pontalba

There is so much of himself that Nabokov injects into his work. For example the scene on p.24 where he describes a certain train trip... He gave this to Martin in Glory. The diamond like lights in the distance beckoned to Martin as well. But the detail...a flattish pillow, so we can receive exactly the right look of the scene. The chill of his heels from the open window.... And VN's memory! Oy!

In spite of my dislike or certain actors, it does sound verra interesting. Thanks for the heads up.

dogmatix I am so glad you are enjoying yourself with this book! Yes, an immediate reread of Chap. 3 is wise. The ancestors, a chapter that has tripped up some, but is necessary, and to me fascinating.

City of Glass first in The New York Trilogy by Paul Auster I just finished the first novella in Paul Auster's The New York Trilogy, City of Glass. Don't ever let anyone ever tell you that Humbert Humbert of Lolita is the most unreliable narrator around. Because certainly the narrator of this novella has to take the prize for unreliability. I haven't assimilated yet, but a stranger detective story I have never read. I am not even sure if I liked it or not. I liked the way it opened....there was a great deal of introspective narration that I enjoyed. But there were also several pages of difficult dialogue that was hard to get through, but afterwards it all made sense. As much sense as anything ended up making. Oh, and there was a wonderful doppelganger moment too! In fact doppelganger threads form a pattern that is not immediately discernable, but slowly become clearer. City of Glass is an account of an author of detective stories, that has endured a tragedy of his own, and his somewhat unorthodox manner of dealing with the tragedy. An evidently crossed telephone line leads him to accept a job as a private investigator. Was it chance? And how many narrators are there? All worthy questions, and probably a reread is in order. But not right now, my brain is still fuddled from the first reading. The more I think about it, the more I can say with fair reliability that I did enjoy the story. One thing for sure, I couldn't stop reading, I was compelled to finish.

"Look at the Harlequins!" by Vladimir Nabokov Theatre of the Absurd. Yes, that is really the first expression that comes to mind when thinking back of this lovely last full novel of Vladimir Nabokov. If "Mary", his first novel was the most straight forward, then "Look at the Harlequins!" has to qualify, not as the most complex, that prize would surely have to go to either "Lolita" or more likely "Pale Fire", but as the funniest take-off of his own life. With allusions to not only his own life, and his novels, this book is richly carpeted with layering upon layering by the Master. Superficially, it is the story of Vadim Vadimovich N., a Russian-American author with....shock...the same birth year of one Vladimir Vladimirovich Nabokov. The story of his three, or was it four wives [?], his beloved daughter Belle and various and sundry mistresses along the way. Vadim's dance with Dementia scrolls throughout the book intertwining with wives, books and travels that include a furtive return to his homeland. I would not recommend this novel to someone that has not read any of Vladimir Nabokov's books mostly because half the enjoyment is in the knowing which facet of his own life or which novel he is paralleling, but if you've read Some, this book is a must.

I've seen bits of the movie on tv FLW I mean. But even Jeremy can't tempt me to buy the DVD. I can always enjoy our Mr. Irons on the DVD and CD of Lolita and Swann in Love. Re The Collector, I haven't read that, but remember bits of the film years ago, didn't Samantha Egger play in it? That was pretty interesting. Depressing, but interesting.

Actually, I picked up The New York Trilogy this afternoon, and so far I am enjoying it, but I spent too long reading The Devil Wears Prada, and wish I could have that time back to devote to Trilogy. The main character is very complex.

Too true.

LOL ok, Redford or Beatty, same diff....both irritating, but sorry about the mix up of actors. But the book does sound interesting.

Ties That Bind, Ties That Break by Lensey Namioka When I bought this book, I didn't realize that it was for "Young People", in fact it is an ALA Best Book for Young Adults. But even though I have passed the Young stage many decades ago, I loved the story. It is a well written and simple tale of a young girl in China circa 1911 when having a girl-child's feet bound is still considered the proper thing to do, and necessary to make a good (marriage) match for the child. This particular girl-child, Ailin, refuses the barbaric process at five years old. Fortunately, her father backs her up in this rebellion, although he has allowed her two older sisters feet to be bound. The story follows Ailin's progress in life and how she deals with the ramifications of her refusal from her home in China all the way to San Francisco. I loved this story and recommend it to all ages.

I still have his New York Trilogy in my stack(s). Hope springs eternal.

I'd heard of the movie Reds but frankly didn't pay much attention to it as Robert Redford irritates me for some reason. But if the movie is that good, I might have to take a look anyhow.

It certainly calls for a detachment I don't think I could achieve! What I love the most about Speak, Memory I think is the over whelming love VN has for his family. He can pour so much emotion in a few sentences or paragraphs........ So we have a certain clinical detachment on one side, and extreme love and protectiveness on the other. And when he draws the line between what he will share and what he won't it stays drawn.

I'm not familiar with it. Is this the one you mean? Link

LOL Muggle, I've only been skim rereading so far, I have to sit down and really reread! So don't feel too far behind. :groupdance:

Also one thing I'd like to bring out about Nabokov's writing in parallel with the times he lived. I am reminded of Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky.....she wrote right at the time the events were taking place with such insight. I haven't read the book yet, only skimmed and read the reviews...but from what I can tell.....marvelous. It is amazing to me that these authors could write about the times they were living in so clearly. Capture just the right note. So often, it is impossible to see the forest for the trees, but they picked out the individual branches.

Dogmatix.. Follow the "Kadet" link in the article. Interesting stuff. Also to get a feel for the time Nabokov spent in Berlin, I found an absolutely marvelous non-fiction book by Otto Friedrich...Before the Deluge. Nabokov is even spoken of in it, several times. Berlin in the 1920's was a heck of a place to be.....makes nowadays look pretty tame. And VN wrote so many of his stories there, taking the times into account so well, and throughly, even though he did not actually speak German too well, he hated it.

Dogmatix.... Here is another link to do with Nabokov's father. I think from the links in it you will be able to find what you need for research. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Dmitrievich_Nabokov I don't think it is the same link I posted earlier, but can't scroll back far enough without losing this.

You are very correct muggle, she was a wonderful woman, and if not for her his life would have been quite different. But I won't give the reason away.

And now pontalba has me reading an autobiography. :oops: Ah, but what an autobiography! LOL No politician our Vladimir!

Go slow now. I don't want to be the one to turn out the lights. LOL muggle, you know how long winded I can be, so I doubt there is any fear of you being the last to leave. 8-)

Yay dogmatix!!

:that: Slow is the best speed when reading Nabokov, as if he is read too fast.....great details are lost. sloooowiiinnnng speeeeedd noowww....

You got it! Glad to see ya.

Vladimir Nabokov's father was an amazing man. There was a small window of opportunity inbetween the Tsars and the Communist Revolution, that some lovers of democracy attempted to use. Here is a wikipdeia article on VN's father. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Dmitrievich_Nabokov Fascinating family. As far as VN going into politics for himself, I think he saw too much corruption and the sad results of interference in same to attempt such a thing. He lived in Berlin part of the 20's and the 30's, but he kept as separate from the Germans as possible, refusing to throughly learn the language even.