EDNOTE. There has been a surprisingly large
response to my off-hand suggestion about a group-read of one or both of
Nabokov's last two works--Transparent Things (TT) and Look at the
Harlequins! (LATH). I would suggest TT since it is short--as are its
chapters which make convenient units for analysis and comments. It is about
a hundred pages in 26 chapters. I suggest everyone who is interested do a
preliminary individual reading in the next week or two. We shall then set up a
schedule--perhaps a month for the whole. I propose a close reading, i.e.,
explication of the text. At the end -- perhaps a discussion of more general
issues. Feedback on the possible procedure is welcome for the next few days.
I am also supplying a background bibliography.