EDNOTE. Carolyn's note reflects a Russian phenomenon little know in the U.S. Russiansscientists traditionally have strong literary interests. VN's major Russian translator, Sergey Ilyin, for example is a physicist by education.
----- Original Message -----
From: Carolyn Kunin
To: Vladimir Nabokov Forum
Sent: Friday, June 27, 2003 6:42 PM
Subject: VN in the USSR

To the List,

Recent postings regarding knowledge of VN in Russia during the days of the EE (as per RR) prompt me to contribute my 2 cents' worth and introduce members of the list to a remarkable man and his wonderful book -- the latter undeservedly little known.

The author I refer to is Mark Azbel', a physist and one-time Jewish Refusenik, now residing in Israel. The book, with the most unfortunate title of Refusenik, Trapped in the USSR -- was written between 1979 and 1980 (with the editorial help of Grace Pierce Forbes, recently deceased) and published by Houghton Mifflin in 1981. Most public libraries have a copy and inexpensive copies are to be found via the 'net.

This is one of those few books to which one returns over and over again, for the stories it tells are among those that must not be forgotten. They are told in a natural and engaging manner that I never tire of re-reading.  Aside from the stories of Azbel' growing up in the Ukraine during the dark days of Stalinism, most of Azbel's tales have to do with his remarkable career in physics and the many remarkable people with whom he came into contact (among them the most famous name is Sakharov's).

But the reason that I bring this book to your attention is the remarkable (really, I can't think of a better word!) role literature played in Azbel's life. He was fortunate at the age of twelve to find a trove of "forbidden" classics of Russian, European and American literature at his local library (apparently collected and forgotten in the chaos following the war) and thereby taught himself to appreciate literature.

How he came to know of and to appreciate Nabokov's work, unfortunately is not told. But because of his high position in Soviet physics (terminated abruptly of course with his request to emigrate) he did have contacts with Westerners and presumably received some contraband literature (at the time of publication, much still could not be disclosed).

Carolyn Kunin