his Oscarwinning performance, LaMotta personally trained him. LaMotta had his nose broken six times, his hands six times and had to have a total of 50 stitches over his eyes.