Stan Kelly-Bootle: Michael Antman’s review of TOoL seems the most percipient and evenly balanced of those I’ve seen so far... And I curse those who impute evil motives in TOoL’s salvation. In some sad parallel universe, the precious cards are reduced to ashes. In yet another, unbelievably, unworldly Soviet utopia, a censored TOoL might come from a not-for-profit People’s Press, with no nasty commercial marketing. PS on the following exchange:[...]* JM: A symbolic, artsy and self-defeating "auto de fé"? I can only take Mark’s comment as a sarcastic rebuke to those who urged DN to incinerate, but I’m not clear whether Jansy takes Mark literally?
JM: You are right, Stan. I took Mark's comments to the letter. I can perceive now that it was most probably a rebuke. Mark might confirm it, there's no one else to do this.  At first I spotted an irony, then I googled the name (An architect?  ...a fleeting vision of ready-mades and Christus wrappings...A lawyer?...noises of totemic banquets or the end of the Theban cycle) - and decided against sarcasm, unlike you, passionately committed against those who considered or recommended burning the cards.** 
My position, until stronger arguments force me to alter it, is that a lot of what's been happening has been "staged"***. 
Why auction off these specific cards now? Are there no other available originals under the care of VN's estate: Lolita's,Transparent Things's...?
 
The poet Cecília Meirelles wrote about  a rose: "I'm remembered because I waste away,/ For my unleaving makes me endless." ( "E por perder-me é que me vão lembrando,/ por desfolhar-me é que não tenho fim"). VN's cards are now shed but for me, even before that,  VN's work has been unending, a constant source of surprises.
There was no need for an exhumation but, now it's been done,  I'm glad to get a share.
 
..........................................................................................................................................
* - 
James Studdard: The common thread running through most of the criticism is that the notes (and VN) would have been better served (as Tom Stoppard suggested) being burned...I really am confused by all this piffle.
Mark Bennett: The matter seems straightforward to me:  whoever buys the original note cards should burn them. 
JMA symbolic, artsy and self-defeating "auto de fé"? 
 
** - If you google the VN-List you'll find that, with a kind of foresight, I was one who recommended TOoL to be published together with a facsimile of the cards - but I incorrectly assumed it would be restricted to scholarly publications ( I cannot hit the right keys to obtain the information from the archives).
 
*** - One opal cloudlet in an oval form/  Reflects the rainbow of a thunderstorm/ Which in a distant valley has been staged — / For we are most artistically caged.(John Shade, PF)  
btw, "sarcasm" is an apt word for Wild's fleshy project...
Search the archive Contact the Editors Visit "Nabokov Online Journal"
Visit Zembla View Nabokv-L Policies Manage subscription options

All private editorial communications, without exception, are read by both co-editors.