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BooksExiles in a small worldAn early campus novel, Vladimir Nabokov's Pnin, published while Lolita was banned, first established his credentials as a writer of rare ability, writes David LodgeVladimir Nabokov was a literary genius. There is no other word with which to describe a writer who, in mid-life, became a stylistic virtuoso in a language that was not his mother tongue. Circumstances - which is to say, the convulsions of 20th-century European politics - impelled him to achieve this feat, exchanging Russian for English as the medium of his art (as well as acquiring an enviable fluency in French along the way).

The streaming service has upped its game when it comes to original films, filling gaps that studios allowed to form in the theatrical space. How much difference a year makes! Early last December, around the time critics’ groups do their annual awards voting, if you’d asked me to make a list of the 10 best Netflix original films of 2017, I could’ve named two contenders — Sundance winner “I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore” and Noah Baumbach pickup “The Meyerowitz Stories” — and that would’ve been the end of it.

The rock band The Neighbourhood announced Sunday evening that they have ousted their drummer, Brandon Fried, after being accused of groping María Zardoya, of the band The Marias. The first allegation came Sunday when Zardoya took to her Instagram story to level an allegation against Fried. "I was at a bar last night, and i was groped under the table by brandon fried, the drummer of the neighbourhood. it was one of the most uncomfortable things i've ever experienced.

Gridiron Football achieved two firsts in Arizona during the past weekend: first, a coaches conference and showcase only for females flag football; and second, a youth football competition for flag and 7v7 teams. Among the noteworthy figures that joined them were Trey McBride, starting tight end for the Arizona Cardinals, Lyndsey Fry, who won a… ncG1vNJzZmidkae5urnEpqaroZGhwG%2BvzqZmppmkqbWmw4ygqaimlJq5bq%2FAq2Sam5Oesaa602aroaqVmnqztdWeqaxlpK16sbvLopqeZZ%2Bbs6qvxKtkmqxdm7KlsdGao2aapaeyosGMqJ1mqKKewLC60mabop2UYravecBmnZqskaF6pL7ArJ9o

Lil Wayne is hitting the road this spring on his "Welcome to Tha Carter Tour" ... a pretty clear cut smoke signal his long-awaited "Carter VI" album isn't too far behind. Weezy made the grand announcement Tuesday ... unveiling the 28 city tour's kickoff date of April 4, which will hit major hot spots such as Chicago, Detroit, and NYC before concluding in L.A. on May 13. One city missing, is Wayne's hometown of New Orleans .

On Sept. 15, 1963, the Ku Klux Klan bombed the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala. This week, the city is remembering one of the darkest chapters in civil rights history. Lynsey Weatherspoon for NPR hide caption ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7r7zRZ6arn1%2Blv7Cz0ZqkrGeRobluwMeipaCrXZi8r7%2FInZyrnZRkf3F%2BkmhncmdhaXxyfZhybHFqYGaBcK3LpWStoJmjtLR5wqilrKGUmr%2BmsIyfpqtlo5q9tbHMm5yrZWFpenN8kWw%3D

Updated Dennis Rodman is back in the news for saying he will go to Russia to negotiate Brittney Griner's release. Rodman is one of the most compelling figures in sports thanks to his unique game and enigmatic personality. Rodman's journey to the NBA was unusual, including being homeless and undergoing a late growth spurt, and his time after the NBA has been rocky. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. Dennis Rodman remains one of the most captivating figures in the NBA and all of sports.

Redeem now When your wife becomes the first woman to win a major party's presidential nomination, you're probably in a pretty good mood. Former President Bill Clinton seemed to be having the time of his life during the balloon drop after Hillary's speech at the Democratic National Convention. No matter who you're voting for this November, these pictures of Bill playing with balloons will put a smile on your face:

Michael Gray bought an abandoned home in Detroit from his nephew for $1,500 in 2009. He's spent over a decade renovating it himself from flooring, to drywalling, to painting. Gray spoke with Insider about his multiyear process of transforming the home into a livable space. Michael Gray has spent more than 10 years turning a derelict house in Detroit into a cozy home for him and his family.  This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.