Books Quote by Vladimir Nabokov
““In this course I have tried to reveal the mechanism of those wonderful toys — literary masterpieces. I have tried to make of you good readers who read books not for the infantile purpose of identifying oneself with the characters, and not for the adolescent purpose of learning to live, and not for the academic purpose of indulging in generalizations. I have tried to teach you to read books for the sake of their form, their visions, their art. I have tried to teach you to feel a shiver of artistic satisfaction, to share not the emotions of the people in the book but the emotions of its author — the joys and difficulties of creation. We did not talk around books, about books; we went to the center of this or that masterpiece, to the live heart of the matter.””
About This Quote
Source Lecture: Creative Writing Course, 1970s, University of Texas
Encourages reading for artistic form and authorial intent rather than personal identification or academic analysis.
In simple terms: Read for the craft and vision of the author.
Key Takeaway
Focus on the work’s structure and artistic impact.
Themes
literary criticism
artistic appreciation
authorial voice
Mood
introspective
thoughtful
Type
educational
philosophical
When to use this quote
- university literature class
- book club discussions
- personal study of classics
Key Concepts
form
vision
artistic satisfaction
creative reading
Questions to Reflect On
- How does focusing on form change your reading experience?
- Can you balance authorial intent with personal response?
A Different Perspective
May overlook personal emotional connection to text.
![“...under no circumstances would he [Humbert Humbert] have interfered with the innocence of a child, if there was the least risk of a row.” quote by Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0f0/vladimir-nabokov-198_children_under-no-circumstances-would-he-humbert_16228.jpg)
