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Yuri Leving's Keys to "The Gift": A Guide to Vladimir Nabokov's Novel is a new systematization of the main available data on Nabokov's most complex Russian novel, The Gift (1934-1939). From notes in Nabokov's private correspondence to scholarly articles accumulated during the seventy years since the novel's first appearance in print, the work draws from a broad spectrum of existing material in a succinct and coherent way, as well as providing innovative analyses. The first part of the monograph, "The Novel," outlines the basic properties of The Gift ( plot, characters, style, and motifs) and reconstructs its internal chronology. The second part, "The Text," describes the creation of the novel and the history of its publication, public and critical reaction, challenges of the English translation, and post-Soviet reception. Along with annotations to all five chapters of The Gift, the commentary provides insight into problems of paleography, featuring unique textological analysis of the novel based on the author's study of the archival copy of the manuscript.
About the author
Yuri Leving earned his PhD (summa cum laude) in 2002, at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He came to Dalhousie University after two years teaching at The George Washington University (2004-2006). His main field of interest is Russian literature, culture and film. Leving is the author of Train Station - Garage - Hangar: Vladimir Nabokov and Poetics of Russian Urbanism (2004, Short-listed for Andrey Bely Prize) and Upbringing by Optics: Book Illustration, Animation, and Text (2010). He also co-edited three volumes of articles, The Goalkeeper: The Nabokov Almanac (2010), Empire N. Nabokov and Heirs (2006), and Eglantine: Collection of Philological Essays to Honor the Sixtieth Anniversary of Roman Timenchik (2005).
Summary
"The Gift (1934-1939)" is Vladimir Nabokov's most complex Russian novel. This title outlines the basic properties of "The Gift": the plot, characters, style, and motifs, as well as reconstructs an internal chronology of the novel. It describes the creation of the novel and the history of its publication, as well as its post-Soviet reception.
Additional text
"For those wishing to embark on serious study of The Gift, Leving's Keys is a vital and invaluable starting place."
