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I have question and a note about the reference VN made in Speak Memory
to
Waldo Frank's book, Dawn in Russia. The remark is in the context to the
European "fellow passanger" intelligensia, embodied by Nabokov's
friend "Nesbit". A search for the identity of "Nesbit" brought me to
this
list, more preciesely to the founder's posting that identifies "Nesbit"
as
Butler.
- I first read the English edition of Speak Memory around 1978-80. In
that edition, Waldo Frank's "Dawn in Russia" was mentioned by its
correct
title. Now I am reading the 2006 Hungarian translation of "Speak
Memory"
which surprisingly refers to "Dusk in Russia". Dawn and dusk can not be
easily mixed up by any translator. Is it possible that "dusk" is a pun
that
Nabokov added to a later edition of Speak Memory? I do not have the
English
edition of Speak Memory anymore, but perhaps someone could help me
out with this.
- It was not clear to me whether or not the question re the book's
difficult availability was posed by Prof. Jowhson, or it is a quote
from
Frank's biography. I myself inherited "Dawn in Russia" from a relative
who
had connections to "leftist students" in Italy, in the 1930s. I assume
the
book must have come to her as a gift and so it was probably known and
available in Europe. By the way I still have it.
Thanks in advance
Sandor
(a reader of unselected books)