I wonder if you could explain your comments below; I don't think I understand the nature of your objections. Are you concerned that RR thinks too much of VN's writing? Is it distasteful in any way to compare VN and Shakespeare? As for RR's point about revisions, I have felt something very similar when looking at the Pale Fire manuscript. While I respect the author-ity of the final, published versions of VN's books, I do think that his manuscripts offer a window onto his creative process and, by extension, his humanity.

Matt

>>> On 9/26/2009 at 10:35 AM, jansymello <jansy@AETERN.US> wrote:Although I have felt something that gets close to Rosenbaum's enthusiastic & wonderful descriptions of VN magic ("the equivalent of the secret of lightining...akin to the secret code of higher human consciousness..."), his comparison bt. saints and their miracles ("it made them the palest of pale fire in comparison...) or the pairing of Nabokov and Shakespeare, strike me as being in very bad taste. As was his praise of scrawls, revisions and corrections that would turn these geniuses' efforts into a work "more perfect" because they reveal "their humanity".

All private editorial communications, without exception, are read by both co-editors.

Search the archive	Contact the Editors	Visit "Nabokov Online Journal"
Visit Zembla	View Nabokv-L Policies	Manage subscription options