My mind speaks English, my heart speaks Russian, and my ear prefers French.
Vladimir Nabokov
Mind Language, Heart Emotion, Ear Preference, Culture, Identity, Communication
Vladimir Nabokov’s Quotes On Topics
Humorous Retort | Bordering State | Question | Future Time | Earthly Passion | Stealthy Atmosphere | Preferences | Language Reflection | Opposition | Shaving | Realization | Indication | Resilience | Beyond Words | Poverty Yearning | Corners | Silence Communication | Winter | Human Experience | Wave Breaking | More
More Vladimir Nabokov Quotes
“With the help of the janitor he screwed on to the side of the desk a pencil sharpener – that highly satisfying, highly philosophical implement that goes ticonderoga-ticonderoga, feeding on the yellow finish and sweet wood, and ends up in a kind of soundlessly spinning ethereal void as we all must.” Vladimir Nabokov
Pencil Sharpener, Ethereal Void, Philosophical Implement, Objects, Philosophy, Reflection
Vladimir Nabokov Pencil Sharpener, Ethereal Void, Philosophical Implement, Objects, Philosophy, Reflection“Occasionally, in the middle of a conversation her name would be mentioned, and she would run down the steps of a chance sentence, without turning her head.” Vladimir Nabokov
Chance Sentence, Name Mention, Conversation Highlight, Sentence, Name, Conversation
Vladimir Nabokov Chance Sentence, Name Mention, Conversation Highlight, Sentence, Name, Conversation“And yet I shall try again: “they are murdering me!“ – all right, all together once more: “they are murdering me!” and again: “murdering”. I want to write this in such a way that you will cover your ears, your membranaceous, simian ears that you hide under strands of beautiful feminine hair – but I know them, I see them, I pinch them, the cold little things, I worry them with my fingers to somehow warm them, bring them to life, render them human, force them to hear me.” Vladimir Nabokov
Murderous Writing, Human Hearing, Ear Imagery, Writing, Hearing, Imagery
Vladimir Nabokov Murderous Writing, Human Hearing, Ear Imagery, Writing, Hearing, Imagery“The Goldsworth castle became particularly solitary after that turning point at dusk which resembles so much the nightfall of the mind. Stealthy.” Vladimir Nabokov
Goldsworth Solitude, Dusk Symbolism, Stealthy Atmosphere, Solitude, Symbolism, Atmosphere
Vladimir Nabokov Goldsworth Solitude, Dusk Symbolism, Stealthy Atmosphere, Solitude, Symbolism, Atmosphere“Sometimes, though, angels smoke-in their sleeves. But when the archangel goes by, they throw their cigarettes away: This is what falling stars are.” Vladimir Nabokov
Angels, Symbolism, Perception, Beauty, Fate, Time
Vladimir Nabokov Angels, Symbolism, Perception, Beauty, Fate, Time“And I catch myself thinking today that our long journey had only been defiled with a sinuous trail of slime the lovely, trustful, dreamy, enormous country that by then, in retrospect, was no more to us than a collection of dog-eared maps, ruined tour books, old tires, and her sobs in the night – every night, every night – the moment I feigned sleep.” Vladimir Nabokov
Regret, Memories, Loss, Time, Trust, Introspection
Vladimir Nabokov Regret, Memories, Loss, Time, Trust, Introspection“On such sunny, sad mornings I always feel in my bones that there is a chance yet of my not being excluded from Heaven, and that salvation may be granted to me despite the frozen mud and horror in my heart.” Vladimir Nabokov
Hope Salvation, Heaven Fate, Emotion Struggle, Faith, Life, Hope
Vladimir Nabokov Hope Salvation, Heaven Fate, Emotion Struggle, Faith, Life, Hope“Of all my Russian books, the defense contains and diffuses the greatest ‘warmth’ which may seem odd seeing how supremely abstract Chess is supposed to be.” Vladimir Nabokov
Russian Literature, Abstract Chess, Literary Warmth, Literature, Chess, Warmth
Vladimir Nabokov Russian Literature, Abstract Chess, Literary Warmth, Literature, Chess, Warmth“That human life is but a first installment of the serial soul and that one’s individual secret is not lost in the process of earthly dissolution, becomes something more than an optimistic conjecture, and even more than a matter of religious faith, when we remember that only commonsense rules immortality out.” Vladimir Nabokov
Serial Soul, Earthly Dissolution, Immortality Faith, Soul, Dissolution, Faith
Vladimir Nabokov Serial Soul, Earthly Dissolution, Immortality Faith, Soul, Dissolution, Faith“Art at its greatest is fantastically deceitful and complex.” Vladimir Nabokov
Greatest Art, Deceptive Complexity, Artistic Depth, Art, Complexity, Deceit
Vladimir Nabokov Greatest Art, Deceptive Complexity, Artistic Depth, Art, Complexity, Deceit“We live not only in a world of thoughts, but also in a world of things. Words without experience are meaningless.” Vladimir Nabokov
Thoughts Experience, Meaning Life, Words Knowledge, Perception, Reality, Identity
Vladimir Nabokov Thoughts Experience, Meaning Life, Words Knowledge, Perception, Reality, Identity“What are these hopes, and who is this savior?” “Imagination,” replied Cincinnatus.” Vladimir Nabokov
Imagination, Hope, Philosophy, Salvation, Creativity, Thought
Vladimir Nabokov Imagination, Hope, Philosophy, Salvation, Creativity, Thought“I am sufficiently proud of my knowing something to be modest about my not knowing all.” Vladimir Nabokov
Proud Knowing, Modest Ignorance, Balanced Awareness, Knowing, Modest, Awareness
Vladimir Nabokov Proud Knowing, Modest Ignorance, Balanced Awareness, Knowing, Modest, Awareness“Oh, let me be mawkish for the nonce! I am so tired of being cynical.” Vladimir Nabokov
Cynicism, Emotion, Vulnerability, Authenticity, Sentiment, Criticism
Vladimir Nabokov Cynicism, Emotion, Vulnerability, Authenticity, Sentiment, Criticism“All dreams are anagrams of diurnal reality.” Vladimir Nabokov
Dreams Anagrams, Diurnal Reality, Life Symbolism, Dreams, Reality, Symbolism
Vladimir Nabokov Dreams Anagrams, Diurnal Reality, Life Symbolism, Dreams, Reality, Symbolism“Since I sometimes won the race between my fancy and nature’s reality, the deception was bearable. Unbearable pain began when chance entered the fray and deprived me of the smile meant for me.” Vladimir Nabokov
Pain Suffering, Chance Fate, Reality Illusion, Life, Fate, Memory
Vladimir Nabokov Pain Suffering, Chance Fate, Reality Illusion, Life, Fate, Memory“With a heavy heart I left the house and walked through the spotted blaze of the sun to my car. Two other cars were parked on both sides of it, and I had some trouble squeezing out.” Vladimir Nabokov
Heavy Heart, Sun Blaze, Parking Trouble, Emotions, Daily Life, Moments
Vladimir Nabokov Heavy Heart, Sun Blaze, Parking Trouble, Emotions, Daily Life, Moments“In life, as in chess, it is always better to analyze one’s motives and intentions.” Vladimir Nabokov
Life, Chess, Analysis, Strategy, Self-awareness, Motives
Vladimir Nabokov Life, Chess, Analysis, Strategy, Self-awareness, Motives“The one who kills is always his victim’s inferior.” Vladimir Nabokov
Killing Inferiority, Morality Guilt, Death Philosophy, Violence, Justice
Vladimir Nabokov Killing Inferiority, Morality Guilt, Death Philosophy, Violence, Justice“Unless a film of flesh envelops us, we die. Man exists only insofar as he is separated from his surroundings. The cranium is a space-traveler’s helmet. Stay inside or you perish. Death is divestment, death is communion.” Vladimir Nabokov
Death Existence, Flesh Separation, Survival Mind, Philosophy, Body, Space
Vladimir Nabokov Death Existence, Flesh Separation, Survival Mind, Philosophy, Body, Space