EDNOTE. George Shimanovich comments on Voinovich's
Nabokovish "Etyud."
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, June 21, 2004 7:44 PM
Subject: Re: Short story by Vladimir Voinovich
Not convincing. There is too much of a Soviet
man's abundant moralism explaining away "Loilita" and too little
of keen-witted Voinovitch who was at his convincing best criticizing the
Solzhenitsin of his later years. The hidden irony is that when it comes to
Nabokov Voinovitch became ... Solzhenitsin.
Some changes, I feel, are needed to make the story
convincing:
1) it should decipher Nabokov waking up (fell
asleep on butterfly hunt ??) as Soviet disident author
2) who imagines himself as Nabokov in a dream
(dream in a dream)
3) then wakes up (now one dream
remains)
4) to jot down the unusual story
5) at which point real Nabokov wakes up (from
stylistic indigestion)
Of course the complexity of such marvel requires
the (real) Maven - Nabokov's that is.
Sincerely,
George Shimanovich
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----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, June 21, 2004 7:22 PM
Subject: Fw: Short story by Vladimir
Voinovich
EDNOTE. Russian journalist and Nabokovian
Aleksandr Svirilin sends in a short-short story by Vladimir Voinovich, best
known for his (serio-)novels about Ivan Chonkin, a sort of Russian Soldier
SHvejk. Voinovich was among the writers forced to emigrate under
Brezhnev. The story (which I had not seen before) was written during the time
of his decision to leave (circa 1980). In a dream state he blends himself
with his namesake Vladimir (Nabokov). The story, really a trifle, is
interesting to Nabokovians for two reasons: 1) its use of VN and a few lines
weakly imitating his style; 2) its negative attitude toward LOLITA; and
3) its picture of the ambiguity that many Russians felt about
expatriation.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, June 19, 2004 11:26 PM
Subject: Short story by Voinovich
In short story Etyud by famous Russian writer Vladimir Voinovich
hero imaging what he is Vladimir Nabokov. See attachment.
Best, Aleksandr