Vladimir Nabokov's last work to be published

By Staff

Tuesday, April 29, 2008, 14:34

The son of late Russian-American author Vladimir Nabokov has decided to publish his father"s final work against his last wishes. Dmitri Nabokov will publish his late father"s last work 'The Original of Laura" despite his last wishes that his work should be burned.

In an interview to BBC Radio 4's Open Book, Dmitri said that the thought that noone would ever read the manuscript was "very disturbing". "I never could envision myself burning or shredding this marvellous work," BBC quoted him as saying.

"I think my mother, understandably, wanted to satisfy his wishes but could not bring herself to do it. It's such a wonderful thing.

"I think he (father) would gradually, in a calmer moment, have yielded to the desire of so many people to read this thing, and perhaps to his own desire to preserve what was worth preserving in this work," he added.

The Original of Laura was incomplete when Nabokov died in 1977 and Dmitri said that he would not be completing it. "I would never presume to finish my father's works for him, because there are so many strands and threads and thoughts there that perhaps might have been developed further." "And I simply don't have the right." he added.