Vladimir Nabokov

Novels

- 1926 - Mary, Nabokov's first novel, was published. This novel was written in Russian and published under the pseudonym Vladimir Sirin. It is semi-autobiographical and features descriptions of young Nabokov's first serious romance and the Nabokov family estate.

- 1928 - King, Queen, Knave, Nabokov's second novel, was published. This marked his turn to the highly stylized form that characterized his later works.

- 1930 - The Defense, a chess novel, was published, further establishing Nabokov's use of stylized form.

- 1930 - The Eye was published.

- 1932 - Glory was published.

- 1933 - Laughter in the Dark was published.

- 1934 - Despair, one of Nabokov's first important works, was published.

- 1936 - Invitation to a Beheading, another important early work, was published.

- 1938 - The Gift, considered by some to be Nabokov's best Russian novel, was published. This novel, with its reliance on literary parody, marked a turning point in his writing, with the serious use of parody becoming key in his later works.

- 1939 - The Enchanter, Nabokov's final Russian novel, was published. He later called it the first little throb of Lolita.

- 1941 - The Real Life of Sebastian Knight, Nabokov's first novel written in English, was published.

- 1947 - Bend Sinister was published.

- 1955 - Lolita was published. This novel, which explored the themes of obsession, pedophilia, and the dark side of the American dream, was considered controversial from the time of its publication. It was Nabokov's best-selling novel and established him as a major literary figure.

- 1957 - Pnin was published.

- 1962 - Pale Fire, considered by many to be Nabokov's masterpiece, was published.

- 1969 - Ada or Ardor: A Family Chronicle, Nabokov's longest novel, was published.

- 1972 - Transparent Things was published.

- 1974 - Look at the Harlequins! was published.

- 2009 - The Original of Laura, an unfinished novel Nabokov was working on at the time of his death, was published posthumously.

Nabokov's Approach to Writing

Nabokov believed that novels should not be didactic and that readers should strive for a higher aesthetic enjoyment when reading, paying close attention to style and structure. He disliked general ideas in novels and felt that readers should focus on the details of a novel rather than the narrative.

Nabokov was a proponent of individualism and rejected concepts and ideologies that he felt curtailed individual freedom and expression.

Nabokov's creative process involved writing on index cards, which allowed him to rearrange paragraphs and chapters to form the structure of his novels.

Pseudonyms and Cameos

Nabokov published works under the pseudonym Vladimir Sirin in the 1920s-1940s. He also made cameo appearances in some of his novels, such as Vivian Darkbloom an anagram for Vladimir Nabokov in Lolita and Ada or Ardor: A Family Chronicle.

Legacy

Nabokov is considered one of the greatest novelists of the 20th century. His works are known for their linguistic playfulness, complex plots, clever word play, daring metaphors, and prose style capable of both parody and intense lyricism.

His work, particularly Lolita, continues to spark controversy and debate.

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