Subject
VN Bibliography: Stacy Schiff's VERA
Date
Body
I have belatedly gotten around to reading the Schiff biography of Vera
Nabokov and find it quite good -- not only as a portrait of its subject
but also of the Nabokov household. Nabokov often addressed the inherent
limitations of biography (and, indeed, it is the subject of some of his
books). Stacy Schiff has done a formidable job of writing the life of a
remarkable woman who did her best to remain invisible.
Russian experts will find a few errors of fact and implication about the
Russian side of things, but, more importantly, there are many gems to be
to be discovered. Any serious reader of Nabokov will profit by and enjoy
this book. Reader comments are invited.
D. Barton Johnson
Department of Germanic, Slavic and Semitic Studies
Phelps Hall
University of California at Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA 93106
Phone and Fax: (805) 687-1825
Home Phone: (805) 682-4618
Nabokov and find it quite good -- not only as a portrait of its subject
but also of the Nabokov household. Nabokov often addressed the inherent
limitations of biography (and, indeed, it is the subject of some of his
books). Stacy Schiff has done a formidable job of writing the life of a
remarkable woman who did her best to remain invisible.
Russian experts will find a few errors of fact and implication about the
Russian side of things, but, more importantly, there are many gems to be
to be discovered. Any serious reader of Nabokov will profit by and enjoy
this book. Reader comments are invited.
D. Barton Johnson
Department of Germanic, Slavic and Semitic Studies
Phelps Hall
University of California at Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA 93106
Phone and Fax: (805) 687-1825
Home Phone: (805) 682-4618