Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0009132, Mon, 12 Jan 2004 09:58:28 -0800

Subject
Fw: Re: Nabokov and Bowles and Borges
Date
Body
EDNOTE. Thanks to Abdellah Bouazza, one of NABOKV-L's earliest subscribers.

----- Original Message -----
From: "A. Bouazza" <mushtary@yahoo.com>
To: "Vladimir Nabokov Forum" <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
>
> ----------------- Message requiring your approval (53
lines) ------------------
> Dear Brian & List,
>
> As a matter of fact, VN did comment on Paul Bowles. In 1950 James Laughlin
> sent VN a copy of "The Sheltering Sky". VN's critique (letter dated 27
April
> 1950) is on page 100 of "Selected Letters 1940-1977":
>
> "I thought THE SHELTERING SKY an utterly ridiculous performance, devoid of
> talent. You ought to have had the manuscript checked by a cultured Arab."
>
> In his restless autobiography "Without Stopping", Bowles recounts his
> difficulties in getting that novel published, in addition to its reception
> by the contemporary critics, which was not unlike VN's.
>
> Kind regards,
>
> A. Bouazza.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "D. Barton Johnson" <chtodel@cox.net>
> To: <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
> Sent: Monday, January 12, 2004 4:06 AM
> Subject: Re: Nabokov and Bowles and Borges
>
>
> > EDNOTE. So far as I know no one has paired Bowles & VN not did VN
comment
> on
> > Bowles. VN did comment on Borges--first enthusiastically and later more
> > coolly. Check the Index for STRONG OPINIONS on ZEMBLA. Or maybe WaXWING.
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Brian Howell" <pakmshlter@yahoo.com>
> > >
> > > ----------------- Message requiring your approval (18
> > lines) ------------------
> > > I would be interested to know if Nabokov ever voiced
> > > an opinion about the American writer Paul Bowles.
> > > Similarly, though there is a brief mention of
> > > comparisons that were made between N and Borges in
> > > Boyd's The American Years, it would be interesting to
> > > know what he thought of the Argentine, as the more I
> > > read of N the more I think of Borges.
> > >
> > > Brian
> > >
> > > =====
> > > http://www.elasticpress.com/sound_of_white_ants.htm
> > > http://www.tobypress.com/books/dance_geometry.htm
> > >
> > > __________________________________
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