Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0001240, Wed, 21 Aug 1996 09:23:16 -0700

Subject
Re: VVN's research for LOLITA/research? (fwd)
Date
Body
From: Alexander Justice <jahvah@empirenet.com>

>This is astonishing! [though maybe one should not be surprised].
>
>Why should he do 'research'?? Isn't it quite apparent that
>writers - particularly those who are imaginative and creative -
>are perfectly capable of imaginging states of mind and
>proclivities possessed by others?

I'd already read that he did in fact do research for the novel -- the
tables of average heights of nymphets is perhaps a well-known example --
and one should remember that VVN was reportedly interested in psychology
all his life (as opposed to the Wienershaman faux-strudel). As for
imagination, it is no substitute for educated insight, either in fiction
or real life. For an excellent example, the inquisitive might want to
read MINDHUNTER by John Douglas.

Alexander Justice * jahvah@empirenet.com * Polyana, California, USA

"All happy families resemble one another, but each unhappy family
is unhappy in its own way." --Lyov Tolstoy