Subject
Nabokov mention & Paul Theroux
Date
Body
EDITOR's NOTE. I don't know about any possible connection between VN and
Paul Theroux but his brother, ALexander, (a much better writer in my book)
wrote a wonderfully Nabokovian novel _Darconville's Cat_ some years ago.
------------------------------------------------
From: Earl Sampson <esampson@cu.campus.mci.net>
In the May 25 Sunday New York Times Book Review, Paul Theroux's "Bookend"
column, "The Last Man of Letters," is an appreciation of V.S. Pritchett.
As part of his description of Pritchett, he writes "He worked slowly, and
was confident. Like Joyce and Nabokov and very few others, he knew he was
a wonderful writer." The essay reveal other similarities with Nabokov.
They were near the same age (I don't know the date of Pritchett's birth,
but he "died recently at the age of 96"). Pritchett "had kept on writing
short stories, and after the New Yorker began publishing them [during or
after WWII] he had some money. He lived precariously by his writing..."
"Had some money" probably pretty accurately describes Nabokov's financial
situation after the New Yorker began publishing his stories, and absent the
spectacular success of Lolita, one can easily imagine him continuing to
live "precariously by his writing" and his rather meager academic salary.
Theroux writes of Pritchett's status as a (voluntary) expatriate during the
20's, and quotes from his memoir, "A Cab at the Door": "I became a
foreigner. For myself that is what a writer is -- a man living on the
other side of a frontier." And finally, the close of the essay: "He had
once described writing as 'a labor delightful because it is fanatical.' He
was happy and he was also fanatical." To me at least, this sounds as if it
could also be describing Nabokov, although to be realistic, I suppose it
could apply equally well to many writers.
Theroux's mention of Nabokov suggests a more than passing knowledge of
and interest in VN. Does anyone out there know if Theroux has written on
him? Perhaps someone more expert in such matters than I am could execute
an Internet search for Theroux & Nabokov. I'm aware, by the way, that
Pritchett did write on Nabokov, though I haven't had a chance to lay my
hands on the essay(s?). When I do, I'll post the bibliographical
information.
Earl Sampson
Boulder, CO
Paul Theroux but his brother, ALexander, (a much better writer in my book)
wrote a wonderfully Nabokovian novel _Darconville's Cat_ some years ago.
------------------------------------------------
From: Earl Sampson <esampson@cu.campus.mci.net>
In the May 25 Sunday New York Times Book Review, Paul Theroux's "Bookend"
column, "The Last Man of Letters," is an appreciation of V.S. Pritchett.
As part of his description of Pritchett, he writes "He worked slowly, and
was confident. Like Joyce and Nabokov and very few others, he knew he was
a wonderful writer." The essay reveal other similarities with Nabokov.
They were near the same age (I don't know the date of Pritchett's birth,
but he "died recently at the age of 96"). Pritchett "had kept on writing
short stories, and after the New Yorker began publishing them [during or
after WWII] he had some money. He lived precariously by his writing..."
"Had some money" probably pretty accurately describes Nabokov's financial
situation after the New Yorker began publishing his stories, and absent the
spectacular success of Lolita, one can easily imagine him continuing to
live "precariously by his writing" and his rather meager academic salary.
Theroux writes of Pritchett's status as a (voluntary) expatriate during the
20's, and quotes from his memoir, "A Cab at the Door": "I became a
foreigner. For myself that is what a writer is -- a man living on the
other side of a frontier." And finally, the close of the essay: "He had
once described writing as 'a labor delightful because it is fanatical.' He
was happy and he was also fanatical." To me at least, this sounds as if it
could also be describing Nabokov, although to be realistic, I suppose it
could apply equally well to many writers.
Theroux's mention of Nabokov suggests a more than passing knowledge of
and interest in VN. Does anyone out there know if Theroux has written on
him? Perhaps someone more expert in such matters than I am could execute
an Internet search for Theroux & Nabokov. I'm aware, by the way, that
Pritchett did write on Nabokov, though I haven't had a chance to lay my
hands on the essay(s?). When I do, I'll post the bibliographical
information.
Earl Sampson
Boulder, CO