• Nabokov (VN) and [Laughter in the Dark]

    From HenHanna@21:1/5 to All on Thu Apr 11 02:57:09 2024
    XPost: sci.lang, alt.usage.english

    i've been a VN fan for a long time.

    i've had some interaction with DN (VN's son).

    i am related to the Hero of the novel [Lolita]. HH

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    Laughter in the Dark
    Newsgroups: alt.usage.english
    by: Athel Cornish-Bowden - Sat, 6 Apr 2024 02:36


    When I were not much more than a lad I read Laughter in the Dark, which
    I liked a lot better than Lolita. Something I was very struck by was
    the opening sentence, which summarizes the plot:


    "Once upon a time there lived in Berlin, Germany, a man called Albinus.
    He was rich, respectable, happy; one day he abandoned his wife for the
    sake of a youthful mistress; he loved; was not loved; and his life
    ended in disaster."


    The rest of the book just fills in the details.


    I'm not sure I can argue that this has anything to do with English
    usage, but sobeit. I don't suppose I'm the only person here to be fond
    of Nabokov, who had strong views about English usage.


    --
    Athel -- French and British, living in Marseilles for 37 years; mainly
    in England until 1987.

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