Subject
Re: Lolita's beginnings? (fwd) -Reply (fwd)
Date
Body
Thanks to Brian Boyd for his remarks on the Julian Evans article in
LRB. What I found arresting in the piece was the sudden swerve away
from what seemed its inevitable conclusion. Just when the writer
seemed ready to pitch into Nabokov for unoriginality (or at any rate
for being less than candid about his literary debts), there was the
unexpected mention of Larbaud's less unstrict expectations about
originality in literature. Nothing makes me want to finish reading
the small percentage of book chat I actually do finish reading than
being unable to guess where the writer is going. Evans doesn't
actually endorse Larbaud's judgement, perhaps wishing to keep his
options open regarding N. Would there be a book on the way, one
wonders?
Best,
Wayne Danuels
Metro Toronto Reference Library
wdaniels@gwmail.mtrl.toronto.on.ca
LRB. What I found arresting in the piece was the sudden swerve away
from what seemed its inevitable conclusion. Just when the writer
seemed ready to pitch into Nabokov for unoriginality (or at any rate
for being less than candid about his literary debts), there was the
unexpected mention of Larbaud's less unstrict expectations about
originality in literature. Nothing makes me want to finish reading
the small percentage of book chat I actually do finish reading than
being unable to guess where the writer is going. Evans doesn't
actually endorse Larbaud's judgement, perhaps wishing to keep his
options open regarding N. Would there be a book on the way, one
wonders?
Best,
Wayne Danuels
Metro Toronto Reference Library
wdaniels@gwmail.mtrl.toronto.on.ca