A brief break from scholarly toils to tell you how miffed I am to read of Nabokov’s long-held disdain for William Faulkner. The title of this post quotes the last line of a letter from Vlad to Edmund (”Bunny”) Wilson [may I just mention that if I had a friend named Edmund I WOULD NOT RELENT from calling him Bunny] in response to Wilson’s entreaties to read Faulkner. Vlad later wrote to Bunny, “someday you will recall with astonishment and regret your soft spot for Faulkner (and Eliot, and H. James).”
I’m not surprised by any of this, though, as –in addition to Pushkin, of course– there were only ever about four writers Nabokov claimed to respect. One of them was Sirin.
The newspaper arrived today, so at least I have that going for me, which is nice.
who doesn’t love old wild bill!? writers are generally a curmudgeonly bunch of haters. recall, if you will, charlotte perkins gilman’s famous prejudice against chinese people (worthy of coffee mug brandishment of the highest order!).
Or William Gibson’s dismissal of Neal Stephenson, or how Orson Scott Card is a major douchebag.
Faulkner, Eliot, James, Vlad, Bunny. (”Bunny” for ChristSakes…)
Why, oh why cannot people see the same beauty in math as they do in literature? (This question is NOT rhetorical)
No wonder I am misunderstood…
Stephenson writes bloody epics! I’m on the third book of his Baroque cycle. Now THAT’S a dissertation.
I read Quicksilver and The Confusion back to back, I’ve been taking a break from System of the World for basically a year, I’ll probably start it up again this weekend on the plane.
By the way, Vague, Santa (me) is coming to town. Be warned.
The following is completely unrelated to the topic at hand.
I’m just writing in to say thanks for that long-ago post about “The Wraith.” Charlie Sheen as a cyber-ghost of vengeance, ’80s future cars, punks huffing WD40 AND Randy Quaid as a tough as nails desert cop? All in the same movie? Genius!
i have said before, taking my life into my hands in this pro-billy f.-place, that faulkner was a drunk and a misanthrope. anyone from this bloody town knows that. however, i still love him. i love vlad too, but billy’s my boy. good thing he’s dead, or i’d tell him (vlad) to step off! i protect my grumpy drunks. to the death!
Mel–YELLOW WALLPAPER, I TELL YOU WHAT. That dude was nutso.
AB and T–Stephenson, eh? I have actually never read him, though Zerlesen recommended some of his stuff on a few occasions…I just don’ think I have time, though.
B–You’re welcome! I thought it (the movie, not my post) was the coolest thing ever!
C–Indeed, he was a drunk and a misanthrope, but so am I. So am I.