Annotations by Alexey Sklyarenko

In his last letter to his publisher Mr. R., the writer in VN's novel Transparent Things (1972), calls his secretary, Mr. Tamworth, "Tom Tam:" 

Dear Phil,

This, no doubt, is my last letter to you. I am leaving you. I am leaving you for another even greater Publisher. In that House I shall be proofread by cherubim – or misprinted by devils, depending on the department my poor soul is assigned to. So adieu, dear friend, and may your heir auction this off most profitably.

Describing his failed visit to Villa Venus (Eric Veen's floramors), Van Veen (the narrator and main character in VN’s novel Ada, 1969) metnions peripatetic Russian newspaper readers slowing down to a trance stop and then strolling again behind their wide open Estotskiya Vesti:

At the picnic on Ada's twelfth birthday Marina (in VN's novel Ada, 1969, Van's, Ada's and Lucette's mother) calls her husband, Daniel Veen (Lucette's father), ‘bednyachok (poor, poor little man):'

Describing the beginning of his life-long romance with Ada, Van Veen (the narrator and main character in VN’s novel Ada, 1969) mentions Pig Pigment (as Ada calls Paul G. Gigment, the painter):

When Ada (now married to Andrey Vinelander) refuses to leave her sick husband, Van Veen (the narrator and main character in VN’s novel Ada, 1969) calls her ‘Helen of Troy, Ada of Ardis:'

Describing the beginning of his life-long romance with Ada, Van Veen (the narrator and main character in VN’s novel Ada, 1969) mentions Pig Pigment (as Ada calls Paul G. Gigment, a painter):

During Van's first tea party at Ardis Marina (in VN's novel Ada, 1969, Van's, Ada's and Lucette's mother) says that Dostoevski loved tea with raspberry syrup:

Describing his dinner with Ada (now married to Andrey Vinelander) and her family at Bellevue Hotel in Mont Roux, Van Veen (the narrator and main character in VN’s novel Ada, 1969) mentions the two agents of Lemorio, the flamboyant comedian:

At the beginning of VN's novel Ada (1969) Van Veen (the narrator and main character) mentions Pontius Press (a publishing house):

Describing Flavita (the Russian Scrabble), Van Veen (the narrator and main character in VN’s novel Ada, 1969) mentions Baron Klim Avidov, an old friend of the family who gave Marina's children (Van, Ada and their half-sister Lucette) a set of Flavita: