Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0002000, Thu, 10 Apr 1997 15:33:18 -0700

Subject
Nabokov contra Bunuel, etc.... (fwd) -Reply (fwd)
Date
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From: Wayne Daniels <wdaniels@gwmail.mtrl.toronto.on.ca>

"Is Shade's poem any good?"

This reminds me Anthony Burgess' experience of a reviewer who
remarked that it would have been helpful if he, Burgess, had
indicated whether the poems attributed to the eponymous hero in the
Enderby novels were meant to be any good. The novelist found this, if
I can recall his words, "a strange example of critical paralysis."

No I don't think Shade's poem is particularly good. Clever, yes, but
good poems don't exist for such a purpose as this one has. An
antepostmodern view, perhaps, but so be it. Now give me a moment to
duck.

Best,

Wayne Daniels

Metro Toronto Reference Library
wdaniels@gwmail.mtrl.toronto.on.ca