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Fw: Fw: Patricia Highsmith and Lolita's road trip
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EDNOTE. The "road novel" exchange set me to musing. My first thought was
that it was a major AMERICAN ( or primarily so) genre probably connected
with the early predominance of the car in U.S. life. And how curious that
one of its preeminent examplars would be by a Russian emigre to the U.S.
That aspect of LOLITA derived of course from VN's butterfly expeditions west
(driven by Vera). The Nabokovs never had a car in Europe and always
travelled by train.
I suspect a set if subdefinitions are in order. Subcategory of the
picaresque? Quixote? Gogol's Dead Souls?
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Bennett" <mab@straussandasher.com>
To: "'Vladimir Nabokov Forum'" <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
>
> ----------------- Message requiring your approval (29
lines) ------------------
> If the definition is stretched but a little, even "Huckleberry Finn" and
> "Moby Dick" might be described as "road novels"
>
>
>
>
> > ----------------- Message requiring your approval (16
> lines) ------------------
> > Dear Don and List,
> >
> > There must be thousands of "road novels," and hundreds with roadside
> > culture and motels in them. When cornered, even Rabbit Angstrom took
> > to
> the
> > road, like Kerouac and Cassady. There are probably dozens of
> "transgressive
> > sex road novels." Movies too; one thinks of "Easy Rider," "Sugarland
> > Express," or "Thelma and Louise." After all, in the USA, where's the
> > only place you can go when your dirty secret forces you to get out of
> > town? I believe that Patricia Highsmith could never have been VN's
> > muse -- not
> even
> > as Yolande Kickshaw!
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Tom (Rymour)
> >
> >
that it was a major AMERICAN ( or primarily so) genre probably connected
with the early predominance of the car in U.S. life. And how curious that
one of its preeminent examplars would be by a Russian emigre to the U.S.
That aspect of LOLITA derived of course from VN's butterfly expeditions west
(driven by Vera). The Nabokovs never had a car in Europe and always
travelled by train.
I suspect a set if subdefinitions are in order. Subcategory of the
picaresque? Quixote? Gogol's Dead Souls?
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Bennett" <mab@straussandasher.com>
To: "'Vladimir Nabokov Forum'" <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
>
> ----------------- Message requiring your approval (29
lines) ------------------
> If the definition is stretched but a little, even "Huckleberry Finn" and
> "Moby Dick" might be described as "road novels"
>
>
>
>
> > ----------------- Message requiring your approval (16
> lines) ------------------
> > Dear Don and List,
> >
> > There must be thousands of "road novels," and hundreds with roadside
> > culture and motels in them. When cornered, even Rabbit Angstrom took
> > to
> the
> > road, like Kerouac and Cassady. There are probably dozens of
> "transgressive
> > sex road novels." Movies too; one thinks of "Easy Rider," "Sugarland
> > Express," or "Thelma and Louise." After all, in the USA, where's the
> > only place you can go when your dirty secret forces you to get out of
> > town? I believe that Patricia Highsmith could never have been VN's
> > muse -- not
> even
> > as Yolande Kickshaw!
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Tom (Rymour)
> >
> >