Contents
Vladimir Nabokov (1899-1977) was a Russian and American writer, literary critic and translator. He was educated in England. Throughout his life, Nabokov amazed those around him with contradictory traits in his character, unique hobbies (he loved collecting butterflies and composing chess problems) and, of course, scandalous novels.
It is best to start acquaintance with the author with short stories or short stories, such as “Signs and Symbols”, “Scoundrel”, “Circle”, etc. Nabokov’s novels “Mashenka”, “Gift”, “Invitation to Execution” are very deep , and for those who are new to Vladimir Nabokov, it is better to postpone them until better times.
In this article, you will learn about the most famous works of Nabokov. Readers can be advised to try to find their own meaning in the works, and not try to understand what the author himself wanted to say.
10 Gift
«Gift» 1938 – this is the last Russian novel by Vladimir Nabokov, which can rightly be called the pinnacle of the Russian-speaking period of his work and one of the masterpieces of literature of the twentieth century. Nabokov writes amazingly, he seems to be an artist, drawing every element in his picture.
The novel tells about the creative development of Fyodor Godunov-Cherdyntsev, a young émigré writer. He feels his penchant for literary activity, he is bored of spending time in the circle of emigrants, the only person who is interesting to Fedor is the poet Koncheev. With him, he conducts an internal dialogue “in the language of imagination.”
The autobiographical book “The Gift” deals with the most important topics that Nabokov often touches on in his works: the mysteries of the true gift, the ideas of immortality, the fate of Russian literature, etc.
9. King, queen, jack
«King, queen, jack“- one of the first novels of Nabokov, which was written in 1928. Vladimir Nabokov masterfully depicts the atmosphere in his work, while reading some obscure images emerge: blurry, colored, there is a feeling of madness and even some kind of fever.
In the intricacies of love and criminal intrigue, the fates of a bored woman are shuffled like playing cards (the beginning of the 19th century – a lady wants to love, rejoice, live, besides, the war has recently ended), her husband – a successful Berlin businessman and his provincial half-impoverished nephew.
Three heroes turn out to be just puppets of a merciless case …
8. Masha
«Masha“- the first novel by Vladimir Nabokov, written in 1926. The author wrote the novel during his emigration, which carries biographical motives, since Nabokov yearned for his homeland, and he was devoured by sadness for his home.
Reading his work, comes the realization that you need to live in the present, and you can’t return the past.
The work “Mashenka” is a book about memories, about the whimsical interweaving of life patterns of the present and the past … About a magnificent event – the first love story of a Russian emigrant living in Berlin – Lev Ganin.
The novel, whose actions cover the events of six days, with a small number of characters, acquires semantic depth thanks to the strong memory of Lev Ganin (and the author himself).
7. Pnin
Of all the novels by Vladimir Nabokov,Pnin” (less known than, for example, “Lolita”) seems to be the funniest.
“Pnin” is a “challenge to Cervantes”. The novel was written in English in the United States and published as a book in 1957.
The reader, picking up the book “Pnin”, will get acquainted with Timofey Pavlovich Pnin, an emigrant professor from Russia. The protagonist of the book – eccentric, absurd, touching – a kind of Don Quixote, who lives in Waindel – a university town.
Gradually, he reveals himself to readers as a multifaceted and complex personality, in whose fate the most diverse moments are combined: tragic, happy, whose life, like the life of any person, forms a bizarre mixture of unimaginable charm and eternal sadness …
6. Pale fire
Anti-novel “Pale firewas written in English and was first published in 1962. Vladimir Nabokov’s extravagant work defies any traditional genre designation (some critics call it an “anti-novel”).
The work “Pale Fire” is difficult to understand. The author himself said about his work:I think Pale Fire is a simple novel. A person reveals himself most clearly in creative work, which brings him joy and satisfaction. Here the poet reveals himself in his poem, and the commentator – in the comments … I hope that one of the readers will notice the highlights – there are many of them.
This book by Nabokov is more fun than others. But if you are not familiar with the author, then it is better to postpone this technically virtuoso and complex book for later, and start reading with the easier-to-understand works of Nabokov.
5. Under the sign of the illegitimate
Nabokov wrote an English-language work in the United States in 1947. As always, the author managed to create a fascinating world in which reality and imagination are intertwined.
The story of the work takes place in one police state, headed by the dictator Paduk. It is ruled by a party of “equalizers”.
At the center of the storyUnder the sign of the illegitimate“- Adam Krug, a well-known philosopher, once a classmate of Paduk. As a child, Adam Krug bullied him.
Trying to get official support from Adam for his rule, the dictator Paduk takes all his comrades under arrest, but the philosopher can only be broken by parting with his beloved little son, David.
4. Protection of Luzhin
Work on the novelProtection of Luzhin» Nabokov began in 1929 at Le Boulou. In 1929-1930, he published it under the pseudonym V. Sirin in the journal Sovremennye Zapiski, and then a separate book followed in the Slovo publishing house.
Luzhin’s Defense is one of the most famous novels by V. Nabokov. In the center of the story is the life of Luzhin, an autistic boy who plays chess masterfully. His life at school is a real hell, and the boy finds his salvation in a chess game. He grows up to be the strongest chess player… Luzhin lives from tournament to tournament, the end of the story is very sad…
Interesting fact: in the image of Luzhin, the features of Nabokov’s friend, Kurt von Bardeleben, slip through.
3. Pinhole camera
«Pinhole camera” was written by Nabokov in 1931, revised and named “Laughter in the darkin 1938. The novel is reminiscent of Lolita.
The main characters of the novel are involved in the intricacies of love affairs, in the elements of betrayal and passion.
“Camera Obscura” impresses with the way everything is presented – a simple story about love, betrayal and a love triangle has already been described in books many times, but the story of V. Nabokov is read with great interest, even, one might say, avidly.
He masterfully describes every event that stands before his eyes, like a living picture. Descriptions of the characters’ characters, their feelings pass through the soul of the reader. It is impossible to express in words how the work is saturated with realism and life.
2. An invitation to execution
The date the novel was writtenAn invitation to execution”: around 1935-1936. It was first published in Modern Notes (a Parisian magazine), and in 1938 the novel was published as a separate book in the Paris edition of The Book House.
30-year-old teacher Tsintsinat Ts. was accused of “epistemological stupidity”, for which he was sentenced to death. For 19 days he keeps a diary, surrounded by the walls of a prison, executioners, a lawyer and his relatives.
For him, the day of execution becomes a release from the confusion: Cincinat descends from the scaffold and, watching the destruction of the fictitious world through and through, heads off to the side, “where, judging by the voices, there were beings like him”…
1.
«Lolita“- the most famous scandalous work of Vladimir Nabokov, which brought the author worldwide fame and material well-being. He considered his work the pinnacle of achievement – a serious book written with serious goals.
37-year-old Mr. Humbert writes a confession while in prison. An adult male was endowed with a tendency to be attracted to pretty girls aged 9-12.
“Lolita” tells the story of the sad fate of a child – an ordinary little girl is captured by a heartless person. For most readers, Humbert remained a dubious hero, and Lolita a charming nymphet.