Nabokov in America by Robert Roper
Roper's biography delves into Nabokov's love-hate entanglement with America, a nation that both inspired and repulsed him. On one hand, he found himself ensnared in commercial vulgarity, but on the other, it was America that inspired his newfound effrontery—a distinctly American brand, if you will. One might argue that this very contradiction is what fueled the genius behind his greatest works.
Moreover, Roper's examination of Nabokov's annual summer pilgrimages to the American West, a ritual adopted while he taught at the esteemed institutions of Wellesley and Cornell, offers an evocative glimpse into the man's passions outside his literary pursuits. Notably, Roper also brings a much-needed sense of justice to Nabokov's relationship with his American agent, Altagracia de Jannelli, a figure previously and unjustly maligned.
Thus, "Nabokov in America" bestows upon us a fresh and intriguing perspective on the inextricable intertwining of Nabokov's life and work with the land of the free—a dance of love, disdain, and inspiration that ultimately fueled the fire of one of the literary world's most daring and brilliant minds.
Labels: Vladimir Nabokov
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