Subject
ParaNabokoviana: Agayev's _Novel with Cocaine_
Date
Body
A few years ago a Russian novel by one M. Agayev resurfaced in PAris where
it had appeared in an emigre periodical in the thirties. The reappearance
was connected with Nikita Struve's theory that the novel's true author
was not the long-vanished and unknown Agayev but Nabokov. The book was
promptly republished and translated into English by Michael Heim. A furor
ensued between pro- and anti-Struvites. At length it was established that
Agayev was real, had written the book (possibly in poor imitation of VN's
style), and now lies buried in a grave in Istanbul.
Penguin is now reissuing the English version with a tortured (and
apparently long-overdue) introduction by no less than Will Self, a
first-rate youngish British writer (see, for example, his recent GREAT
APES). The TLS of 18 June 1999 column NB carries quotes from Self's
introductory essay. I lack the ambition to retype the squib but it is
truly bizarre. Perhaps there is some dedicated soul out there....
D. Barton Johnson
Department of Germanic, Slavic and Semitic Studies
Phelps Hall
University of California at Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA 93106
Phone and Fax: (805) 687-1825
Home Phone: (805) 682-4618
it had appeared in an emigre periodical in the thirties. The reappearance
was connected with Nikita Struve's theory that the novel's true author
was not the long-vanished and unknown Agayev but Nabokov. The book was
promptly republished and translated into English by Michael Heim. A furor
ensued between pro- and anti-Struvites. At length it was established that
Agayev was real, had written the book (possibly in poor imitation of VN's
style), and now lies buried in a grave in Istanbul.
Penguin is now reissuing the English version with a tortured (and
apparently long-overdue) introduction by no less than Will Self, a
first-rate youngish British writer (see, for example, his recent GREAT
APES). The TLS of 18 June 1999 column NB carries quotes from Self's
introductory essay. I lack the ambition to retype the squib but it is
truly bizarre. Perhaps there is some dedicated soul out there....
D. Barton Johnson
Department of Germanic, Slavic and Semitic Studies
Phelps Hall
University of California at Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA 93106
Phone and Fax: (805) 687-1825
Home Phone: (805) 682-4618