Bathing with the Grown-Ups-Nabokov's PALE FIRE, part 1: RGBIB Ep. 48

[@Merlandese]

"... if they, like most good readers-whenever you are confronted by a forward in the novel you probably skip it. Good. That's a good instinct. But Nabokov is gonna screw that instinct up." LMAO so true

[@Scottmbradfield]

Welcome to the bathtub, Merland! Thanks for splashing by... s

[@reaganwiles_art]

This is really fantastic. I just finished reading Pale Fire for the second time start to finish. I read it several years ago same way, and in the interim I have reread the poem a couple times because I so much enjoyed it. Just finished Laughter in the Dark, about which, and in the context of which, and in the physical object of which an event occurred involving me, in itself rather "fatidic" to borrow a word employed by Nabokov. And Despair between Laughter and Pale Fire. Both first reads. Several of his stories blew my mind, the one about the man awaiting portentously his demise on his 37th birthday. And one in which a middle aged tutor outlives himself awhile after diving into a cold ocean; and a similar story, I believe it it Details of a Russian Sunset, in which the protagonist's consciousness outlasts his body. Others excite me equally. Transparent Things I have read four times. Not until the last reading did I really see what is taking place, what is precisely denoted ... but perceptions are penetrated by so much space, emptiness is the real hero of Transparency. The effect is atomistic as I read it. Space surrounding everything ... Light, illumination, energy, conflagration, evaporation da, da, da Lovely stuff. I am really excited. I have read only about half of what N. wrote. Most of the Russian novels to go ...

[@Scottmbradfield]

Yeah those are all good. Keep reading Nabokov til you drop!

[@ricksan6892]

I'm in love with the way you talk about Nabokov's books .. Thank you so much for all of your videos .. thank you sir ..

[@thattimestampguy]

1:33 THE FOREWARD or THE PREFACE 2:06 Skipping a Forward is usually a good thing for readers to do. 2:26 _Pale of Fire_ 3:40 Nobokav requires you to reread his book several times. 6:44 Frame Narratives 🖼️ • Geoffrey Chaucer’s _Canterbury Tales_ • J.D. Salinger’s _Catcher In The Rye_ 8:38 Preface •Pale Fire, a 999 Line Poem with Heroic Couplets, New I Appalachia USA • A-Holes as characters. 10:07 John Shay, a heroic fictional character. 12:13 Charles Kinboat - creep - 🏳️‍🌈👨‍❤️‍👨 - having affairs with his students - doesn’t like women - egomaniacal 13:56 A Humbert Humbert, seeking to make others part of one’s fantasy. • Personal Book 📕 • Tight Relationship 15:16 Kinboat publishes his version of Pale Fire.

[@ExpatRiot79]

Great introduction. You really cleared some things up for me. I just finished this book a few days ago and I really loved it. Also, Kinbote is truly and asshole, but I really love him.

[@larrycarr4562]

Late arrival here, but impressive Scott. Looking forward to part two, may even read the book 🥳🛁🍸

[@dennisbento7440]

It was very well done.

[@Scottmbradfield]

It's a perplexing book (especially the first time) that deserves being perplexed by. Let me known how it goes, Larry! s

[@larrycarr4562]

Will be taking in part two of your tub tutorial today, curious if Nabokov tears his asshole character a new one…Inching my way towards Pale Fire,not only perplexed but also dazed and confused 🤔

[@carolinevh8849]

Call me crazy, blame it on the pandemic but I've actually MEMORIZED Cantos 1 and 2, and am starting on 3. I love the poem. LOL

[@Scottmbradfield]

OK: "You're crazy." But you've also memorized some lovely poetry I enjoy more each time I read ir. Stay safe until you finish all the cantos! s

[@carolinevh8849]

@@Scottmbradfield your "in the bathtub" series reminds me of the 4th cantos where John Shade composes some of his poetry in the tub to comical effect. I'm glad I discovered your channel. I've been binging on past episodes.

[@Scottmbradfield]

@@carolinevh8849 Thanks, Caroline. I'll look for that bathtub poetry next time through. I can't imagine anybody who loves literature who hasn't spent some of their reading (or composing) time in the bathtub! Good for Shade!

[@MrAdamkimbo]

Thanks so much for these videos. You really helped me get over my anxiety about reading Nabokov and I've been enjoying his novels so much since. I hope one day you'll do a video or two on Invitation to a Beheading; I loved reading it but I'm still perplexed by it.

[@Scottmbradfield]

Thanks, Adam. Nabokov is exasperating at times but gloriously fun at others. I definitely want to take BEHEADING into the bathtub some day, it gets better with rereading. Stay safe. s

[@Laamps]

Excellent discussion on Pale Fire. Great content!!

[@Scottmbradfield]

Thanks for listening, Mr. C! Give us a rough location and I'll stick a pin for you in our International Map of Bathers! And keep enjoying Nabokov (however you wish to pronounce it) in the bathtub!

[@KitchenJames]

been meaning to read this one. now i have some incentive.

[@milfredcummings717]

Hi! I finished today 14th-century English poem "Sir Gawain And The Grene Knight", and guess what, last verse is the same as the first. So what, pure coincidence. But wait. I have read the commentary and the same unknown author wrote the poem "Pearl". He is known as Pearl-poet. His name is probably Hugo de Masci but there is no certain evidence of it. The theme of "Pearl" is the same as in "Pale Fire" poem, the death of a young daughter. I knew that Nabokov translated in English Pushkin's "Eugene Onegin" and that "Pale Fire" is a by-product of that translating effort, but this is totally new for me. So I was wondering, maybe Mr. Boyd knows more about that. I would be very thankful if you could check that out for me : ) I apologize for my broken English : (

[@Scottmbradfield]

If you enjoyed this video, check out "3 Paragraphs in the Life of Bob Johnson", a novel being written (as we speak) by Scott Bradfield. It's All-Bob Johnson Action All-the-Time! Go to the Facebook page at: facebook.com/scottbradfieldalways/?modal=admin_todo_tour It's hot! It's Bob! Bob Johnson! All the time!

[@1zangelique]

Scott, did you do a video on Transparent Things?

[@Scottmbradfield]

Yeah I did in the last eight or ten months I think? I forget which episode... by the way you can always write me at my email: [e-mail] messages tend to get lost on KZbin...

[@1zangelique]

@@Scottmbradfield Yes, I'm remembering now. I forgot. Getting old! Lol. I will rewatch.

[@Scottmbradfield]

@@1zangelique join the old club!

[@1zangelique]

@@Scottmbradfield I'm already a member! Lol.

[@saulorocha3755]

Just finished Pale Fire, let me show my impressions of the book: I liked the poem very much and didn't followed the fictitious editor instruction of not trying to figure out the poem without his help/commentary. As soon I got to the commentary I felt it was a joke: Nabokov put us at the hands of a raving lunatic who gives his version of the poem as his own biography!. Is Nabokov showing us how literature scholars are crazy people telling more about themselves than of the book itself? Because, if that was the case...man, he takes more than two thirds of the book describing the life of this character that is infuriating! I skipped many parts of this uninteresting gibberish. Hope this video shows me some light in this mess...

[@erina2600]

Hmm I’d say that there’s a reason why kinbote’s story takes up most of the book - it’s important. Nabokov created pale fire with both poem and annotations. If you’re only really reading the poem - then you’re only getting half of the story.

[@saulorocha3755]

@@erina2600 I probably wasn’t in the right mood for reading it, I just got annoyed with it. I’ll give it a second later.

[@stevenleejobe]

It’s pronounced, Nah boa kuv. Please note.