Books : The Enchanter by Vladimir Nabokov

The Enchanter by Vladimir Nabokov

Nobody creates dangerous art like this anymore.. The Enchanter is a dangerous novella. It is the skeleton for what eventually became Lolita. I remember reading Christopher Hitchens memoir in which he said that Martin Amis was obsessed with Nabokov. Amis went so deep into Nabokov's novels that he ended up having conflicted feelings about Nabokov and little girls. So yes, it is the sort of novella that can inspire crazy people to do crazy things.

John Updike said that Nabokov writes prose ecstatically. It is a perfect description for Nabokov's prose. It is almost as if he was drunk while writing this. The images and feelings he conjures up are like ones that no other writer can.

On the weekends, I take my wife to some Bollywood/Hollywood film and while the film is going on, I often wonder to myself - "This is just *beep* Is this all that this writer/filmaker cares about? All this yuppie feel good *beep* Is this why he became an artist? To completely hide himself and make this filth for multiplex audiences?".

Celine's writing might confirm the public's prejudices about Jews. Houellebecq's novels might inspire people to rise up against Islam. Naipaul's interviews might have turned some people off the third world forever. Nabokov's novels might be cherished by pedophiles. These are dangerous artists. Some of us need dangerous art in our lives. If only to confirm that there are others in this world that feel and think the way we do.

(9/10)

Why hang on to antiquated notions like "the soil is like my mother?" - Man
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