Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0015648, Mon, 5 Nov 2007 21:59:25 -0500

Subject
QUERY: Marianne Moore, Edsel Ford, and VN
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Date
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Dear List,

Marianne Moore's famous line about poetry and "imaginary gardens with real toads in them" has often been quoted and it appears in "The Annotated Lolita."
While I was googling for information about Moore ( not the sculptor who makes his appearance very indirectly - as I was once told - nor one of the characters in "Transparent Things" ) I discovered that she is related to the prosaic Ford failure, the Edsel car.
Could VN have also had Mariane Moore in mind when he quoted the verses from a "real" Edsel Ford ( M. Roth's find and demonstrative quotes), thereby adding a curious twist to his Edsel reference in Pale Fire?
.......................
google: In 1955, Moore was informally invited by David Wallace, manager of marketing research for Ford's "E-car" project, and his co-worker Bob Young to provide input with regard to the naming of the car. Wallace's rationale was "Who better to understand the nature of words than a poet?" History has greatly exaggerated Moore's relationship to the project: her contributions were meant to stir creative thought and were not officially authorized or contractual in nature.
The car was finally christened the Edsel...

Jansy Mello

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