Nabokov's Laura; to burn or not to burn?

[jenmcd]

I would publish it - if he really hadn't wanted it to appear surely he would have destroyed it himself.

 

[StillILearn]

My opinion is that he should burn it - but not until after I've read it.

 

[steffee]

It would be criminal to burn it. If... oh, never mind. I want to read it, too.

 

[SFG75]

It would be criminal to burn it. If... oh, never mind. I want to read it, too.

Oh me too, it's like knowing there is a hush-hush secret and you are just DYING to find out.

NPR article.

 

[pontalba]

I know it's past the fact, but it should have been burned IMO.

 

[sparkchaser]

I know it's past the fact, but it should have been burned IMO.

So you won't be reading it then?

 

[pontalba]

So you won't be reading it then?

To be quite honest, I tend to doubt it. At first I thought I would, but I don't think I'd feel right about reading it. It was not ready for public consumption, people have compared it to the 'almost burning' of Lolita's manuscript, but I don't think that is a fair comparison. First of all that was a completed work, and he was around to change his mind, or allow his mind to be changed by the ever vigilant Vera.
I've read that he penned the same note on all of his works until he was finished with them, so he meant that any of his manuscripts should not be published unless finished.

Anyone that has read The Real Life of Sebastian Knight knows exactly what VN thought of that sort of thing.

OTOH, he is dead, and doesn't know or care what is happening, so it can't hurt him. But death bed request should be honored if it is in the power of the recipient to grant it. I can understand Vera not being able to do it...I wish she had, all of this nonsense would be a moot point, and Dimitri would not have this circus to deal with. But it is what it is.

And I know that's more than you asked, but that's it.

 

[erin1980]

Nabokov appeared to his son and told him it would be ok to publish it, so you can quit thinking you're morally superior to all of us because you're respecting his wishes the book not be read.

Not reading Laura because Nabokov didn't want you to, is as dumb as believing he really appeared to Dmitri and told him to publish it.

 

[Stewart]

I would publish it - if he really hadn't wanted it to appear surely he would have destroyed it himself.

Playing up on that old Irish stereotype, I see. You'd think he wouldn't have died if he wanted to finish it.

 

[Jez]

Wow. Who are you addressing, Erin?

 

[pontalba]

Nabokov appeared to his son and told him it would be ok to publish it, so you can quit thinking you're morally superior to all of us because you're respecting his wishes the book not be read.

Not reading Laura because Nabokov didn't want you to, is as dumb as believing he really appeared to Dmitri and told him to publish it.

Not sure if you're referring to my post or not, but otoh, you couldn't be because I said....

OTOH, he is dead, and doesn't know or care what is happening, so it can't hurt him.

As to your other remarks, all I can say is to each his/her own kettle of principles.

 

[Stewart]

To tantalise: a photo of The Original Of Laura index cards as showin in Le Monde.

 

[Peder]

Many sincere thanks Stewart! It is a genuine thrill to see it.

On the other hand, and however, I really have to say that I personally find it quite dispiriting to see the prevalence of the attititude that "Because I want to see it/read it/publish it, it doesn't make any difference what the other guy thinks, thought or wanted."

But that's the kind of personal feeling that has frequently gotten me into trouble other times on other topics, so I hope the brawl this time isn't too bad. It's the "me" Age, I guess, and I am definitely a dinosaur from a different one. Can't help it.

Probably I should have burned this post. Thought about it. But I can't help that either.

 

[beer good]

While I can certainly understand that, Peder, I'm not sure it's anything to do with any specific age. Again, the example of Max Brod and Franz Kafka springs to mind... and I'm pretty happy that we have Kafka's writings today, whatever he himself may have thought of it.

 

[Peder]

No complaint from me.

 

[pontalba]

On one hand I relish seeing the cards, but otoh, part of me cringes.....as though seeing too intimate a peek at a person that was intensely private. Almost an invasion of privacy.
Knowing how he felt about his work, it doesn't seem fair.

 

[UncleReader]

I'm glad the decision is not in my hands. What an enormous burden to be saddled with.

 

[Stewart]

I'm glad the decision is not in my hands. What an enormous burden to be saddled with.

The decision was made ages ago. Keep up.

 

[Robert]

Final Nabokov Work Planned for November

He wanted to burn “Lolita” too. Vladimir Nabokov instructed that his final unfinished manuscript be destroyed, but his son, Dmitri, decided last year to defy his father’s wishes and publish it instead. “The Original of Laura” will be published on Nov. 3 in the United States (Knopf) and Britain (Penguin Classics), BBC News reported. Vladimir Nabokov wrote the work on 138 index cards, which have been stored for the past 30 years in a bank vault in Switzerland, where Nabokov died in 1977. Each of the cards will be reproduced with a transcript of the text on the facing page. Alexis Kirschbaum, an editor at Penguin Classics, said, “It was quite emotional for Dimitri because it was a big decision to publish, which took him decades.” In 2010 Penguin plans to release a collection of Nabokov’s poems that have not previously appeared in English.

 

[StillILearn]

In my opinion, this is tantamount to preventing a suicide.