Leland de la Durantaye I. Cruelty FEW OF NABOKOV'S READERS have begrudged him their admiration, but many their affection. Asked in 1959 whether he felt that the novel was then traversing a 'crisis', Italo Calvino responded that it was not, and pointed to the recently published Lolita as proof. 1 Many years later, Calvino was to restate his admiration, but this time accompanied by an aside. He remarked that Nabokov was 'truly a genius, one of the greatest writers of the century and one of the people in whom I most recognise myself', and that, 'if I had to name the author who has most influenced me these last years and who I've preferred above all others, I would answer: Vladimir Nabokov' Calvino goes so far as to credit Nabokov with having, 'invented an English of extraordinary richness'. Despite this highest of praise, however, Calvino appends to his appreciation that, as a writer, Nabokov possessed 'an extraordinary cynicism and a formidable cruelty'. 2