Synopsis
The Real Life of Sebastian Knight, Nabokov's first novel in English, was completed in Paris in 1938, first published by New Directions in 1941, reissued in 1959 to wide critical acclaim and now relaunched again, with an appreciative introduction by Pulitzer-Prize winning critic Michael Dirda.This, the narrator tells us, is the real life of famous author Sebastian Knight, the inside story. After Knight's death, his half-brother sets out to penetrate the mystery of the famous English novelist's life, but he is impeded by the false, the distorted, the irrelevant. Yet the search proves to be a story quite as intriguing as any of Sebastian Knight's own books, as baffling, and, in the end, as uniquely rewarding. On one level, this literary detective story has pungent points to make about the role of the artist in a society basically hostile to the creative spirit. On another, The Real Life of Sebastian Knight probes the essential problem of the ambiguity of human identity: Just who was Sebastian Knight?
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Review
He did us all an honour by electing to use, and transform, our language. (Anthony Burgess)
Nabokov can move you to laughter in the way that masters can - to laughter that is near to tears. (The Guardian)
About the Author
Vladimir Nabokov (1899-1977), one of the 20th century's greatest writers in both Russian and English, was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, and spent his adult life in Germany, France, the United States, and Switzerland. In addition to his literary work, he was a passionate lepidopterist and chess player. His books include Lolita, Pale Fire, The Real Light of Sebastian Knight, Laughter in the Dark, and many more.
Michael Dirda, who won a Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism at the Washington Post Book World, is the author of An Open Book, Bound to Please, and Readings: Essays and Literary Entertainments. He lives in Silver Spring, Maryland.
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The Real Life of Sebastian Knight (New Directions Paperbook)
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The Real Life of Sebastian Knight
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New Directions Publishing Corporation, 2008
ISBN 10: 0811217507
ISBN 13: 9780811217507
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The Real Life of Sebastian Knight (New Directions Paperbook)
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The Real Life of Sebastian Knight
Published by
New Directions Publishing Corporation, 2008
ISBN 10: 0811217507
ISBN 13: 9780811217507
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Paperback. Condition: Fair. No Jacket. Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0811217507I5N00
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The Real Life of Sebastian Knight
Published by
New Directions Publishing Corporation, 2008
ISBN 10: 0811217507
ISBN 13: 9780811217507
Used
Paperback
Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
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Paperback. Condition: Fair. No Jacket. Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0811217507I5N00
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The Real Life of Sebastian Knight
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New Directions, New York, New York, U.S.A., 2008
ISBN 10: 0811217507
ISBN 13: 9780811217507
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Paperback. Condition: Good. covers have minor wear and curling, remainder mark on bottom, corners lightly bumped, binding tight, a few scattered pencil notations, xx + 205 pages, first novel in English from Vladimir Nabokov purporting to be the real life of a fictional character Size: 5.25x 8. Seller Inventory # 026864
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The Real Life of Sebastian Knight (New Directions Paperbook)
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The Real Life of Sebastian Knight (New Directions Paperbook)
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The Real Life of Sebastian Knight (New Directions Paperbook)
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