Vladimir Nabokov

Easton Press Vladimir Nabokov books

Lolita - 1999

Franklin Library Vladimir Nabokov books

Nabokov's Dozen - Limited First Edition Society - 1977
Nabokov's Dozen - Collected Stories of the World's Greatest Writers - 1977
Lolita - Greatest Books of the Twentieth Century - 1979
Lolita - 100 Greatest Masterpieces of American Literature - 1981

 

Vladimir Nabokov biography

Vladimir Vladimirovich Nabokov, a luminary of twentieth-century literature, was born on April 22, 1899, in Saint Petersburg, Russia, into a family renowned for its intellectual and artistic achievements. His father, Vladimir Dmitrievich Nabokov, was a prominent statesman and liberal politician, while his mother, Elena Ivanovna Rukavishnikova, hailed from a wealthy and aristocratic background. Nabokov's early years were marked by privilege and culture, with a multilingual upbringing that laid the foundation for his extraordinary linguistic abilities. He demonstrated a passion for literature and butterflies from an early age, foreshadowing the dual trajectory of his life – one dedicated to the art of words, the other to the meticulous study of lepidoptera.

In 1919, the Russian Revolution forced the Nabokov family into exile, setting them on a journey across Europe. Nabokov completed his education at Cambridge University, where he studied Slavic and Romance languages. His formative years in Europe deeply influenced his worldview and provided fodder for his later works, characterized by themes of exile, displacement, and the search for identity. In 1940, with the rise of fascism in Europe, Nabokov emigrated to the United States, where he would spend the remainder of his life. Despite the challenges of adapting to a new country and language, Nabokov quickly established himself as a literary force to be reckoned with. His command of English, coupled with his distinctive prose style and imaginative storytelling, captivated readers and critics alike.

Nabokov's literary oeuvre is as diverse as it is dazzling, spanning genres and defying categorization. His masterpiece, Lolita (1955), stands as one of the most controversial and influential novels of the twentieth century, exploring taboo subjects with a blend of wit, lyricism, and psychological depth. Through the enigmatic figure of Humbert Humbert, Nabokov dissected the complexities of desire, obsession, and moral ambiguity, challenging readers to confront their own preconceptions. Beyond Lolita, Nabokov's bibliography boasts a wealth of riches, including Pale Fire (1962), a metafictional tour de force; Ada or Ardor: A Family Chronicle (1969), a sprawling epic of love and memory; and Speak, Memory (1951), a luminous memoir that traces his Russian childhood with Proustian precision.

In addition to his literary pursuits, Nabokov remained steadfast in his passion for entomology, publishing numerous scientific papers and even discovering several new species of butterflies. His fascination with the natural world imbued his fiction with a keen eye for detail and a reverence for the beauty of the mundane. Vladimir Nabokov passed away on July 2, 1977, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire and provoke readers across the globe. His genius lies not only in the dazzling brilliance of his prose but also in his unwavering commitment to the transformative power of art – a legacy that ensures his place among the pantheon of literary greats for generations to come.