Vladimir Nabokov in general

As I lie reclining on my chaise-longue on a summer's afternoon damp with the hot air of ripening I feel a soft tickling on my hand. I look down to see a small butterfly, which has crawled across my fingers and is now nibbling on the edge of my book. It is the spirit of big Vlad, and he has some to tell me the world is alright again. Vladimir Nabokov (1899-1977) was born into an aristocratic and cultured family in St Petersburg. Fleeing the Bolsheviks, he lived in London, Berlin and America. He published books both in Russian (The Luzhin Defense, The Gift) and English (Lolita, Pale Fire). His novels are an unparalled web of linguistic puns and ...  Read the complete review