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Originally Posted by evollove
--I've always had a "problem" with Centaur. Not sure why. Kinda boring, I guess. That one and Poorhouse Fair are my least favorites. Of course, they kick the shit out of 95% of anything anyone else could write. Plus, I'm sure I'll re-read them myself and probably change my mind.
--If you haven't been through all of Nabokov before, including his autobio Speak, Memory, may I recommend getting cracking on the unreads instead of Lolita again? None of my business; just a suggestion.
What's the one Hannah I should read first?
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I love Speak, Memory. What else have I read? Transparent Things. Interesting, but not great. I think I tried Ada and got bored. That might be about it, actually. What Nabokov should I go to next?
Personally, I recommend starting with Geronimo. It's his most straightforward narrative, but it is a wild ride, pretty fantastical and sprawling. A great look at the South in the 1950s.
I like Ray a lot, though it's experimental. And his collection of short stories is fantastic--Airships. In fact, maybe start with that and Geronimo. You can delve into a few of the short stories between chapters of Geronimo.
You have to be in the right mood for Updike. I have to be very relaxed, willing to let him pile on the descriptive detail he loves so much. Once I "got" why he was using detail, I could enjoy it. His details don't always have to do with the plot or characterization so much as it is a celebration of the details in everything, the idea of trying to pay attention to everything, to taking in as much as you can.