If you heard our interÂview on The John BatchÂeÂlor Show tonight (catch it at the 29:50 mark), and if you want to check out the marÂvelous clip of Vladimir Nabokov readÂing LoliÂta, here it is. Don’t forÂget to find us on TwitÂter and FaceÂbook:
OrigÂiÂnalÂly aired on 1950s French teleÂviÂsion, this clip gives you some vinÂtage Vladimir Nabokov. EarÂly on, the RussÂian novÂelÂist reads the wonÂderÂfulÂly poetÂic first lines of LoliÂta:
LoliÂta, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue takÂing a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta.
Then we get down to real busiÂness. Putting on his litÂerÂary critÂic cap, Nabokov tells us what 20th novÂels make real or preÂtend claims to greatÂness. First the fakÂers:
I’ve been perÂplexed and amused by fabÂriÂcatÂed notions about so-called “great books.” That, for instance, Mann’s asiÂnine Death in Venice, or Pasternak’s meloÂdraÂmatÂic, vileÂly writÂten DocÂtor ZhivaÂgo, or Faulkner’s cornÂcobÂby chronÂiÂcles can be conÂsidÂered masÂterÂpieces, or at least what jourÂnalÂists term “great books,” is to me the same sort of absurd deluÂsion as when a hypÂnoÂtized perÂson makes love to a chair.
And then the true greats in order of perÂsonÂal prefÂerÂence:
1) James Joyce’s Ulysses
2) Kafka’s The MetaÂmorÂphoÂsis
3) Andrei Bely’s St. PetersÂburg
4) The first half of Proust’s fairy tale, In Search of Lost Time
We’re adding this video to our CulÂturÂal Icons colÂlecÂtion, which feaÂtures great writÂers, artists and thinkers speakÂing in their own words. And if we have piqued your interÂest, don’t miss these othÂer Nabokov gems:
Nabokov Tweaks Kafka’s “The MetaÂmorÂphoÂsis”
Vladimir Nabokov MarÂvels Over DifÂferÂent “LoliÂta” Book CovÂers
Vladimir Nabokov on LoliÂta: Just AnothÂer Great Love StoÂry?
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Nabokov’s readÂing is highÂly conÂtroÂverÂsial, I have many friends who still refuse to read Lolita…But beyond doubt, the real art should touch even such tiny (and weird) spheres of perÂsonÂalÂiÂty.
Kim, I hope you’ve made some betÂter friends in the last two years.n