Reviews
A readable collection on one of the 20th century's greatest writers, this will be enjoyed by Nabokov fans and students of 20th century literature., "At the end of the twentieth century, Vladimir Nabokov was judged as one of the ten greatest writers in the world of that century. And I can confirm that the two best works ever written on Nabokov—anywhere in the world—are Brian Boyd's two-volume account of Nabokov's life and work. In these volumes, the specifics of Nabokov's life are thorough and precisely correct, and the description, evaluation, and interpretation of all of Nabokov's writings remain to this day the finest ever written. All Nabokov scholars must use Boyd's work and interpretations as a basis in order to go forward from any other perspective. So without question, he is the greatest Nabokov scholar in the world." -- Stephen Jan Parker, University of Kansas, founding editor of The Nabokovian and author of Understanding Vladimir Nabokov, In Stalking Nabokov Boyd attempts something fairly ambitious: he takes the titanic Nabokov and seeks to revise him upwards. As Boyd sees it, he is not only the greatest novelist of the century; he is also a considerable poet, an important scientist, a controversially original translator, a fearless and liberating critic, a learned psychologist.... Véra [Nabokov] soon came to value him and to trust him; and we should follow her lead.... Professor Boyd, as the author of books on evolution and cognition, is well equipped to give us a real sense of Nabokov's scientific weight.... The long and fervent essay in Stalking Nabokov [on the poem] "Pale Fire," compel us to reexamine the poem as an autonomous whole. And the exercise is epiphanic. "Pale Fire" glows with fresh pathos and vibrancy-and so does Pale Fire. For the first time we see the poem in all its innocence, and register the vandalism of Kinbote's desperate travesty. // So at last the true dimensions of Pale Fire are more clearly revealed to us.... On the timbre of Nabokov's artistic spirit Boyd is fundamentally right-headed., Absolutely excellent.... there is much here that will inform, enliven, and enlighten the work of one of the greatest novelists of his century., Brian Boyd is not only Nabokov's biographer but also his pre-eminent critic. This is a valuable and delightful collection of essays on one of the twentieth century's most significant novelists., Boyd is, without a doubt, an incredibly exacting and rigorous scholar -- his tireless research and collection of a vast array of materials is something which coming generations of academics will continue to be grateful for., Boyd's graceful style and passionate advocacy achieves the goal of the best literary criticism: it compels us to pick up Nabokov and read, or read again, the work of a master., In Stalking Nabokov Boyd attempts something fairly ambitious: he takes the titanic Nabokov and seeks to revise him upwards. As Boyd sees it, he is not only the greatest novelist of the century; he is also a considerable poet, an important scientist, a controversially original translator, a fearless and liberating critic, a learned psychologist.... Vra [Nabokov] soon came to value him and to trust him; and we should follow her lead.... Professor Boyd, as the author of books on evolution and cognition, is well equipped to give us a real sense of Nabokov's scientific weight.... The long and fervent essay in Stalking Nabokov [on the poem] "Pale Fire," compel us to reexamine the poem as an autonomous whole. And the exercise is epiphanic. "Pale Fire" glows with fresh pathos and vibrancy-and so does Pale Fire. For the first time we see the poem in all its innocence, and register the vandalism of Kinbote's desperate travesty. // So at last the true dimensions of Pale Fire are more clearly revealed to us.... On the timbre of Nabokov's artistic spirit Boyd is fundamentally right-headed., Brian Boyd is, without question, the foremost single authority on Vladimir Nabokov's life and art and has been generally considered such ever since the publication of his magisterial two-volume critical biography, Vladimir Nabokov: The Russian Years and Vladimir Nabokov: The American Years . Not only is anything that Boyd writes about Nabokov significant, but his study of Nabokov is remarkably dynamic -- there's just no other word for it. Stalking Nabokov tells a fascinating story of continual intellectual rediscovery and of Boyd's own development as reader, student, literary sleuth, biographer, critic, colleague, collaborator, mentor, and, best of all, rereader., Stalking Nabokov, in the end, is a tribute not just to an extraordinary literary animal, but also to the size, force, and stamina of an extraordinatory brain., Advances a consistent and intriguing reading of [Nabokov's] work.... a powerful corrective to a prevailing view of Nabokov., In Stalking Nabokov Boyd attempts something fairly ambitious: he takes the titanic Nabokov and seeks to revise him upwards. As Boyd sees it, he is not only the greatest novelist of the century; he is also a considerable poet, an important scientist, a controversially original translator, a fearless and liberating critic, a learned psychologist.... Véra [Nabokov] soon came to value him and to trust him; and we should follow her lead.... Professor Boyd, as the author of books on evolution and cognition, is well equipped to give us a real sense of Nabokov's scientific weight.... The long and fervent essay in Stalking Nabokov [on the poem] "Pale Fire," compel us to reexamine the poem as an autonomous whole. And the exercise is epiphanic. "Pale Fire" glows with fresh pathos and vibrancy -- and so does Pale Fire. For the first time we see the poem in all its innocence, and register the vandalism of Kinbote's desperate travesty. // So at last the true dimensions of Pale Fire are more clearly revealed to us.... On the timbre of Nabokov's artistic spirit Boyd is fundamentally right-headed., Boyd's deft analysis of the novels is superb.... genuinely exhilarating.... Brian Boyd is not only Nabokov's biographer but also his pre-eminent critic. This is a valuable and delightful collection of essays on one of the twentieth century's most significant novelists., Boyd's deft analysis of the novels is superb.... genuinely exhilarating.... Brian Boyd is not only Nabokov's biographer but also his pre-eminent critic. A valuable and delightful collection of essays on one of the twentieth century's most significant novelists., Substantial.... Impressive.... Enlightening.... Best of all, his enthusiasm for Nabokov's verbal pyrotechnics, for his comically deluded heroes pursuing elusive objects of desire, for the ability to depict life itself, joyously 'swarming with inexhaustible diversity and delight,' sends you back to read the books... of one of literature's great masters., In Stalking Nabokov Boyd attempts something fairly ambitious: he takes the titanic Nabokov and seeks to revise him upwards. As Boyd sees it, he is not only the greatest novelist of the century; he is also a considerable poet, an important scientist, a controversially original translator, a fearless and liberating critic, a learned psychologist.... Véra [Nabokov] soon came to value him and to trust him; and we should follow her lead.... Professor Boyd, as the author of books on evolution and cognition, is well equipped to give us a real sense of Nabokov's scientific weight.... The long and fervent essay in Stalking Nabokov [on the poem] "Pale Fire," compel us to reexamine the poem as an autonomous whole. And the exercise is epiphanic. "Pale Fire" glows with fresh pathos and vibrancy--and so does Pale Fire. For the first time we see the poem in all its innocence, and register the vandalism of Kinbote's desperate travesty. // So at last the true dimensions of Pale Fire are more clearly revealed to us.... On the timbre of Nabokov's artistic spirit Boyd is fundamentally right-headed., In Stalking Nabokov Boyd attempts something fairly ambitious: he takes the titanic Nabokov and seeks to revise him upwards. As Boyd sees it, he is not only the greatest novelist of the century; he is also a considerable poet, an important scientist, a controversially original translator, a fearless and liberating critic, a learned psychologist.... Vra [Nabokov] soon came to value him and to trust him; and we should follow her lead.... Professor Boyd, as the author of books on evolution and cognition, is well equipped to give us a real sense of Nabokov's scientific weight.... The long and fervent essay in Stalking Nabokov [on the poem] "Pale Fire," compel us to reexamine the poem as an autonomous whole. And the exercise is epiphanic. "Pale Fire" glows with fresh pathos and vibrancy--and so does Pale Fire. For the first time we see the poem in all its innocence, and register the vandalism of Kinbote's desperate travesty. // So at last the true dimensions of Pale Fire are more clearly revealed to us.... On the timbre of Nabokov's artistic spirit Boyd is fundamentally right-headed., Praise for Brian Boyd: "At the end of the twentieth century, Vladimir Nabokov was judged as one of the ten greatest writers in the world of that century. And I can confirm that the two best works ever written on Nabokov, anywhere in the world, are Brian Boyd's two volume account of Nabokov's life and work. In these volumes, the specifics of Nabokov's life are thorough and precisely correct, and the description, evaluation, and interpretation of all of Nabokov's writings remain to this day the very finest ever written. All Nabokov scholars must use Boyd's work and interpretations as a basis in order to go forward from any other perspective. So without question, he is the fgreatest Nabokov scholar in the world.", Boyd's graceful style and passionate advocacy achieves the goal of the best literary criticism: it compels us to pick up Nabokov and read, or read again, the work of a master.Publishers Weekly, There is much here that will inform, enliven, and enlighten the work of one of the greatest novelists of his century., Praise for Brian Boyd: "At the end of the twentieth century, Vladimir Nabokov was judged as one of the ten greatest writers in the world of that century. And I can confirm that the two best works ever written on Nabokov—anywhere in the world—are Brian Boyd's two-volume account of Nabokov's life and work. In these volumes, the specifics of Nabokov's life are thorough and precisely correct, and the description, evaluation, and interpretation of all of Nabokov's writings remain to this day the finest ever written. All Nabokov scholars must use Boyd's work and interpretations as a basis in order to go forward from any other perspective. So without question, he is the greatest Nabokov scholar in the world." -- Stephen Jan Parker, University of Kansas, founding editor of The Nabokovian and author of Understanding Vladimir Nabokov, Boyd is, without a doubt, an incredibly exacting and rigorous scholar - his tireless research and collection of a vast array of materials is something which coming generations of academics will continue to be grateful for., Stalking Nabokov , in the end, is a tribute not just to an extraordinary literary animal, but also to the size, force, and stamina of an extraordinatory brain., This book is a real treasure. It represents a considerable range of work by the author of one of the great biographies of the late twentieth century, who is also a lucid and consistently engaged and engaging critic. A remarkable read-all readers and scholars of Vladimir Nabokov will need this book., Boyd's sophisticated use of texts and contexts, close readings informed by archival materials and decades of experience, and wonderful writing style mean that all Nabokov scholars and fans will enjoy.
