Author Topic: Who here is currently reading a Nabokov book? (Read 1609 times)

TVC15 · « **on:** December 17, 2007, 02:53:15 AM »

I started Lolita last night. What a banger of a start. It has one of the most gorgeous openings I can recall reading in recent memory. I can't believe english wasn't Nabokov's first language.

Quote

Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palette to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta.

She was Lo, plain Lo, in the morning, standing four feet ten in one sock. She was Lola in slacks. She was Dolly at school. She was Dolores on the dotted line. But in my arms she was always Lolita.

Did she have a precursor? She did, indeed she did. In point of fact, there might have been no Lolita at all had I not loved, one summer, a certain initial girl-child. In a princedom by the sea. Oh when? About as many years before Lolita was born as my age was that summer. You can always count on a murderer for a fancy prose style.

Howard Alan Treesong · « **Reply #1 on:** December 17, 2007, 03:23:12 AM »

THIS PALE FIRE IS OUT OF PALE CONTROL

TVC15 · « **Reply #2 on:** December 17, 2007, 03:26:04 AM »

Quote from: Synthesizer Patel on December 17, 2007, 03:23:12 AM

THIS PALE FIRE IS OUT OF PALE CONTROL

About the opening to Lolita (stolen shamelessly from a blog):

Quote

“Princedom by the sea”- a quote from edgar allan poe’s poem “Anabelle Lee”. (goes on to say, “I was a child, and she was a child, in our kingdom by the sea.”

Humbert’s first love? Oh yeah. Annabelle Leigh.

And wait, of course one more layer, because Poe loved a 13 year old girl, just like humbert.

That is fucking awesome referencing. There is nothing in the book that indicates that is a Poe reference in the beginning. The only way you could know about that would be to be a Poe scholar or something, or at least be able to recite Poe poetry by memory.

Howard Alan Treesong · « **Reply #3 on:** December 17, 2007, 03:27:06 AM »

I got that reference but then Anabelle Lee is hardly advanced Poe studies, GUY

hell, if you remember that, The Raven, and the Cask of Amontillado you are like 90% of the way to Poe reference victory. Even his well-loved other works (Masque of the Red Death, Fall of the House of Usher) don't lend themselves as well to referencing

TVC15 · « **Reply #4 on:** December 17, 2007, 03:28:37 AM »

Quote from: Synthesizer Patel on December 17, 2007, 03:27:06 AM

I got that reference but then Anabelle Lee is hardly advanced Poe studies, GUY

Sorry, my english studies were focuses on writers that could actually write, meaning Poe took a back seat. I probably haven't read Poe since I was Lolita's age.

Howard Alan Treesong · « **Reply #5 on:** December 17, 2007, 03:29:26 AM »

well at the age I read a lot of Poe my favorite SF author was Asimov so clearly WRITING TALENT WAS NO PREREQUISITE TO ROCKING

TVC15 · « **Reply #6 on:** December 17, 2007, 03:29:56 AM »

Emily Dickinson > Poe

Howard Alan Treesong · « **Reply #7 on:** December 17, 2007, 03:43:02 AM »

oh COME ON

that's low

Emily Dickinson is the second worst woman poet of all time (#1 is Sylvia "Pop'n Fresh" Plath)

TVC15 · « **Reply #8 on:** December 17, 2007, 03:44:29 AM »

I LOVE THE BELL JAR in a totally emo way. It is one of those repugnant Every 18 Year Old Reads It And Is Moved books, like the even more shitty On the Road, but I still find it pretty moving, mainly because Sylvia Plath's suicide after the book was completed makes it somewhat chilling.

Howard Alan Treesong · « **Reply #9 on:** December 17, 2007, 03:45:59 AM »

Honestly, what I hate most about Sylvia Plath is the way the cult of Sylvia has demonized her husband, Ted Hughes. Ted Hughes was awesome! He wrote non-shitty poems and The Iron Giant. Sylvia was totally crazy and would have killed herself no matter WHO her husband was!! FUK U SYLVIA

TVC15 · « **Reply #10 on:** December 17, 2007, 03:48:00 AM »

Wait wait wait. . .you are only siding with Ted Hughes because he wrote a FUCKING CARTOON you like, aren't you? BE HONEST!

Howard Alan Treesong · « **Reply #11 on:** December 17, 2007, 03:48:41 AM »

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

maybe?

NO!!!!!!!!

I liked his poems too. Better than Sylvia

TVC15 · « **Reply #12 on:** December 17, 2007, 03:49:49 AM »

My 18 Year Old Changed My World book was alwas Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, anyway, mr cartoon gay.

Howard Alan Treesong · « **Reply #13 on:** December 17, 2007, 03:57:38 AM »

actually I think the reason I chose Ted is because of the INCREDIBLY ham-fisted metaphors in Sylvia's poems where she was always like, oh my husband is a baby-raping Hitler. it was like Godwin's law with bad line breaks. I figured that whoever she was vilifying, I would have to take his side

TVC15 · « **Reply #14 on:** December 17, 2007, 03:59:35 AM »

I am not very familiar with Plath's poetry. I believe I would think very highly of her even if I were though. I am very familiar with Joyce's typically horrible poetry, and I still worship him.

Howard Alan Treesong · « **Reply #15 on:** December 17, 2007, 04:01:29 AM »

I've never read Joyce's poetry, only Dubliners and Ulysses. I guess that's why I still think he's awesome!!!

TVC15 · « **Reply #16 on:** December 17, 2007, 04:02:41 AM »

Read Portrait of the Artist!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT IS TE BEST!!!!!

Howard Alan Treesong · « **Reply #17 on:** December 17, 2007, 04:03:52 AM »

oh wait I read that too. SORRY I forgot about it. honestly Dubliners was much more affecting to young bookfag Patel

TVC15 · « **Reply #18 on:** December 17, 2007, 04:05:08 AM »

I think very highly of Dubliners as well, but I try not to compare a book of short stories to a novel, mainly because I am a rational human being that refrains from comparisons of two unlike things.

Howard Alan Treesong · « **Reply #19 on:** December 17, 2007, 04:06:15 AM »

I wasn't comparing them! I was just saying which one ROCKED MY FACE and which one was all, "yeah that was good"

TVC15 · « **Reply #20 on:** December 17, 2007, 04:07:54 AM »

Quote from: Synthesizer Patel on December 17, 2007, 04:06:15 AM

I wasn't comparing them! I was just saying which one ROCKED MY FACE and which one was all, "yeah that was good"

You clearly lack the soul of an artiste! Probably why you have chosen giant robots over suicidal poetry writing waifwhores!

Howard Alan Treesong · « **Reply #21 on:** December 17, 2007, 04:10:10 AM »

Quote from: TVC 15 on December 17, 2007, 04:07:54 AM

You clearly lack the soul of an artiste! Probably why you have chosen giant robots over suicidal poetry writing waifwhores!

but...but I love Tori!

TVC15 · « **Reply #22 on:** December 17, 2007, 04:11:14 AM »

Quote from: Synthesizer Patel on December 17, 2007, 04:10:10 AM

Quote from: TVC 15 on December 17, 2007, 04:07:54 AM
You clearly lack the soul of an artiste! Probably why you have chosen giant robots over suicidal poetry writing waifwhores!

but...but I love Tori!

Much like Tori, y kant u reed?

Howard Alan Treesong · « **Reply #23 on:** December 17, 2007, 05:07:07 AM »

Pale Fire update:

ARRRRGH PALE FIRE MAKES ME SO MAD

THE POEM IS SO BEAUTIFUL AND ALL KINBOTE CAN THINK ABOUT IS HIS STUPID DUMBASS COUNTRY

F U KINBOTE

TVC15 · « **Reply #24 on:** December 17, 2007, 05:07:58 AM »

<3 you will learn to love Kinbote

Howard Alan Treesong · « **Reply #25 on:** December 17, 2007, 05:14:09 AM »

I am quite skilled at voluntary Stockholming

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Author Topic: Who here is currently reading a Nabokov book? (Read 1609 times)