Subject
VN Bibliography: Interview (June 23, 1940)
Date
Body
EDITOR'S NOTE. Svetlana Polsky, whom we once again thank, has sent us
xeroxes of Nabokoviana from the current Russian press.
-----------------------------
The highlight is a reprint of Nabokov first interview in America
"V.V.Sirin-Nabokov v N'yu-iorke chuvstvuet sebya 'svoim'. "Nabokov feels
at home in NYC". First appearing in NY's "Novoe russkoe slovo" on 23 June
1940 about a month after the Nabokovs' arrival in the U.S., the interview
is reprinted in the "Kulisa" section of _Nezavisimaya Gazeta_ No. 4, Feb.
26, 1999, p. 10.
Among the nuggets:
VN & Mark Aldanov were the only Russian writers in Paris who
subsisted on their literary earnings.
VN likes NYC and in contrast to Paris finds it "quiet,
harmonious, and well-proportioned." There is no "rush" and life goes more slowly than
in Paris. People live more comfortably here."An amazing quiet reigns of
the streets which I exlain as a uniformity of sound. In Europe the sounds
are quite diverse and, consequently, markedly noisier." Colors are
different here and even the electric light is of a different hue. Somehow
... everything reminds me of a color photograph.
The intervew discusses his father, VN's writings, and reports that
he is
working on two books - one English, the other Russian. Vn remarks that the
period of the Russian emigration in Europe is now ended. In closing, he
tells two anecdotes:
1. "I walked into an automat for a glass of chocolate milk (xolodnyi
shokolad ?). I dropped in
a nickel, turned the handle, and the chocolate
poured out onto the floor. I had absentmindedly forgotten to put a glass
beneath the faucet. SO, here one must master using the glass.
2. I dropped by a barber shop and after exchanging a few words with the
barber, the latter remarked.
"It's apparent that you are English, have
just arrived in the U.S., and work for the papers." Amazed by his
perspicacity, I asked "How did you arrive at this?"
Because you have a
British accent, you haven't worn out your European shoes, and because you
have a high brow and head typical of newspaper people."
"You're a real Sherlock Holmes, I said, flattering the barber."
The barber: "Who is this Sherlock Holmes?"
----------------------------------
A second item from the "Ex Libris" section of the _Nezavisimaya gazeta_ of
Feb. 2, 1999. "Roman vospitaniia chuvstv" is a review-essay of the new
Russian translation of VN's _Lectures on European Literature_ by Gleb
Shul'piakov.
xeroxes of Nabokoviana from the current Russian press.
-----------------------------
The highlight is a reprint of Nabokov first interview in America
"V.V.Sirin-Nabokov v N'yu-iorke chuvstvuet sebya 'svoim'. "Nabokov feels
at home in NYC". First appearing in NY's "Novoe russkoe slovo" on 23 June
1940 about a month after the Nabokovs' arrival in the U.S., the interview
is reprinted in the "Kulisa" section of _Nezavisimaya Gazeta_ No. 4, Feb.
26, 1999, p. 10.
Among the nuggets:
VN & Mark Aldanov were the only Russian writers in Paris who
subsisted on their literary earnings.
VN likes NYC and in contrast to Paris finds it "quiet,
harmonious, and well-proportioned." There is no "rush" and life goes more slowly than
in Paris. People live more comfortably here."An amazing quiet reigns of
the streets which I exlain as a uniformity of sound. In Europe the sounds
are quite diverse and, consequently, markedly noisier." Colors are
different here and even the electric light is of a different hue. Somehow
... everything reminds me of a color photograph.
The intervew discusses his father, VN's writings, and reports that
he is
working on two books - one English, the other Russian. Vn remarks that the
period of the Russian emigration in Europe is now ended. In closing, he
tells two anecdotes:
1. "I walked into an automat for a glass of chocolate milk (xolodnyi
shokolad ?). I dropped in
a nickel, turned the handle, and the chocolate
poured out onto the floor. I had absentmindedly forgotten to put a glass
beneath the faucet. SO, here one must master using the glass.
2. I dropped by a barber shop and after exchanging a few words with the
barber, the latter remarked.
"It's apparent that you are English, have
just arrived in the U.S., and work for the papers." Amazed by his
perspicacity, I asked "How did you arrive at this?"
Because you have a
British accent, you haven't worn out your European shoes, and because you
have a high brow and head typical of newspaper people."
"You're a real Sherlock Holmes, I said, flattering the barber."
The barber: "Who is this Sherlock Holmes?"
----------------------------------
A second item from the "Ex Libris" section of the _Nezavisimaya gazeta_ of
Feb. 2, 1999. "Roman vospitaniia chuvstv" is a review-essay of the new
Russian translation of VN's _Lectures on European Literature_ by Gleb
Shul'piakov.