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[THOUGHTS] Laura
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Dmitri Nabokov's most recent post makes an excellent point about the
partial revelations from The Original of Laura over the years, and he
has inspired a suggestion of my own (apologies if someone has already
made it, as I'm joining this thread late): But since Laura is a little
bit pregnant, so to speak, the issue can no longer be a simple binary of
publication versus destruction, but simply one of how this partially
known work will stand in VN's bibliography. I would suggest that the
precedent of Lolita's U. S. publication serve as a model here: that is,
the use of recognized literary authorities to guide Lolita's arrival
into the public realm, assuring readers (and prosecutors) that it was a
genuine work of art (of genius), and not pornography. By publishing
Laura in a critical edition, with scholarly essays and apparatus, it
would be clear that this is not to be considered among the finished
work--how could it be?--but as a fascinating artifact that deepens our
understanding of this great writer. Having said all that, the decision
on this is DN's alone--or between him and the shade of his father.
They'll find the right answer. The rest of us should all take a deep
breath and calm down.
Cheers to all,
Patrick McGrath
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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partial revelations from The Original of Laura over the years, and he
has inspired a suggestion of my own (apologies if someone has already
made it, as I'm joining this thread late): But since Laura is a little
bit pregnant, so to speak, the issue can no longer be a simple binary of
publication versus destruction, but simply one of how this partially
known work will stand in VN's bibliography. I would suggest that the
precedent of Lolita's U. S. publication serve as a model here: that is,
the use of recognized literary authorities to guide Lolita's arrival
into the public realm, assuring readers (and prosecutors) that it was a
genuine work of art (of genius), and not pornography. By publishing
Laura in a critical edition, with scholarly essays and apparatus, it
would be clear that this is not to be considered among the finished
work--how could it be?--but as a fascinating artifact that deepens our
understanding of this great writer. Having said all that, the decision
on this is DN's alone--or between him and the shade of his father.
They'll find the right answer. The rest of us should all take a deep
breath and calm down.
Cheers to all,
Patrick McGrath
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Visit www.christies.com to explore special multi-media sale promotions, browse our illustrated catalogues and leave absentee bids through LotFinder(R), Christie's online search engine, and register for Internet bidding with Christie's Live(TM).
This message and any attachment are confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, please telephone or email the sender and delete the message and any attachment from your system. If you are not the intended recipient you must not copy this message or attachment or disclose the contents to any other person.
Search the archive: http://listserv.ucsb.edu/archives/nabokv-l.html
Search archive with Google:
http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=site:listserv.ucsb.edu&HL=en
Contact the Editors: mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu
Visit Zembla: http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm
View Nabokv-L policies: http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm