Box 6

Scope and Contents

7 TLS, in French and English, regarding the problems surrounding a possible Russian edition of Lolita, a point of accounting confusion for Véra, the payment of American taxes, and the French publication of The Eye.

Scope and Contents

7 TLS, in French and English, concerning the French publication of Despair (newly translated from Russian into adapted English version), contract with Gallimard for The Eye, VN's complaint that French publishers are far less generous with their authors than other European publishers. Postscript note to 5.24.66 lauding service at their Chinciano hotel, and noting that VN has caught some exciting butterflies.

Scope and Contents

6 TLS, 1 autograph note, in French and English, concerning the film adaptation of Laughter in the Dark (still not completed, or indeed, begun), a "poor" M. Roychowdhury (a publisher) who Véra says has been taken advantage of, the American publication in Russian of Lolita, and the difficulty of buying things in Italian village stores.

Scope and Contents

4 TLS, 1 autograph note, in French and English, regarding various foreign publication contracts for Lolita (some of which are expiring), affairs with Roychowdhury, and VN's revision of the French translation of The Gift, which he says contains some massive blunders. An autograph note asking Schébéko to forward a letter to Vogue declining a request for a short suspense or detective story.

Scope and Contents

5 TLS, with attached autograph note (probably the agent's), in French, regarding some accounting matters, the revision of The Gift, the possibility of republishing Bend Sinister, the legal proceedings against Olympia, and the translation of The Eye.

Scope and Contents

5 TLS, 1 of which is typed on a copy of a letter sent to Dr. Bloch, in French and English, explaining enclosures (of corrections to The Gift and The Eye), offers from foreign publishers for Lolita, and the publication of expanded version of Conclusive Evidence, (Speak, Memory). Mentions a "fan-letter" from Robbe-Grillet about Pale Fire.

Scope and Contents

5 TLS, in French, concerning various contractual and publication matters (especially re The Gift). Expresses sorrow at the death of Doussia Ergaz, and encloses a check to pay for flowers.

Scope and Contents 6 TLS, in French with some English, asking after the proofs for The Gift and agreeing to the prepublication of a chapter of The Gift in The Paris Review, wondering why VN's works sell terribly in France, and why Gallimard and Grasset don't do more to advertise these books, and announcing the publication of a Russian translation of Lolita in the US. Véra notes that her husband has not...

Scope and Contents

6 TLS in French and English, regarding the publication of some short stories, and outlining VN's dissatisfaction with Girard, who not only refuses to respond to VN's letters but has not incorporated VN's suggestions with regard to the verse and word game sections of The Gift. VN is particularly annoyed that the list of errata has not been included with the novel, and that he has not been given credit for his translation work.

Scope and Contents

5 TLS, in French and English, noting VN's change of American publishers (from Putnam's to McGraw-Hill, which will publish am English translation of King, Queen, Knave), and the failure of Olympia's appeal. As a result of this judgment, all of the royalties held in escrow now revert to VN, who must now attempt to find a new (and respectable) publisher for Lolita