Speak, Memory--Ch. 9

"My father was, indeed, a very active man, but as often happens with the children of famous fathers, I viewed his activities through a prism of my own, which split into many enchanting colors the rather austere light my teachers glimpsed." --Vladimir Nabokov, page 186

This chapter was about Nabokov's father, and I thought it flowed so well. I love how he started talking about his father's life, then him as a writer, then him as a fencer, and so forth, and then came full circle in the chapter with his father almost dueling someone because of writing. It was beautifully crafted (damn you, Nabokov! I want some of your talent). I liked this particular sentence because it describes very well what "children of famous fathers" must feel. The prism image has been used a lot over the years, but at the time this book was written, I'm sure it was still a fresh metaphor, and very good.