Category Archives: Vladimir Nabokov

Vladimir Nabokov’s original and unpublished translation of The Discourse of Igor’s Campaign; and Roman Jakobson’s enduring wish to complete his English edition

Posted on November 9, 2025 by stuartelden

In two previous pieces in the ‘Sunday Histories’ series, I have discussed the planned but unrealised collaboration between Vladimir Nabokov and Roman Jakobson on an edition and translation of “The Song of Igor”, an old Russian poem of the 12th century. Jakobson had … Continue reading →

Posted in Georges Dumézil, Mircea Eliade, Roman Jakobson, Sunday Histories, Uncategorized, Vladimir Nabokov | 4 Comments

Indo-European Thought in Twentieth-Century France update 28: archives in Princeton, Chicago and final work in New York

Posted on May 20, 2025 by stuartelden

I’ve continued my work with archives in the USA over the past several weeks. Some of this has been in relation to the Indo-European Thought project, but I’ve managed to work on some peripheral things too.I had two days in Princeton, … Continue reading →

Posted in Alexandre Koyré, Edward Said, Emile Benveniste, Ernst Kantorowicz, Georges Dumézil, Jacques Derrida, Mapping Indo-European Thought in Twentieth Century France, Michel Foucault, Mircea Eliade, Roman Jakobson, Sunday Histories, Vladimir Nabokov | 1 Comment

Books received – Vendryes, Critique, Jakobson & Pomorska, Rose, Zerelli, Nabokov & Wilson, Koyré, Wikander, Jakobson & Fischer-Jørgensen

Posted on May 17, 2025 by stuartelden

Mainly bought second-hand while in New York, but also the recent Critique issue on Canguilhem, the new translation of Stig Wikander, The Aryan Männerbund, and Linda M.G. Zerelli, A Democratic Theory of Truth.

Posted in Alexandre Koyré, Gillian Rose, Roman Jakobson, Vladimir Nabokov | Leave a comment

Vladimir Nabokov, Roman Jakobson, and The Song of Igor – other sources for the story of a failed collaboration

Posted on May 4, 2025 by stuartelden

In a previous piece on Vladimir Nabokov, Roman Jakobson, Marc Szeftel and The Song of Igor, I outlined the story of a planned collaborative edition and English translation of the Slavic epic The Song of Igor. This is a text of disputed … Continue reading →

Posted in Roman Jakobson, Sunday Histories, Uncategorized, Vladimir Nabokov | 8 Comments

Vladimir Nabokov, Roman Jakobson, Marc Szeftel and The Song of Igor

Posted on February 9, 2025 by stuartelden

Superficially at least, the stories of Vladimir Nabokov (1899-1977) and Roman Jakobson (1896-1982) would seem to connect. Both were born in Russia – Nabokov in Saint Petersburg; Jakobson in Moscow; both went into exile after the Revolution – Nabokov in … Continue reading →

Posted in Alexandre Koyré, Claude Lévi-Strauss, Georges Dumézil, Jean Gottmann, Roman Jakobson, Sunday Histories, Uncategorized, Vladimir Nabokov | 17 Comments