Vladimir Nabokov

"a man who has decided upon self-destruction is far removed from mundane affairs, and to sit down and write his will would be, at that moment, an act just as absurd as winding up one’s watch, since together with the man, the whole world is destroyed; the last letter is instantly reduced to dust and, with it, all the postmen; and like smoke, vanishes the estate bequeathed to a nonexistent progeny."

5 likes

Source: VLADIMIR NABOKOV' (1965). “THE EYE”

About the author

Vladimir Nabokov

Vladimir Nabokov

Novelist

Vladimir Nabokov was a Russian-American novelist known for his intricate prose and exploration of themes like love and memory, particularly in 'Lolita'.

All quotes by Vladimir Nabokov →

Same author

More quotes by Vladimir Nabokov

See all →
Vladimir Nabokov Novelist

"Toska - noun /ˈtō-skə/ - Russian word roughly translated as sadness, melancholia, lugubriousness. "No single word in English renders all the shades of toska. At its deepest and most painful, it is a sensation of great spiritual anguish, often without any specific cause. At less morbid levels it is a dull ache of the soul, a longing with nothing to long for, a sick pining, a vague restlessness, mental throes, yearning. In particular cases it may be the desire for somebody of something specific, nostalgia, love-sickness. At the lowest level it grades into ennui, boredom."

Read quote
Vladimir Nabokov Novelist

"Mind you, sometimes the angels smoke, hiding it with their sleeves, and when the archangel comes, they throw the cigarettes away: that’s when you get shooting stars."

Read quote