pontalba

I know exactly what you mean. Symmetry is so important. I mean maybe another hurricane will come through, and I might not have access to Amazon or any bookstore.....what then!! We have to think of all the possibilities......... Oh I have also heard that the doctors have pills for that as well.....

I just can hardly wait for reactions..... Patience was never my best quality............

I've also got all the Nabokov's....but have only read about half so far. So many books too few hours..........

Phooey!

Well! With you guys so enthusiatic, I figured I was missing something, and I can't stand that!! Besides you can never have too many books. BTW Sophia, hows Lolita going?

Just placed my order for Blindness, Seeing and All the Names. Went back and read the synopsis of The Double...they compared it to some of Nabokov's work.....it was on sale....hardcover.....I mean, really, what choice did I have? None I tell you.....none at all!

I shall investigate...

Is it necessary to read Blindness to enjoy or understand Seeing ? I mean, I don't have...er, lotsa books in my TBR stack(s) or anything, but.....just wondering.......

Well having read still only the first of the trilogy, I have indulged in buying The Book of Illusions. So will report back when read.

VN really treads the line between revealing his life and maintaining his privacy. And yes, it is a love story to his family. I love the way he addresses and refers to Vera as 'You'. Because to him, she is the only You.

Oh dogmatix! I am so glad you enjoyed him so much. Really and truly! And I fully agree, may there never be a last Nabokov! His books can be reread and enjoyed over and over again, because there is always another layer to discover and explore. You may and will enjoy some more than others, but will always need to go back for more.

This is my second and a half reading after all. I wasn't sure the first time around, I had to go back and re-re-read! That is the fun of Nabokov. Twisty little fella.

Well the governesses are living in their native Switzerland at that point, if you go back a page, (115) you will see: Which is blind hindsight as far as I can tell, as Mademoiselle hated Russia while she was there, but now that it is past she is looking at Russia through rose-colored glasses and proclaiming how wonderful it was. Nabokov did not consider Russia as But Mademoiselle did while she was there. Revisionist history (on their part). I think that is why Nabokov referrs to them as pathetic...which is not necessarily bad. One of pathetic's meanings is simply "arousing pity or sadness".....it is not always meant in a contempteous manner.

Oh muggle! I am so glad you are enjoying it! And why would you ever think I wouldn't speak to you!? I have to laugh, Nabokov was a bit of a snob. That is part of what I find so delightful about him. But I've never found him to be mean spirited in his meanderings, and to me that is what pulls the weight. I agree with him, those poor old women were rather pathetic in their longing for a past which whilst they were there, they hated it! That has to be the height of something or other! Silliness or whatever! And I have to say I was rooting for the butterfly as well! That has always been one aspect that I didn't like.....but he says something in there....maybe I can find it right now ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~looking ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~I can't find it at the moment, but the essence is this. All the butterflies, and creatures of all sorts that are killed by insecticides and so forth are gone, dead for nothing but farmers spraying their crops or gardners spraying for the flowers.....at least when he caught and killed a butterfly it was preserved to be enjoyed and admired for its beauty, and studied for science--not sprayed and fallen on the ground and gone back to dust unenjoyed and unappreciated by anyone.

That is what is so neat about reading Nabokov, the assemblage of his writing is (to me) like a giant puzzle....this piece fits, this piece doesn't, or is backwards......to his own life, or his other novels. Puzzles within puzzles must learn to play chess......it'll make even more sense then....

Barbarian!

Yes, well, its a dirty job, but someone has to do it. I know all about that pontalba.....gotta watch her every moment of every day. Be careful Sophia, next thing you will be ordering all the Nabokov's from Amazon............. It's a slippery slope....

I still can't find it! I just finished tearing apart stacks, and under the big chair in here.....no dice. At this rate, I'll have to buy another copy. And the minute I do, it'll turn up. grrrrrrrrrr........... And I agree, he is an excellent read.

VN was really a thoughtful and kind man, look at the "Appliance" for Mademoiselle to enable her to hear...and the way he didn't drive it home that he knew she couldn't afford it, and then that even with it she could not hear properly. That whole episode was....hurtfully sweet. On the next page (117) he notes how Well it is true, some people are like that....always miserable, always searching.....for what? Even they don't know, and if they found "it", it would not be recognized as the solution. I love the way he refers to her "radiant deceit"...she truely loved him, and he knew it. Swan = Mademoiselle..... Gallant to the end.

Thanks muggle!

Boy, I have not seen this in ages! My grandmother and aunt always made this...but with fresh corn, broken up against a grater. Yummy!

thanks Muggle! I have it printed out in front of me now. Sounds delish! When you take it out of the oven it will still be malleable?

Very familiar, here is some info from Brian Boyd's Vladimir Nabokov: The Russian Years p. 72: Now this exerpt from the same BB is on p. 354 and takes place just when VN is beginning Glory..... This reticence is admirable on his part, and shows another vein of his sensitivity.

I have Catswold Portal in my TBR stack. But hadn't heard of the last either.