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Fw: Kunin comments on Zimmer letter
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Kenny, Glenn" <gkenny@hfmus.com>
> ----------------- Message requiring your approval (55
lines) ------------------
> I don't think there's any great mystery to Nabokov's denial of knowledge
of
> German. IF it was a lie, one could surmise it was a white one, probably
> concocted to emphasize his contempt for a country that, readers of his
> "Nikolai Gogol" will recall, he wished to see destroyed down to its last
> beer-stein, and most certainly not concocted to throw literary detectives
> off the Lichberg trail.
>
> Does it matter? Only if it matters, as it were. That is, if this brouhaha
> has any long term effect, if it diminishes VN's reputation or enhances
> Lichberg's. I'd say either scenario is highly doubtful.
>
> > ----------
> > From: D. Barton Johnson
> > Reply To: Vladimir Nabokov Forum
> > Sent: Wednesday, May 12, 2004 12:18 PM
> > To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
> > Subject: Kunin comments on Zimmer letter
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Carolyn Kunin
> > _______________________________________________________________________
> >
> >
> >
> > Even if it could be substantiated that Nabokov in fact knew
> > Lichberg's story, there would be little insight to be gained from a
> > discovery of this sort. Nabokov was a most avid reader, and in all of
> > his works there are countless overt and covert literary echos. A
Lichberg
> > echo in Lolita would be just one more, and not a significant one. It
> > wouldn't matter.
> > >
> > > Dr. Dieter E. Zimmer
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> > >
> > Dear Dr Zimmer,
> >
> > I am inclined to agree with you. Most of the resemblances don't seem to
> > add up to much. However I do think that some future scholar who traces
> > Nabokov's attitude to German literature may perhaps find more here (and
in
> > other instances) than meets the eye.
> >
> > It is interesting that Nabokov tried to deny any knowledge of German. I
> > did it myself. And in retrospect I find it an interesting phenomenon. I
> > won't speculate further, but it is interesting.
> >
> > Does it matter? I think that really is the question, and I would hope to
> > see the List members discuss that further. Perhaps it would be helpful
to
> > look at the Bruder und Schwester evidence in this context. Don?
> >
> > Carolyn
> >
From: "Kenny, Glenn" <gkenny@hfmus.com>
> ----------------- Message requiring your approval (55
lines) ------------------
> I don't think there's any great mystery to Nabokov's denial of knowledge
of
> German. IF it was a lie, one could surmise it was a white one, probably
> concocted to emphasize his contempt for a country that, readers of his
> "Nikolai Gogol" will recall, he wished to see destroyed down to its last
> beer-stein, and most certainly not concocted to throw literary detectives
> off the Lichberg trail.
>
> Does it matter? Only if it matters, as it were. That is, if this brouhaha
> has any long term effect, if it diminishes VN's reputation or enhances
> Lichberg's. I'd say either scenario is highly doubtful.
>
> > ----------
> > From: D. Barton Johnson
> > Reply To: Vladimir Nabokov Forum
> > Sent: Wednesday, May 12, 2004 12:18 PM
> > To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
> > Subject: Kunin comments on Zimmer letter
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Carolyn Kunin
> > _______________________________________________________________________
> >
> >
> >
> > Even if it could be substantiated that Nabokov in fact knew
> > Lichberg's story, there would be little insight to be gained from a
> > discovery of this sort. Nabokov was a most avid reader, and in all of
> > his works there are countless overt and covert literary echos. A
Lichberg
> > echo in Lolita would be just one more, and not a significant one. It
> > wouldn't matter.
> > >
> > > Dr. Dieter E. Zimmer
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> > >
> > Dear Dr Zimmer,
> >
> > I am inclined to agree with you. Most of the resemblances don't seem to
> > add up to much. However I do think that some future scholar who traces
> > Nabokov's attitude to German literature may perhaps find more here (and
in
> > other instances) than meets the eye.
> >
> > It is interesting that Nabokov tried to deny any knowledge of German. I
> > did it myself. And in retrospect I find it an interesting phenomenon. I
> > won't speculate further, but it is interesting.
> >
> > Does it matter? I think that really is the question, and I would hope to
> > see the List members discuss that further. Perhaps it would be helpful
to
> > look at the Bruder und Schwester evidence in this context. Don?
> >
> > Carolyn
> >