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[Fwd: Re: [Fwd: Re: Query: Miller's Thumb & Taylor's Spasm]]
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EDITOR's COMMENT: Ah, the wonders of search engines!!
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [Fwd: Re: Query: Miller's Thumb & Taylor's Spasm]
Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2002 11:50:44 -0600
From: Mounger <smou@mma.mexico.mo.us>
To: Vladimir Nabokov Forum <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
Every honest miller has a golden thumb, well could he steal - Chaucer-
Canterbury Tales
At 09:29 AM 2/26/2002 -0800, you wrote:
> ------------------
> Not sure if this is relevant but a miller's thumb is a kind of small
> freshwater fish, cottus gobio (Europe), cottus ictalops or gracilus
> (US), and called in French chabot de riviere. I don't know what the
> German or Russian equivalent is, but maybe there is another
> trans-lingual pun here. Also, if we follow the analogy "Tailor's Spasm =
> Portnoy's Complaint," Miller would not be the author but rather part of
> the title. Anyways I don't see how "Miller" can be "Miller plus Mailer"
> --wouldn't Nabokov have changed it a little so it wouldn't be identical
> with (Henry) Miller's name?
>
> Mary
> -------------------------
> EDITOR's NOTE. Hmm... The "miller's thumb" fish is also called a
> "bullhead," I see. I derived the Mailer from Miller by the rhyme with
> Tailor (< R. portnoy). I suspect Mark Bennet's reference to Anais Nin
> may be good. I don't have "Delta of Venus" at hand but it has, I gather,
> some erotic thumb plays in it involving Miller. 1969 NYTimes Best Seller
> lists are also relevant since Roth "Portnoy's complaint" was there.
>
> Could some demon researcher look into this for us?
Samuel G. Mounger smou@mma.mexico.mo.us
Chairman, English Department 573-581-1773
Missouri Military Academy
204 Grand Avenue
Mexico, MO 65265
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [Fwd: Re: Query: Miller's Thumb & Taylor's Spasm]
Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2002 11:50:44 -0600
From: Mounger <smou@mma.mexico.mo.us>
To: Vladimir Nabokov Forum <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
Every honest miller has a golden thumb, well could he steal - Chaucer-
Canterbury Tales
At 09:29 AM 2/26/2002 -0800, you wrote:
> ------------------
> Not sure if this is relevant but a miller's thumb is a kind of small
> freshwater fish, cottus gobio (Europe), cottus ictalops or gracilus
> (US), and called in French chabot de riviere. I don't know what the
> German or Russian equivalent is, but maybe there is another
> trans-lingual pun here. Also, if we follow the analogy "Tailor's Spasm =
> Portnoy's Complaint," Miller would not be the author but rather part of
> the title. Anyways I don't see how "Miller" can be "Miller plus Mailer"
> --wouldn't Nabokov have changed it a little so it wouldn't be identical
> with (Henry) Miller's name?
>
> Mary
> -------------------------
> EDITOR's NOTE. Hmm... The "miller's thumb" fish is also called a
> "bullhead," I see. I derived the Mailer from Miller by the rhyme with
> Tailor (< R. portnoy). I suspect Mark Bennet's reference to Anais Nin
> may be good. I don't have "Delta of Venus" at hand but it has, I gather,
> some erotic thumb plays in it involving Miller. 1969 NYTimes Best Seller
> lists are also relevant since Roth "Portnoy's complaint" was there.
>
> Could some demon researcher look into this for us?
Samuel G. Mounger smou@mma.mexico.mo.us
Chairman, English Department 573-581-1773
Missouri Military Academy
204 Grand Avenue
Mexico, MO 65265