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Nabokov's Ghost: Make Buck off Laura

Posted Feb 29, 08 7:59 PM CST in Arts & Living    Editor's Choice

(Newser) – Dmitri Nabokov's decision not to destroy his famed father's unfinished manuscript followed an imagined conversation with Vladimir's ghost, writes Ron Rosenbaum for Slate. Rosenbaum, who sleuthed his way through the "to burn or not to burn" debate, was previously told by Dmitri—who hinted at the book's genius before announcing his intent to destroy it—that he would keep his decision secret.

But in a recent email, Dmitri wrote that Vladimir told him, "Do what you like but why not make some money on the damn thing?" Rosenbaum, who read two passages from The Original of Laura, speculates that it could be a more-pornographic rehandling of Lolita—and concludes that selling the manuscript to a museum or foundation may indeed be the best move of all.

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    Feb 14, 08 10:43 AM CST
    Nabokov's Last Work: Burn It? His works include Lolita and Pale Fire, but Vladimir Nabokov's greatest masterpiece might be an unfinished manuscript languishing in a Swiss safe deposit box. Nabokov demanded that The Original of Laura be burned after his death, but his heir has vacillated. Now that Dmitri Nabokov is hinting he might go ahead and destroy the work, the Times of London invited two authors to weigh in on its fate. More »

US writer Vladimir NABOKOV with his son Dimitri. (PAR37915)   (Magnum Photos)
US writer Vladimir NABOKOV. (PAR37912)   (Magnum Photos)
Nabokov's manuscript is currently being stored in a Swiss bank vault.   (Index Stock)
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Russia  • book  • literature  • book reviews  • fiction  • Tom Stoppard  • Lolita  • Vladimir Nabokov  • John Banville  • preservation


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