Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0005906, Sat, 14 Apr 2001 10:36:53 -0700

Subject
Re: Calvino on Nabokov & Calvino
Date
Body
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In a message dated 4/13/01 1:47:23 PM, chtodel@gte.net writes:

<< As in many other cases, I have
difficulty seeing alleged similarities between VN's style and that of
other writers ... >>

What if it's not so much about "similarities" between styles as about
similar
intensity of linguistic (?) verbal (?) professional (?)
self-awareness?..
Better in Russian: ia vpolne ponimaiu, kak Italo Calvino mog govorit' o
sxodstve ne mezhdu ego i nabokovski stilem, no mezhdu nim i Nabokovym
kak
professionalami, dlia kotoryx pisatel'stvo est' v pervuiu ochered'
vorozhba,
tainstvo, igra i t.d.

[DBJ translation: I fully understand how Calvino can speak of
similarity, not between his and VN's style, but between himself and VN
as professionals for whom writing is, before all else, sorcery (?),
sacrament (?), game, etc.]

Best, Victoria Vainer
-------------------------
EDITOR's Comment. I have, perhaps injudiciously, chosen to supply a
translation for VV's Russian text. She is, I think, absolutely right. To
speak of "similarity" (as I did) without specifying "in what respect" is
ill-advised.