Research Catalog

Title

Four letters, signed, three typed and one autograph, from Vladimir Nabokov to American translator Bernard Guibert Guerney, May 7, 1943 - Feb. 8, 1944 ; with one typed carbon reply.

Author

Nabokov, Vladimir Vladimirovich, 1899-1977.

Publication

Cambridge, Mass, 1943-1944.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

Guerney, Bernard Guilbert, 1894- .

Description

[5] leaves, + 4 mailing envelopes; approx. 10x23 - 28x21 cm

Subject

• Laughlin, James, 1914-1997 > Anecdotes
• Nabokov, Vladimir Vladimirovich, 1899-1977
• Holmes, Sherlock
• New Directions Publishing Corp. > History > Correspondence
• Authors and publishers > Great Britain
• Authors and publishers > United States
• Literature publishing > United States > History > 20th century
• Publishers and publishing > United States > Anecdotes
• Literature publishing > United States > History > 20th century > Anecdotes.
• Translation

Note

• Regarding English-language translations of Nabokov’s work, as well as Nabokov’s relationship with his first American publisher, New Directions.

Access (note)

• Restricted access;

Contents

• Vladimir Nabokov. Typed letter, signed “V. Nabokov (Sirin),” May 7, 1943, asking him to translate The Gift (Dar), with postmarked envelope and with Guerney’s typed letter carbon reply, May 23, 1943, 1 p. Nabokov writes: “Your translation of Dead Souls is by far the best translation from Russian that I have seen. Therefore, I would highly enjoy your tackling my novel. As you perhaps have not read it in the Sovremennya Zapiski where it appeared serially, I suggest sending you a couple of chapters for perusal. Would you like me to do it now or later?”
• Vladimir Nabokov. Autograph letter, signed “V. Nabokov,” June 14, 1943, 1 p., with postmarked envelope. Regarding publishing his work in English and changing his mind from the previous letter: “I have reread my [The Gift] and have come to the conclusion that it would be better to launch an easier book. I am sending you a copy of [The Luzhin Defense]. Will you translate it? The [King, Queen, Knave] to which you refer was written twenty years ago and is not my best effort.” Bracketed titles written by Nabokov in Russian Cyrillic.
• Vladimir Nabokov. Typed letter, signed “V. Nabokov,” October 27, 1943, 1 p., with postmarked envelope. Writing in regard to problems with James Laughlin and New Directions, and turning to Macmillan: “I appreciated very much your kind words about the chess novel and am most eager to have you translate it. However, Laughlin, who for a long while had seemed quite interested in the publication of this book, now that it came to terms offers me exactly $0.00.”
• Vladimir Nabokov. Typed letter, signed “Vladimir Nabokov,” February 8, 1944, 1 p., with postmarked envelope. Disputing several of Guerney’s word choices, some ornithological, in his translation of “Igor.” Nabokov also refers to his 1919 story, “The Potato Elf,” the translation of which, by a friend, without his participation, Nabokov disparages. (Its appearance in Esquire, in 1939, marked the first publication of Nabokov’s short fiction in America. The author and his son, Dmitri, would later re-translate it.) Nabokov continues: “Incidentally and quite objectively I have a faint feeling that your knowledge of my Russian works is not as complete as it ought to be in view of your general deep knowledge of Russian letters,” and closes, “Thanks again for your interesting letter. I loved that bit about your having certain little sigils to check pilfering—like Sherlock Holmes upsetting the ashtray.”

Call Number

Berg Coll Cased Nabokov Als to Guerney 1943

OCLC

909396981

Author

Nabokov, Vladimir Vladimirovich, 1899-1977.

Title

Four letters, signed, three typed and one autograph, from Vladimir Nabokov to American translator Bernard Guibert Guerney, May 7, 1943 - Feb. 8, 1944 ; with one typed carbon reply.

Imprint

Cambridge, Mass, 1943-1944.

Access

Restricted access; request permission in holding division.

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Request access to this item in the Berg Collection

Added Author

Guerney, Bernard Guilbert, 1894- . Addressee

Research Call Number

Berg Coll Cased Nabokov Als to Guerney 1943