Subject
Re: Nabokovs brain is shaped like a helter-skelter ...
From
Date
Body
Undoubtedly, the British meaning is intended, although VN would have damned
that amusement park inside his head, but welcomed the spinal slide of a
thrill.
A. Bouazza.
-----Original Message-----
From: Vladimir Nabokov Forum [mailto:NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU]On Behalf
Of Alexander Drescher
Sent: 24 January 2007 15:15
To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
Subject: Re: [NABOKV-L] Nabokovs brain is shaped like a helter-skelter ...
To the List:
This is aninteresting article. Smith's view of fiction seems antithetical
to that of VNN.
But my question is:
Main Entry: 2helter-skelter
Function: noun
1:a disorderly confusion :TURMOIL
2British :a spiral slide around a tower at an amusement park
Which does she mean?
Sandy Drescher
On Tuesday, January 23, 2007, at 05:08 PM, Sandy P. Klein wrote:
<image.tiff>
http://januarymagazine.com/2007/01/fail-better.html
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Fail Better
<image.tiff>ì... somewhere between a criticís necessary superficiality and
a writerís natural dishonesty, the truth of how we judge literary success or
failure is lost.î
In a two article series for The Guardian, Zadie Smith (White Teeth, On
Beauty) doesnít pull any literary punches. Smithís lengthy, two-part piece
is wonderful, managing as it does to be both accessible (ìThatís how young
readers are, too, when they start out. They are doubters and seekers.î) and
urbane (She quotes both Kierkegaard and Nobokov while somehow never losing
her of-the-reading-masses tone).
I have said that when I open a book I feel the shape of another human
beingís brain. To me, Nabokovís brain is shaped like a helter-skelter.
George Eliotís is like one of those pans for sifting gold. Austenís
resembles one of the glass flowers you find in Harvardís Natural History
Museum.
Thereís so much here that is terrific, the temptation is just to quote
and quote and quote: most of what Smith shares in the space is worth
repeating. But Iíll save both of us the effort: part one is here, put two is
here. Savor it for yourself.
Search the archive: http://listserv.ucsb.edu/archives/nabokv-l.html
Contact the Editors: mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu
Visit Zembla: http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm
View Nabokv-L policies: http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm
that amusement park inside his head, but welcomed the spinal slide of a
thrill.
A. Bouazza.
-----Original Message-----
From: Vladimir Nabokov Forum [mailto:NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU]On Behalf
Of Alexander Drescher
Sent: 24 January 2007 15:15
To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
Subject: Re: [NABOKV-L] Nabokovs brain is shaped like a helter-skelter ...
To the List:
This is aninteresting article. Smith's view of fiction seems antithetical
to that of VNN.
But my question is:
Main Entry: 2helter-skelter
Function: noun
1:a disorderly confusion :TURMOIL
2British :a spiral slide around a tower at an amusement park
Which does she mean?
Sandy Drescher
On Tuesday, January 23, 2007, at 05:08 PM, Sandy P. Klein wrote:
<image.tiff>
http://januarymagazine.com/2007/01/fail-better.html
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Fail Better
<image.tiff>ì... somewhere between a criticís necessary superficiality and
a writerís natural dishonesty, the truth of how we judge literary success or
failure is lost.î
In a two article series for The Guardian, Zadie Smith (White Teeth, On
Beauty) doesnít pull any literary punches. Smithís lengthy, two-part piece
is wonderful, managing as it does to be both accessible (ìThatís how young
readers are, too, when they start out. They are doubters and seekers.î) and
urbane (She quotes both Kierkegaard and Nobokov while somehow never losing
her of-the-reading-masses tone).
I have said that when I open a book I feel the shape of another human
beingís brain. To me, Nabokovís brain is shaped like a helter-skelter.
George Eliotís is like one of those pans for sifting gold. Austenís
resembles one of the glass flowers you find in Harvardís Natural History
Museum.
Thereís so much here that is terrific, the temptation is just to quote
and quote and quote: most of what Smith shares in the space is worth
repeating. But Iíll save both of us the effort: part one is here, put two is
here. Savor it for yourself.
Search the archive: http://listserv.ucsb.edu/archives/nabokv-l.html
Contact the Editors: mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu
Visit Zembla: http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm
View Nabokv-L policies: http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm