Pnin by Vladimir Nabokov, part of the Penguin Clothbound Classics series, is a captivating work of literary fiction that showcases Nabokov’s wit, humor, and profound empathy. This novel features one of Nabokov’s most endearing and amusing characters, Professor Timofey Pnin, a disoriented Russian ?migr? struggling to adapt to life on an American college campus in the 1950s.
Pnin is a tale filled with comic and tragic misunderstandings, where the hapless professor finds himself the target of academic conspiracies and the whims of a deliberately unreliable narrator. As Pnin navigates through various misadventures?such as taking the wrong train to deliver a lecture in a language he’s yet to master or hosting a faculty party only to discover he’s losing his job?he evokes both laughter and deep sympathy from the reader.
Initially seen as a comically absurd figure, Pnin’s character grows in depth and dignity, especially in contrast to those who mock him. Serialized in The New Yorker and published in 1957, Pnin not only earned Nabokov his first National Book Award nomination but also brought him widespread popularity.
This Penguin Clothbound Classics edition of Pnin beautifully binds this beloved piece of literary fiction in a collectible format, making it a treasure for both long-time Nabokov fans and new readers alike.
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