We love, love, love Nabokov.
So, while we’ve been unaware of The Original Laura until now, we deperately hope that there’s a chance we’ll get to buy a copy, no matter what state it’s in. There’s the possibility, however, that it could be destroyed.
“When Nabokov died in 1977, he left behind an unfinished novel entitled The Original of Laura. His express wish was that it be destroyed upon his death. Before him, Virgil and Kafka had left similar instructions [to destroy their work]; neither was obeyed. Nor was Nabokov. His wife, Véra, found herself unable to carry out her late husband’s wishes, and when she passed away in 1991 she bequeathed the decision to their son. The manuscript’s location is kept secret.”
If you’re a fan too, we recommend his Lectures on Literature.
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