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Vladimir Nabokov: Lolita

Having read in Vera about how the two VNs swapped personae in their business correspondence, it' s even more amusing to read some of their letters.

Of course I went straight to the late fifties and early sixties. ;)
 
This one was sent Airmail, Special Delivery on April 20, 1960:

Dear Mr Harris,

I am informed that a French motion picture company is about to make a picture entitiled "The Nymphets" ("Les Nymphettes"). The use of this title is an infringement of my rights since this term was invented by me for the main character in my novel Lolita and has now become completely synonymous with Lolita in the minds of readers thrughout the world.
In other words, any title with the term "nymphet" in it would naturally and inevitably suggest Lolita, whether she is named or not.
Could you please find out the exact name and address of the French company in question. It is my intention to sue them without delay.

Sincerely yours,

Vladimir Nabokov
Click to expand...

:D
 
Which reference book was that last letter from SIL? The Boyd?

Y'all are going to make me get that too. At that rate how can I acutally give it back to the library!!?
Do you remember that Charlton Heston years ago said about his guns and rifles that someone would have to pry them from his cold, dead hands? Thats how I feel about the books I like. There has only been one instance that I can remember in recent times that I actually got a book from the library because I figured I would not like it. :rolleyes: And I was right!
 
THis one is Vladimir Nabokov Selected Letters 1940-1977, Edited by Dmitri Nabokov and Matthew J Bruccoli. Copyright 1989. It's only been checked out twice (including me) since February of 1990. It's in pristine condition!

Okay.
December 17, 1961

Dear Mr Kubrick,

Please believe that I have never held you responsible for my not having been shown the picture.
Since you have been so kind to send me that wire, I shall now confess that not only have I been disappointed not to have been the first to see the film, but also not to be kept informed of the general developments. I would have liked to know the tentative date of the general release; whether or not it has received the seal of approval in the US (I know it did in England); who will distribute it in the various countries, [etc. etc.]

Since I am entitled to a percentage of the profits I would have thought [etc.etc] I apologize for putting all this griping in your lap but it is the only lap available to me. [etc.etc.]

Sincerely yours,

Vladimir Nabokov
Click to expand...

:D
 
March 3, 1964

Dear Sir,

My husband asks me to send you his answers to your questions of December 27th:

1. Pencil

2. Anyhow

3. Anywhere

4. It finds me.

He has a question for you: Why do you spell his name with two "a"s?

Yours truly,

(Mrs. Vladimir Nabokov)
Click to expand...

The questions were: how VN wrote, when he wrote, where he wrote, and how he found inspiration.

:D
 
StillILearn said:
This one was sent Airmail, Special Delivery on April 20, 1960:



:D
Click to expand...
Still,
Boy, does THAT sound like Vera! Go get'em tiger!
The letters sound like a fantastic treasure trove! Great purchase!
Peder
 
And lastly ...

January 8, 1964

Dear Mr Dobell,

I have given much thought to the highly attractive and flattering offer (in your letter of Dec 27) to take the place of Miss Dorothy Parker whose admiring reader I have been for years.

Very reluctantly, I must decline it. I am a painfully slow writer: it would take me ten days at least to write my column, and I could not possibly fit this regularly into my crowded schedule. I am not getting any older but neither is my present season that of blooming and energetic youth.

It is, of course, not a matter of pay which I consider quite adequate but purely one of non-elastic time.

With best regards,

Sincerely yours,

Vladimir Nabokov
Click to expand...


ROTFL ....................................................
 
StillILearn said:
THis one is Vladimir Nabokov Selected Letters 1940-1977, Edited by Dmitri Nabokov and Matthew J Bruccoli. Copyright 1989. It's only been checked out twice (including me) since February of 1990. It's in pristine condition!

Okay.


:D
Click to expand...
Still
The [etc, etc]'s are his I assume?
If so, just priceless!
Peder
 
Peder said:
Still
The [etc, etc]'s are his I assume?
If so, just priceless!
Peder
Click to expand...


No no no. The [etc.] s were mine. I do not have the typographical fortitude of a (Mrs Vladimir Nabokov).

I just wanted to get the general essence of each missive across.

They are priceless, are't they? :D
 
StillILearn said:
No no no. The [etc.] s were mine. I do not have the typographical fortitude of a (Mrs Vladimir Nabokov).

I just wanted to get the general essence of each missive across.

They are priceless, are't they? :D
Click to expand...

Still,
The super-perfect example of less is more! :) :) :)

I think your excerpts may start a ground swell of demand for his (and Vera's) Letters, first Pontalba, now me.

They are so much better directly than any amount of description.

And PS I've always enjoyed reading biography, the little I have done of it.

Keep going!
Please, :)
Peder
 
Peder said:
Still,
The super-perfect example of less is more! :) :) :)

I think your excerpts may start a ground swell of demand for his (and Vera's) Letters, first Pontalba, now me.

They are so much better directly than any amount of description.

Keep going!
Please, :)
Peder
Click to expand...

My fingers are falling off.
 
SIL Please provide the exact title of the source of these wonderful gems you keep posting. Are they from Boyd? Thats what I thought at first, but now I need to know!!! :D


And you bloody well know why! :p
 
pontalba said:
SIL Please provide the exact title of the source of these wonderful gems you keep posting. Are they from Boyd? Thats what I thought at first, but now I need to know!!! :D


And you bloody well know why! :p
Click to expand...

Here we go. Doesn't look as if it'll come cheap. Maybe you should just 'borrow' it from your local library. ;)

Selected Letters
 
More letters ...

February 3, 1954

Dear Laughlin,

Would you be interested in publishing a timebomb that I have just finished putting together? It is a novel of 459 [!] typewritten pages.

If you would like to see it, the following precautions would have to be observed:

First of all, I would have to have your word that you alone would read it. Everthing else could be settled later. You would further have to give me an address where the MS could reach you personally and directly. This is a very serious matter for me, as you will understand after reading the work.

Sincerely,
Vladimir Nabokov
Click to expand...


459 pages? He must have edited it after this letter was written.
 
December 23, 1953

Dear Katharine,

... I shall try to explain about the book. Its subject is such that V., as a college teacher, cannot very well publish it under his real name. Especially, since the book is written in the first person, and the "general" reader has the unfortunate inclination to identify the invented "I" of the story with its author. (This is, perhaps particularly true of the American "general" reader).

Accordingly, V. has decided to publish the book under an assumed name (provided he can find a publisher) and wait for the reviews before divulging his identity. It is of the utmost importance to him that his incognito be respected. He would trust you, of course, and Andy, if you promise to keep the secret.

... (there's more along these lines)

V. is very anxious to hear from you about it and have your assurance of complete secrecy before he sends you the MS. Moreover, the nature of the plot being what it is, he hesitates about mailing it.

... (more along these lines)

He doubts, however, that any part of the book can be suitable for the New Yorker. But he would like you to read it.

Best wishes from both of us to both of you.

Sincerely,

(unsigned)
Click to expand...
At this point they are all referring to Lolita as "the little girl". :rolleyes:

Very cloak and daggerish stuff, yes?
 
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