Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Ten of the best breakages in literature

At the Guardian, John Mullan named ten of the best breakages in literature.

One title on the list:
Pnin, by Vladimir Nabokov

Nabokov's expatriate Russian prof prizes above all a lovely aquamarine bowl, a gift from his son. He places it in the sink after a party and hears a terrible sound of breaking glass. Moaning, he dips his hand into the foam and cuts himself – but on a broken goblet. The bowl is intact ; fate is not cruel after all.
Read about all ten works on Mullan's list.

--Marshal Zeringue