Gogol, power rangers...
This fascinating insight into the mind of a writer was unearthed when a cache of Gogol’s notebooks was recently published.
In this extract the author grapples with that first principal of artistic ownership - naming the book:
Prospective Titles-
1) The Socks - two of them, it would make the story twice as long. Also too confusing; see also gloves and shoes.
2) The bra - not really invented enough
3) The hat - Better! People DO lose hats! I lost one myself on the tram back from the Nevsky Prospekt. UNDERLINED!!!
4) The Cravat - Bit fancy. Visions of resting actors lounging in front of two bar fires. Do civil servants where cravats? N.b. what is the Russian for cravat?
5) The Nose - Just Silly! What was I thinking? Who loses a nose? Waitaminute! Fencing instructors! They must lose a nose everyday of the week. Hah! POSSIBLE!!!
6) The Overcoat - Ah! Now this one has legs.
In this extract the author grapples with that first principal of artistic ownership - naming the book:
Prospective Titles-
1) The Socks - two of them, it would make the story twice as long. Also too confusing; see also gloves and shoes.
2) The bra - not really invented enough
3) The hat - Better! People DO lose hats! I lost one myself on the tram back from the Nevsky Prospekt. UNDERLINED!!!
4) The Cravat - Bit fancy. Visions of resting actors lounging in front of two bar fires. Do civil servants where cravats? N.b. what is the Russian for cravat?
5) The Nose - Just Silly! What was I thinking? Who loses a nose? Waitaminute! Fencing instructors! They must lose a nose everyday of the week. Hah! POSSIBLE!!!
6) The Overcoat - Ah! Now this one has legs.