New Nabokov Website Discovered

Deep in the annals of the internet I have stumbled across yet another website devoted to our author of study, Vladimir Nabokov. The site is entitled waxwing, an obvious reference to the opening lines of John Shade's poem in Pale Fire. The website, although it refers to a lot of the knowledge that we've learned this semester, does provide some interesting new perspectives and new ways to consider the knowledge that we've learned this semester. Due to my interest in the way he composed his works one of my favorite mentions on the website is a Nabokov quote that reads "...Since this entire structure, dimly illumined in one's mind, can be compared to a painting, and since you do not have to work gradually from left to right for its proper perception, I may direct my flashlight at any part or particle of the picture when setting it down in writing. I do not begin my novel at the beginning I do not reach chapter three before I reach chapter four... This is why I like writing my stories and novels on index cards, numbering them later when the whole set is complete. Every card is rewritten many times..."

Here's another great quote about Nabokov's synesthesia "..And also I have this rather freakish gift of seeing letters in colors. it's called color hearing. Perhaps one in a thousand has that. But I'm told by psychologists that most children have it, that later they lose that aptitude when they are are told by stupid parents that it's all nonsense, an A isn't black, a B isn't brown -- don't be absurd." The mention of "stupid parents" and elevation of the child-like mind is a really crucial and important concept for understanding the way that Nabokov could have considered art, literature, and aesthetics. Once again in literature the intimate relationship between classic authors/texts and fairy-tales is evident. Perhaps the sources of stories flow more purely in the child's mind? And for the rest of us, we can only attempt to filter our perspectives to try and regain that purity of the child's mind.

Although not the same quality of forum that the Zembla website is the waxwing site does provide useful notes for study.

In my searches for another website I stumbled across novazembla.com. While this seems like it could really have potential as a Nabokov website, it is actually a furniture store in NYC. Hmmmm... no Nabokov? Wait! In the companies logo, between the words "Nova" & "Zembla" is a picture of a butterfly. Coincidence? No way...