Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0001070, Sun, 31 Mar 1996 12:45:02 -0800

Subject
Amerlocks & Queneau (fwd)
Date
Body
EDITOR'S NOTE. There is a bit on VN and Queneau in Jane Grayson's recent
"Nabokov and Perec" in CYCNOS, v. 12, n. 2 (1995) and in Paul Braffort's
"Nabokov oulipien" in EUROPE, no. 791 (1995).
-----------------------------
From: J. A. Rea <JAREA@UKCC.uky.edu>

R D Alpert, in response to my post on this subject and Q's _Zazie_
has kindly pointed out that, "In his interviews Nabokov says Queneau's
_Exercise de style_ is one of the most enthralling works in Literature
--and expresses great fondness for Zazie."

I'd have to add that Zazie is one of my favorite prepubescents, after...

But I'd like to put a third side to this square, with VN and Q (hmm!)
providing the first two. I have always suspected that the germ of
Queneau's _Exercises de style_ can be found (at lesser length) in
Dodgson's (aka Lewis Carroll) "Photography Extraordinary". Those
who have admired Queneau's E de S should look at that poem in Dodgson's
Complete Works (or similar) to appreciate what I mean. (Q's E de S
have been "translated" into English, for those who have the need!)
Then I'd wonder about Q's (!) knowledge of Dodgson -- although I can't
imagine a Joyce aficionado would not be familiar with D. Then we only
would need to connect the final dot with the first to be four square.

Enjoy!

John