Publisher Description

The story of Nabokov's life continues with his arrival in the United States in 1940. He found that supporting himself and his family was not easy--until the astonishing success of Lolita catapulted him to world fame and financial security.

Author Biography

Brian Boyd is Distinguished University Professor in the Department of English at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. He is the author of the prize-winning Vladimir Nabokov: The Russian Years (Princeton 1990), Vladimir Nabokov: The American Years (Princeton 1991), and Nabokov's Ada: The Place of Consciousness. Referred to in a recent journal as "the great man of Nabokov studies," he has also edited Nabokov's English novels and autobiography for the Library of America and Nabokov's Butterflies for Beacon Press.

Table of Contents

*Frontmatter, pg. i*Contents, pg. ix*List of Illustrations, pg. xiii*Introduction, pg. 1*1. Refuge: New York and Stanford, 1940-1941, pg. 9*2. Visiting Lecturer: Wellesley and Cambridge, 1941-1942, pg. 35*3. Scientist, Writer, Teacher: Cambridge and Wellesley, 1943-1944, pg. 58*4. Permanent Impermanence: Cambridge and Wellesley, 1944-1946, pg. 77*5. Bend Sinister, pg. 93*6. Teaching Literature at Last: Cambridge and Wellesley, 1946-1948, pg. 107*7. Russian Professor: Cornell, 1948-1950, pg. 129*8. Conclusive Evidence/Speak, Memory, pg. 149*9. Teaching European Fiction: Cornell, 1950-1951, pg. 166*10. Finding Time for Lolita: Cornell and Harvard, 1951-1953, pg. 199*11. Lolita, pg. 227*12. Lolita into Print, Pnin onto Paper: Cornell, 1953-1955, pg. 255*13. Pnin, pg. 271*14. Lolita Sparks: Cornell, 1955-1957, pg. 288*15. Eugene Onegin, pg. 318*16. Lolita Explodes: Cornell and After, 1957-1959, pg. 356*17. Chased by Fame: Europe, America, Europe, 1959-1961, pg. 391*18. Pale Fire, pg. 425*19. Mask and Man: Montreux, 1961-1964, pg. 457*20. Ada Stirs: Montreux, 1964- 1966, pg. 487*21. Flying High: Montreux, 1966-1968, pg. 518*22. Ada, pg. 536*23. Tidying Up: Montreux, 1968-1972, pg. 563*24. Transparent Things, pg. 588*25. Reinventing a Life: Montreux, 1972-1974, pg. 602*26. Look at the Harlequins!, pg. 623*27. Unanswered Questions: Montreux, 1974-1977, pg. 643*Acknowledgments, pg. 665*Abbreviations, pg. 671*Notes, pg. 675*Bibliography, pg. 731*Index, pg. 759

Review

One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 1992 "Nabokov has found at last a biographer worthy of him."--Walter Kendrick, The New York Times Book Review "[Boyd is] an inspired explicator... In Vladimir Nabokov: The American Years [Nabokov's] life and his art intertwine. They work against each other almost as often as they work with each other, and it takes a biographer as skilled as Brian Boyd to keep track of every fascinating twist and turn."--Anne Tyler, The Atlantic "A munificently detailed biography... [Boyd has] put all readers of Nabokov in his debt."--David Lodge, The Los Angeles Times Book Review

Prizes

Runner-up for Choice Magazine Outstanding Reference/Academic Book Award 1992

Long Description

The story of Nabokov's life continues with his arrival in the United States in 1940. He found that supporting himself and his family was not easy--until the astonishing success of Lolita catapulted him to world fame and financial security.

Review Quote

One of Choice 's Outstanding Academic Titles for 1992

Details