Don,

I thought our Nabokov readership would be interested in this.

Alphonse

-----Original Message-----

From: Today in Literature [mailto:list@todayinliterature.com]

Sent: Wednesday, April 23, 2003 4:03 AM

Subject: Shakespeare, Cervantes and World Book Day (Apr 23)

TODAY IN LITERATURE April 23rd

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In this issue ...

1. Shakespeare, Cervantes and World Book Day

2. Quotation of the day

3. Also on this day

4. Tomorrow

5. Links

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TODAY: Shakespeare, Cervantes and World Book Day

On this day in 1616 both William Shakespeare and Miguel de

Cervantes died, prompting UNESCO to declare today "World Book and

Copyright Day." The declaration may also have been inspired by a

third death on this day, that of William Wordsworth in 1850. As

April 23 is also the generally accepted date of Shakespeare's

birth, the day is even more momentous. From Sonnet LXXIII:

That time of year thou mayest in me behold

When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang

Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,

Bare ruin'd choirs, where late the sweet birds sang. . . ..

To read the full article, please visit:

http://www.todayinliterature.com/today-ct.asp?id=4/23/2003

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Quotation of the Day:

"Sex as an institution, sex as a general notion, sex as a

problem, sex as a platitude-- all this is something I find too

tedious for words. Let us skip sex."

-- Vladimir Nabokov, born this day, 1899; in answer to a

question about the sexual satire in "Lolita"

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Also on this day in ... 1915

Rupert Brooke died on a naval hospital ship in the Mediterranean.

His reputation had been established before the war, and he only

saw one day of action himself, but a handful of "war sonnets"

praising the sacrifice and nobility of WWI soldiers and

published just prior to his own death on Easter Sunday made him

the symbol of gallant sacrifice. From his Times obituary,

written by Winston Churchill:

"A voice had become audible, a note had been struck, more

true, more thrilling, more able to do justice to the

nobility of our youth in arms engaged in this present war,

than any other more able to express their thoughts of

self-surrender, and with a power to carry comfort to those

who watch them so intently from afar."

Anniversaries:

Henry Vaughn died, 1695

Ngaio Marsh born, 1895

P.L. Travers (Mary Poppins) died, 1996

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