Thanks again to Ross for organizing and graciously hosting our "fifth Wednesday" discussion last night of Vladimir Nabokov's short story/memoir (or the other way around, if you prefer), "Mademoisselle O." The seven Bookmen in attendance ranged from a few (like me) who had never read any of Nabokov's fiction, to others who were already highly knowledgeable about the author's life and works, but that made for a lively discussion as we compared translations and nuances.
Whatever our disagreements about specific facets of the story (such as whether Nabokov sympathizes or empathizes with the title character), we all agreed that it is a masterpiece. Of course, like every gem, the story has some flaws, but not nearly enough to obscure its beauty. (If I'm overstating the degree of consensus, I trust that someone in attendance will correct the record.)
The story is available in several different collections, so I commend it to you all. Cheers, Steve
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