Subject
DN on VN cover art (fwd)
Date
Body
EDITOR's NOTE. Dmitri Nabokov responds to the flurry of postings on
paperback cover art of VN editions. To DN's generous response, I append
Paul L. Maliszewski" <plmalisz@mailbox.syr.edu>'s latest message to DN's
comments.
-----------------------------------------
DMITRI NABOKOV (from his fax of March 25, 1997):
"I...confess...to being a fringe closet book jacket designer (thanks for
noticing, Mr. Kartsev). Frustrated by some dismal efforts from assorted
publishers, father asked me to do three, for paperbacks of _Invitation_,
_The Gift_, and _The Defense_ -- the latter's lines being slightly
reinforced by an in-house artist. But, to answer another comment letter,
it is just as unfair to condemn all the cover designs as to call the
entirety of Kubrick's work or Lyne's, whatever one's pick, uniformly
poshlym. There have been plenty of awful and mediocre designs, but some of
our best publishers submit their covers to me by contract. There's an
occasional friendly skirmish with, usually, a happy outcome. Adelphi,
Penguin, and Vintage are, in particular, paragons of good cover art.
Father did like that just-mentioned front-and-back girl, mainly because he
found the idea witty. And he himself drafted some orchids, I believe, for
_Ada_"
---------------------------------
From Paul Maliszewski:
I'm the original poster of the message about cover art on VN's books.
First let me say how amazed I am at the sheer number of posts and interest
of the subscribers of this list. I really just expected to get a little
help with a good source. On this count, everyone who pointed me in the
direction of Selected Letters has done me a huge favor; I picked up the
book at a used store this past weekend and have been reading it ever
since. But the people who have posted descriptions of their own favorite
paperback illustrations have also been a big help--some of those books I
have, some I can only imagine their gruesomeness.
Since posting, I've written a letter to Dmitri Nabokov inquiring about his
role in producing at least two illustrations. Not only haven't I seen
those, but I can only glean the barest information from Selected Letters.
Do you have an address where I can contact him?
Thanks for your help,
Paul
Paul Maliszewski
601 Clarendon St.
Syracuse, NY 13210
paperback cover art of VN editions. To DN's generous response, I append
Paul L. Maliszewski" <plmalisz@mailbox.syr.edu>'s latest message to DN's
comments.
-----------------------------------------
DMITRI NABOKOV (from his fax of March 25, 1997):
"I...confess...to being a fringe closet book jacket designer (thanks for
noticing, Mr. Kartsev). Frustrated by some dismal efforts from assorted
publishers, father asked me to do three, for paperbacks of _Invitation_,
_The Gift_, and _The Defense_ -- the latter's lines being slightly
reinforced by an in-house artist. But, to answer another comment letter,
it is just as unfair to condemn all the cover designs as to call the
entirety of Kubrick's work or Lyne's, whatever one's pick, uniformly
poshlym. There have been plenty of awful and mediocre designs, but some of
our best publishers submit their covers to me by contract. There's an
occasional friendly skirmish with, usually, a happy outcome. Adelphi,
Penguin, and Vintage are, in particular, paragons of good cover art.
Father did like that just-mentioned front-and-back girl, mainly because he
found the idea witty. And he himself drafted some orchids, I believe, for
_Ada_"
---------------------------------
From Paul Maliszewski:
I'm the original poster of the message about cover art on VN's books.
First let me say how amazed I am at the sheer number of posts and interest
of the subscribers of this list. I really just expected to get a little
help with a good source. On this count, everyone who pointed me in the
direction of Selected Letters has done me a huge favor; I picked up the
book at a used store this past weekend and have been reading it ever
since. But the people who have posted descriptions of their own favorite
paperback illustrations have also been a big help--some of those books I
have, some I can only imagine their gruesomeness.
Since posting, I've written a letter to Dmitri Nabokov inquiring about his
role in producing at least two illustrations. Not only haven't I seen
those, but I can only glean the barest information from Selected Letters.
Do you have an address where I can contact him?
Thanks for your help,
Paul
Paul Maliszewski
601 Clarendon St.
Syracuse, NY 13210