Home / Quotes / Quote by Vladimir Nabokov

Quote by Vladimir Nabokov

“Complacency is a state of mind that exists only in retrospective: it has to be shattered before being ascertained.”

Author

Russian-born American novelist, best known for his novel 'Lolita'. Nabokov is renowned for his unique literary style and profound use of language and symbolism. more

“My private tragedy, which cannot, and indeed should not, be anybody's concern, is that I had to abandon my natural idiom, my untrammeled, rich, and infinitely docile Russian tongue for a second-rate brand of English, devoid of any of those apparatuses–the baffling mirror, the black velvet backdrop, the implied associations and traditions–which the native illusionist, frac-tails flying, can magically use to transcend the heritage in his own way.”

Source: The Annotated Lolita: Revised and Updated

“Dostoevky's lack of taste, his monotonous dealings with persons suffering with pre-Freudian complexes, the way he has of wallowing in the tragic misadventures of human dignity - all this is difficult to admire.”

Way Humans Persons Suffering Difficult Taste Dignity Complexes Admire Tragic Human Dignity Monotonous Dealings Wallowing Misadventure

Author:Vladimir Nabokov

“The English wouldn't give you the steam of their piss.”

Giving Steam

Author:Frank McCourt

“I am teaching. Storytelling is teaching”

Teaching Storytelling

Book:Teacher Man: A Memoir

Source: Teacher Man: A Memoir

“Teacher? I never dreamed I could rise so high in the world”

World Teacher

Book:Teacher Man: A Memoir

Source: Teacher Man: A Memoir

“You feel a sense of urgency, especially at my advanced age, when you're staring into the grave.”

Feels Age Graves Staring Urgency Sense Of Urgency

Author:Frank McCourt

“First of all there is always that artistic challenge of creating something. Or the particular experience to take slum life in that period and make something out of it in the form of a book. And then I felt some kind of responsibility to my family.”

Firsts Kind Book Form Felt Challenges Responsibility Particular Periods Creating My Family Artistic Slums Creating Something

Author:Frank McCourt

“I admire certain priests and nuns who go off on their own and do God's work on their own, who help in the ghettos, but as far as the institution of the church is concerned, I think it is despicable.”

Thinking Helping Certain Church Concerned Institutions Admire Priests Ghetto Nun Despicable

Author:Frank McCourt

Quote by Vladimir Nabokov

Author

You May Also Like