Pnin: Vladimir (Penguin Clothbound Classics)

Beautifully made little book with a wonderful Nabokov's novella

Pnin is the most accessible and easily rewarding of Nabokov's novels. It is the tragic tale of an emigre academic coming to terms with his new life in the United States and with his own past. Nabokov moved to the United States in 1939, having established a glowing reputation for his Russian masterpieces in small emigre circles. His move meant abandoning his beloved Russian and beginning again as an American writer - his success is obvious. Pnin was an early foray, originally serialized in 'The New Yorker'. Unlike his author, Pnin finds the transition to American life impossible - he finds himself isolated and increasingly lonely. Although we laugh at Pnin's constant blunders, we quickly begin to love his noble and solitary quest, never letting his own difficulties get in the way of generosity and compassion. Yet, all is not what it seems ... a careful re-reading reveals a subtle relationship between author and reader and, I think, tells us a lot about Nabokov's view of himself, beneath the polished and erudite veneer.