Vladimir Nabokov

[pontalba]

Thanks for the words of encouragement, guys. I won't give up; I'll keep on reading, although I think he wrote 'em faster than I'm reading 'em. I like your new signature, Peder.

I like: Invent reality!

Well SIL I don't think we have too much choice do we? Nabokov is a necessity.
But its funny that you should word (his writing speed) in the way you did. Its true. Nabokov is not to be inhaled in the normal manner of reading we do. He is not someone that can be read in a couple of hours. He has to be read, digested, and reread. I've read that some authors have said something along the lines of that they struggle to write a book for some months, and then the reader sits down and reads their book in a couple of hours. Its a shame, but true.
Nabokov is rather waded thru isn't he? In a good way of course.

And yes, I remember the quote Peder mentions in inverted commas. It quite struck me at the time.

I wish he'd finished The Original of Laura and am exceedingly curious about it. But unfortunately, I do think it should have been destroyed per his wishes. But I also understand why they didn't. And totally sympathize.

 

[Peder]

I wish he'd finished The Original of Laura and am exceedingly curious about it. But unfortunately, I do think it should have been destroyed per his wishes. But I also understand why they didn't. And totally sympathize.

Maybe they could make a Xerox and destroy the original?

 

[pontalba]

Maybe they could make a Xerox and destroy the original?

honestly!

 

[Peder]

Reality and "reality"

SIL, Pontalba,
As it turns out, I grabbed the wrong book to take with me to coffee. However, I did come away even more impressed with Connoly's Cambridge Companion to Nabokov. It has 14 very dense and insightful essays providing comprehensive coverage of Nabokov and his works, the last essay being "Nabokov's Worldview," for example. Sometime when I have read more of VN, and have the time, thennn........

However, the book I should have grabbed was Pifer's Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita: a Casebook. It at least has the interview with Gold I was looking for, but alas I didn't see the discussion of "reality" there (either).

So, to paraphrase the point that I remember VN was making, was that all art is deception and the artist is a deceiver. So that the most "realistic" appearing portrayals of reality in literature, or in art, are in a sense also the greatest illusions and the best of deceptions by the artist. Which he summarized in his view that reality ought always to be spelled in inverted commas, as "reality." All of which further leads to the key relevance of the exhortation "Invent reality!" in the tag line below.

Against that background we pick up Strathern on p.16 in Nabokov in 90 Minutes, writing about Speak Memory, and then ending on page 19 with an example of his own wit:

Childhood life can be turned into a work of art, but it is not one in itself. There is an elusive missing element -- though this will only disappoint the pedant for actuality. As Nabokov himself put it, the word "reality" must always be used with inverted commas. So what we have in Speak, Memory is Nabokov's "childhood," with uglier truths appearing in the merest hints and asides.......
In the summer of 1915, the sixteen-year-old Nabokov fell in love with the fifteen-year-old girl whose family was renting the neighboring dacha. In Speak, Memory, Nabokov calls here "Tamara....a name concolorous with her real one" which was Liussya. Nabokov embarked upon a frenzy of poetry-writing and accompanying rampant desires. In accord with his psychological theory he led his muse to ever more secluded rural spots where he would read to her his poetic fantasies. "In one particular pine grove everything fell into place, I parted the fabric of fantasy, I touched reality." This unique reality apparently had no need of protective inverted commas.

Er-hem.
We take his word for it.
Peder

 

[pontalba]

Vladimir Nabokov: The American Years

Peder
I thought the quote you spoke of might be (and probably is) in one of Boyd's
bios, but I haven't seen it yet. But I did find something about the Nabokov-Wilson letters, now they must be talking about Dear Bunny, Dear Volodya , because he talks about Karlinsky. As follows: p 653

Another plan had been on Nabokov's mind since the spring of 1974 when he had sifted through his correspondence with Edmund Wilson. Now in January of 1976 he suggested to McGraw-Hill that it publish the Nabokov-Wilson letters. Impressed by Simon Karlinsky's copious and astute annotations in his edition of Chekhov's letters, he recommended Karlinsky to Elena Wilson, who agreed with his choice.

Well all I can say is that Karlinsky did edit and annotate (and this is the revised and expanded edition) Dear Bunny, Dear Volodya, and the Selected Letters 1940-1977 was edited by Dimitri Nabokov and Matthew J. Bruccoli.

I'm still looking for that quote though.
Even though I find the one you inserted above quite neato.

 

[StillILearn]

I wish he'd finished The Original of Laura and am exceedingly curious about it. But unfortunately, I do think it should have been destroyed per his wishes. But I also understand why they didn't. And totally sympathize.

By any chance are you a Gemini [/I, pontalba?

... it only remained for him to feel the awkwardness of being a crystal among glass, a shpere among circles ...

Can anybody tell me what this was all about? (spoiler warning -- maybe)

[Goodman] was remarkably well-dresed though decidedly with a city flavour. A black mask covered his face. "What can I do for you?" He went on looking at me through the eyeholes and still holding my card. (and then later): Mr Goodman with finger and thumb stroked his face ... I mean the face under his mask ... stroked it down, down, reflectively. (and then later): After shaking hands with me most cordially, he returned the black mask which I pocketed, as I supposed it might come in usefully on some other occasion.[/QUOTE]

 

[pontalba]

LOL SIL.

Have you finished yet? I think the ending will explain a lot of that mask business to you. It does tie up eventually.

 

[Breaca]

Bah humbug My book fairy has a copy patiently awaiting delivery on wispy wings but the troll called life keeps stepping in and blocking her path. Drat and double drat I'm getting curiouser and curiouser with each breath, er cough/splutter, I mean with each thread I read Oh fairy, fairy, where art thou book fairy As for the troll - get thee behind me

Oh and HELLO to one and all

 

[pontalba]

Bah humbug My book fairy has a copy patiently awaiting delivery on wispy wings but the troll called life keeps stepping in and blocking her path. Drat and double drat I'm getting curiouser and curiouser with each breath, er cough/splutter, I mean with each thread I read Oh fairy, fairy, where art thou book fairy As for the troll - get thee behind me

Oh and HELLO to one and all

OMG! Its the British Invasion all over again.......head fer the hills! /giggle/

 

[Breaca]

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

hehe - I do so enjoy popping in once in a while. I've missed lots of fun I see. And now for a very serious question....

I wonder who on our modest planet has the widest selection of material on Vladimir Nabokov (discounting family members). MMMmmmm I wonder.....

He's sure been a wonderful topic of discussion - no matter what the book I'm sure he'd be smiling if he was still around. Either that or having a good old belly laugh at our antics and trying to suss the great man out.

 

[StillILearn]

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

hehe - I do so enjoy popping in once in a while. I've missed lots of fun I see. And now for a very serious question....

I wonder who on our modest planet has the widest selection of material on Vladimir Nabokov (discounting family members). MMMmmmm I wonder.....

He's sure been a wonderful topic of discussion - no matter what the book I'm sure he'd be smiling if he was still around. Either that or having a good old belly laugh at our antics and trying to suss the great man out.

His single comment might jes' be:

But only over his dead body, come to think of it. I'll bet both VNs would loathe and abhor all smilies with a pure and deathly violence.

 

[Peder]

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

I think it's beginning to freeze over where I am.

 

[Breaca]

Still'over my dead body' came to my mind as I typed my earlier thread But I am so very certain he would have enjoyed our frollicking and, dare I say, psychoanalysis (sp?). Ooh, I've just had a very wicked thought Can you imagine a debate between Freud and Himself Oh to be a fly on the wall. Oh for a time machine - that way we could nip back and visit Himself in person Ooh, or, better still, meet up with his good wife - oh what tales we could share

Peder hah, freezing are ya. I'm not cold. Come and visit us in the South. It's nice and hot and sunny. Psssttt, Pontalba don't tell him about the mosquitoes as big as buses, the high humidity, fire ants, snakes.... and definitely don't mention hurricane season. We'll just sell him on the beignets and good coffee, and all that jazz.....

 

[pontalba]

Peder hah, freezing are ya. I'm not cold. Come and visit us in the South. It's nice and hot and sunny. Psssttt, Pontalba don't tell him about the mosquitoes as big as buses, the high humidity, fire ants, snakes.... and definitely don't mention hurricane season. We'll just sell him on the beignets and good coffee, and all that jazz.....

Don't you remember that wonderfully balmy breeze blowing all the mosquitoes away? Blue sunny skies, sweet breezes, no humidity at present. just wait a day or two though.....

And the hurricane.....who said that!? drowned all the fire ants in New Orleans. LOL One good thing at any rate.

So, Peder you have no excuses!

 

[Breaca]

Don't you remember that wonderfully balmy breeze blowing all the mosquitoes away? Blue sunny skies, sweet breezes, no humidity at present. just wait a day or two though.....

And the hurricane.....who said that!? drowned all the fire ants in New Orleans. LOL One good thing at any rate.

So, Peder you have no excuses!

Ah yes, that wonderfully balmy breeze That blew them flying blood suckers away Blue skies, sweet breezez, no humidity

And the hurricane - nah, that was just a balmy breeze that threw in a little sprinkle here and there. And I've just checked the yard - them hills in the lawn are just natures landscaping - no fire ants to be seen for miles and miles and miles

Ah yes, Peder, do come visit

 

[Breaca]

Well, have got some serious visiting myself. I'm off to the land of nod, to sleep perchance to dream...

Sweet dreams y'all.

 

[Peder]

Beignets? Coffee?
I smell a faint Heavenly aroma. Like it has wafted in from maybe 1500 miles away?
Brek in only 6 more hours.
Sleep tight everyone,
Peder

 

[pontalba]

We all is a waftin' with all our might!

Grits 'n eggs comin' up.
and super industrial strength coffee

And SIL, jes for you, I'll make some 'normal' coffee.

 

[pontalba]

As I previously broadcast, I'm reading Laughter in the Dark. This book is terrific! I really feel as though Nabokov was perhaps unconsciously migrating towards Lolita for the whole of his writing life. He uses many of the same props, (white) butterflies, watches with no hands, young girl, older man. Although this girl is 18 (IOW, legal).
I am just about half way thru, just getting to some of the "getting his just reward" act. Although, I suspect Albinus will have a harsher outcome than either Humbert or Arthur.

But really, I feel the "one story" coming back, as though it ever left, so many of the same ingredients, but such a different mix.
How to rank Nabokov's works? Can't. Not yet, after all, we arn't finished yet, are we?

 

[Peder]

Veeerrrrrrrrrryyyyyyy interesting, Pontalba,
Just so happens I have a trip into the City today and I am now easily and effortlessly selecting Laughter in the Dark for reading material out of my new jim dandy peachy keen recently organized handy dandy stack of VN novels all spines exposed and right side up for easy reading. Ummmm, ummmmm good.
But not gloating mind you,
Peder