Matt Roth here with a brief query for the list.

VN includes in PF a couple references to a Jewish professor of music
at Wordsmith named Misha Gordon.  He appears once with a group of 
faculty and once at a dinner at the Shade's (accompanied by his pregnant
wife).  I have long assumed a link between Dr. Gordon and Gordon 
Krummholz (both musicians), but I hadn't until a few days ago realized 
that "Misha Gordon" is also a character in Pasternak's _Dr. Zhivago_, 
where he appears as a Jewish friend of Yury's who witnessed the elder 
Zhivago's suicide.  

I have not read Dr. Z, so I have no insight beyond that. I do know, 
however, that in SO, VN calls Pasternak's novel "a sorry thing, clumsy,
trivial, and melodramatic, with stock situations, voluptuous lawyers,
unbelievable girls, and trite coincidences" (206). Why, then, would VN
borrow one of its characters? Or was Dr. Gordon also a creation of Dr.
Kinbote? (I haven't found anything in the list archives on this, but 
if there is something else out there in print, I'd appreciate knowing 
where to find it.)

Thanks,
Matt

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