Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0009438, Mon, 15 Mar 2004 18:12:10 -0800

Subject
Fw: Martin Amis on Bellow , VN , et al
Date
Body
EDNOTE. We are straying from VN, I fear. As for Mr. Bellow, my indifference is purely personal. My own reaction to literature is grounded in elegance of language and perception. Bellow's virtues lie elsewhere.

----- Original Message -----
From: MalignD@aol.com
To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
Sent: Monday, March 15, 2004 2:54 PM
Subject: Fw: Martin Amis on Bellow , VN , et al


<<I've never met any of those here who have challenged Mr. Amis's claims for Mr. Bellow. And I have corresponded with, I think, one of them, on the basis of, say, once every four or five months.




I take it you are the one who is embarrassed. Why?>>


I read in the responses a kneejerk dismissal of Bellow by those who posted as if, here on the VN list, no further explanation necessary. My embarrassment--although I was speaking rhetorically--would be for those who posted.

<<I can't speak for the erudite, but Bellow's grasp of "the street" can be had in the reading of a half dozen Sunday magazines.>>

Bellow writes no better than a Sunday magazine journalist? You're making me embarrased for real.




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