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Re: QUERY: Other writers' disparagement or envy of VN?
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Dear Ron,
William Gass wrote a wonderfully scathing (if sorely misguided) essay about VN's fiction. It's called "Mirror, Mirror," and the text is available online in the archives of The New York Review of Books. The essay was also included in the collection Fiction and the Figures of Life. I hope this helps.
Best,
Bruce Stone
Date: Mon, 16 May 2011 11:41:33 -0400
From: NABOKV-L@HOLYCROSS.EDU
Subject: [NABOKV-L] QUERY: Other writers' disparagement or envy of VN?
To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
Dear List Members,
I've been thinking of writing an essay about what might be called Nabokov Derangement Syndrome. Which I would loosely define as the not-well examined phenomenon of good, even great writers not being aware of the envy beneath their disparaging remarks about VN.
One could see it in those who denounced <Laura> for being published at all, because itwould be unfair to VN's memory to expose a not fully realized work to the world. And then when published, pounced on it as not being fully realized. They were clearly elated to have some grounds to feel superior momentarily to someone who was superior in finished work. . Now I'm not one to call VN perfect, but I recently came across quotes from Updike and Geoff Dyer (I believe they were quoted in reviews republished on this list) whom I've admired, taking shots at VN and his admirers.
It must be galling to be a writer of fiction and forever be condemned to be second (at least) to VN, so it's not surprising, but I don't think the Syndrome's been pointed out, so I'd be grateful for examples.
Thank you,
Ron Rosenbaum
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