Subject
Clarification re "non-conforming subscribers"
Date
Body
ATTENTION
My overly brisk note encouraging subscribers to overcome their modesty
and let fellow NABOKV-L subscribers know of their new publications seems
to have been confusing. Be reassured that NO ONE will be dropped from the
list in the foreseeable future. In fact, if you are NOT publishing
material about Nabokov, the posting can be ignored. If you are publishing
work about Nabokov, the other subscribers would doubtless like to know
about it as soon as possible. The prompt publicizing of new Nabokov
scholarship is among the priorities of NABOKV-L and the first to know of
a new publication is the author.
My note was triggered by a suggestion from a subscriber as a way of
encouraging people who publish work about Nabokov to inform the rest of
us promptly. I (and doubtless the original proposer) have, on occasion, been
irked to run across citations of such published work in journals and
bibliographies only several months after its appearance.
Up-to-the-minute familiarity with the published research can help avoid
duplicating work and often plays an important role in the acceptance or
rejection of articles submitted to refereed academic journals. Of the
hundreds of article (and book) manuscripts that have passed through my
hands, lack of awareness of existing research on the topic has been one of
the most frequent grounds for a negative recommendation. Of the nearly
300 people in 20-odd countries who subscribe to NABOKV-L, at least one
third are actively engaged in Nabokov research. Nearly all of the major
Nabokov specialists are on the list. The number of Nabokov-related
publications that come out in a year is imposing. It is to the advantage
of all that announcement of new work be prompt.
My rather idle "threat" to drop subscribers who systematically
neglect to notify the list of their current NABOKOV publications was
intended only to improve the usefulness of the list to its subscribers.
At some future date I would like make the list still more useful by
setting up a "Work-in-Progress" section or file. (A prior attempt proved
abortive.)
Lastly, I would like to thank the many subscribers who have
reported their own publications and other items of interest. The
effectiveness of any list depends upon the contributions of its
subscribers and many of you have gone to amazing lengths to provide
information for fellow subscribers. In closing, I would also remark that
NABOKV-L is open to anyone interested in Nabokov whether that interest be
professional or just for the hell of it. Or both.
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
My overly brisk note encouraging subscribers to overcome their modesty
and let fellow NABOKV-L subscribers know of their new publications seems
to have been confusing. Be reassured that NO ONE will be dropped from the
list in the foreseeable future. In fact, if you are NOT publishing
material about Nabokov, the posting can be ignored. If you are publishing
work about Nabokov, the other subscribers would doubtless like to know
about it as soon as possible. The prompt publicizing of new Nabokov
scholarship is among the priorities of NABOKV-L and the first to know of
a new publication is the author.
My note was triggered by a suggestion from a subscriber as a way of
encouraging people who publish work about Nabokov to inform the rest of
us promptly. I (and doubtless the original proposer) have, on occasion, been
irked to run across citations of such published work in journals and
bibliographies only several months after its appearance.
Up-to-the-minute familiarity with the published research can help avoid
duplicating work and often plays an important role in the acceptance or
rejection of articles submitted to refereed academic journals. Of the
hundreds of article (and book) manuscripts that have passed through my
hands, lack of awareness of existing research on the topic has been one of
the most frequent grounds for a negative recommendation. Of the nearly
300 people in 20-odd countries who subscribe to NABOKV-L, at least one
third are actively engaged in Nabokov research. Nearly all of the major
Nabokov specialists are on the list. The number of Nabokov-related
publications that come out in a year is imposing. It is to the advantage
of all that announcement of new work be prompt.
My rather idle "threat" to drop subscribers who systematically
neglect to notify the list of their current NABOKOV publications was
intended only to improve the usefulness of the list to its subscribers.
At some future date I would like make the list still more useful by
setting up a "Work-in-Progress" section or file. (A prior attempt proved
abortive.)
Lastly, I would like to thank the many subscribers who have
reported their own publications and other items of interest. The
effectiveness of any list depends upon the contributions of its
subscribers and many of you have gone to amazing lengths to provide
information for fellow subscribers. In closing, I would also remark that
NABOKV-L is open to anyone interested in Nabokov whether that interest be
professional or just for the hell of it. Or both.
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