Nikolai Gogol

In this deep study of Nabokov’s work, rare accompanying materials are presented, inviting the reader to an intellectual discussion between two giants of Russian literature. Between 1942 and 1944—soon after moving to America—Vladimir Nabokov wrote a work about Nikolai Gogol, turning it into a personal and audacious reflection on the true and the false in art. His well-known excerpts explaining to Americans the meaning of the word “kitsch/philistinism” and mocking advertising stereotypes were created specifically for this book and remain relevant.

Despite moving away from the traditional biographical style, the book about Gogol covers the writer’s entire creative career, examining in detail the twists and turns of his life, and includes a detailed “Chronology” and an index. By infusing the text with his own creative experience, Nabokov offers his interpretation of the enigmatic figure of Gogol—trying to reveal the mystery behind his actions and ideas.