steffee
Active Member
Peder said:
I'm interested, will be back to discuss after reading
-
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Vladimir Nabokov: The Enchanter
- Thread starter Peder
- Start date
I'm interested, will be back to discuss after reading
Peder
Well-Known Member
I finally read the remaining three pages of the article and I have to say they developed in a different direction than I thought (and hoped) they would. Overall, the article is an erudite survey of a large number of individual scholarly books which themselves cover various aspects of Nabokov's entire output. There is relatively little said directly about any individual works of Nabokov, or of his style, apart from a few sentences which may be gleaned here and there. So, the article is definitely by an expert, for the experts.Peder said:All,
Well, guess what?!
Finally did the obvious and searched (Reading Approach Nabokov), turning up the following large article (~5 pages) that I have only read two pages of, but which seems relevant, or at least interesting:
Reading Nabokov Whole
In case anyone is interested,
It may therefore be that The Cambridge Companion to Nabokov is the most useful for what I am looking for, namely an overview of his novels with enough information about them to help organize my thoughts about which ones to read or buy next.
The Cambridge Companion to Nabokov
Or maybe continuing to look at the individual descriptions at amazon is the only way to go, as I have been doing.
Or maybe reading the back-cover summaries, as I have been doing.
But I was hoping for something that would replace my random approach by a more informed and systematic approach. "Look! If you are going to read Nabokov, then here's how you should do it," whatever that prescription might be.
There's so much,
Peder
Peder
Well-Known Member
In a different vein, I came across the following quite accidentally
Psychoanalyze Humbert
It is a list at amazon by an informed reader using quotes from Lolita interleaved with his own reactions (and humor), -- and mentioning a fair number of related books so approach with extreme caution!
In any event I thought it made interesting light reading on the heavy topic of Humbert's pedophilia.
Peder
Psychoanalyze Humbert
It is a list at amazon by an informed reader using quotes from Lolita interleaved with his own reactions (and humor), -- and mentioning a fair number of related books so approach with extreme caution!
In any event I thought it made interesting light reading on the heavy topic of Humbert's pedophilia.
Peder
StillILearn
New Member
pontalba said:Oh, and BTW, good news for me! The husband of a good friend told me that all I need is some sort of special expanding, or something like that screw to go into the metal studs, and yay!, shelves are up where I actually want them!!
Omigosh! Congratulations, pontalba! By my calculations you have just about enough room for about eighty more one-clicks!
Were they called "molly" screws?
steffee
Active Member
pontalba said:No. I think something stronger than molly bolts are needed. This is some sort of screw that expands thru metal. I'm not really sure. I just know he said it would work and not fall down and tear the sheetrock out! LOL
Well done, that's great
LOL at the 81 clicks, Still
pontalba
Well-Known Member
StillILearn said:Omigosh! Congratulations, pontalba! By my calculations you have just about enough room for about eighty more one-clicks!
Were they called "molly" screws?
Hah! That shelf room is already spoken for I am compelled to admit.
I have stacks in um...various rooms throughout the house.....
SFG75
Well-Known Member
Peder said:In a different vein, I came across the following quite accidentally
Psychoanalyze Humbert
It is a list at amazon by an informed reader using quotes from Lolita interleaved with his own reactions (and humor), -- and mentioning a fair number of related books so approach with extreme caution!
In any event I thought it made interesting light reading on the heavy topic of Humbert's pedophilia.
Peder
Interesting list Peder. They look like credible psychological research books on the topic. Unofortunately, the number of Humberts and others of his ilk are enough to warrant such research. While the topic is somewhat uncomfortable to discuss, I mean-who is about to say: "Oh yeah, I'm reading clinical research about child sex abuse." With that being said, I think a few of those books would help a person to get into Humbert's head. So that's the problem-does one want to venture there like Jodie Foster?
Peder
Well-Known Member
SFGSFG75 said:With that being said, I think a few of those books would help a person to get into Humbert's head. So that's the problem-does one want to venture there like Jodie Foster?
Yes the books definitely look like serious books on the topic. I was amused though, at his light-hearted approach to laying out his thoughts and information, especially "Hey, Pops, if you really want to do something for me, go see a movie for a couple hours.."
As for getting really far inside Humbert's head, that wasn't really on my mind. I myself can live with a considerable degree of imprecision in understanding Humbert's gray cells, especially since I'm not necessarily convinced yet that he is that realistically drawn. He is a fictional character, and Nabokov was writing fiction, not a psychiatric manual, so my gut tells me it may be a very vague connection to try to pursue. If one were really in the Nabokovian research game, then it would be the original materials from his era that Nabokov used for his research that I would be more interested in finding and seeing.So I really meant the list for reading as pastime, rather than for purchasing the books. A psychiatrist who specifically wrote up his conclusions re Humbert (if he could) would be interesting to read. But reading the research background myself, and then trying to make the connection to Humbert, is above my pay grade, I think.
Peder
SFG75
Well-Known Member
Psychohistory is a neat subsection of historical study. Richard Nixon is a popular topic in it, as well as Hitler. I have a great book about psychology and Hitler. It would be neat to see someone try and create a diagnosis and free association session with old Humbert. Of course, a little fictional license would have to be taken to produce it, kind of like if you were to create a trial for Lee Harvey Oswald, but it would be a good task to try and accomplish.
Peder
Well-Known Member
SFG,SFG75 said:
Actually I'd be surprised that someone hasn't done it already, if they haven't. He has only been the most famous pedophile around since the mid-50's
One might almost think it would be a standard topic among young psychiatrists as they flex their wings. Who knows, maybe even an exam question? But no doubt they have much more serious ways to approach their topic, and many many real case studies to grapple with. But still. Peder
SFG75
Well-Known Member
Who knows, maybe even an exam question?
Psychology 333:The Psychoanalysis of Humbert Humbert
1.)In a paragraph or less, provide a case history, diagnosis, and successful treatment plan for Humbert Humbert. Be sure to also provide treatment for his his ex-wife who ran off with the czarist cab-driver, as well as parenting classes for Big Haze.
Successfully diagnose, provide a case history, and successful treatment plan for them. II.)Carry it out with smashing success.
StillILearn
New Member
Just what comprises a paragraph or less?
pontalba
Well-Known Member
StillILearn said:Just what comprises a paragraph or less?
LOL SIL My question exactly.
Lengthwise.On another note, something I'd read in the beginning of Speak Memory, well the beginning is all I've gotten to, anyhow...it is mentioned that VN's father was upset that his children did not speak Russian. VN was 5 years old at the time. The father then sent the children to a school nearby to absorb Russian. Yet VN referred to Russian as his mother tongue. I just noticed something in the "Authors Note One" in The Enchanter, very end of the note on p. xvii. As follows:
(the italics in paragraph quoted mine)
This quote answers two questions. Firstly, the language issue. It was for me at any rate. The idea that someone could pick up a new language as an adult with the nuances that Nabokov uses and possesses was difficult for me to process. So, in a real sense, both English and Russian were his "first" languages. Secondly, VN did in fact consider there to be a strong connection between The Enchanter and Lolita.