Style is Matter, The Moral Art of Vladimir Nabokov, Leland de la Durantaye, Part 1
This eminenly readable book, published in 2007, is an insightful and satisfying glance into the world of Nabokov’s writings (in large part devoted to Lolita, but nicely addressing the complexity present in pretty much everything Nabokov committed to paper). With chapters dealing with morality, art, deceit, lexicomania, it’s a wonderful introduction to the chess playing lepidopterist. There are some surprises here, from Adolf Eichmann being given Lolita to read while awaiting trial in Jerusalem, to a possible real life proto-Humbert, nympholept Harry Lanz, Nabokov’s colleague and chess partner at Stanford University (interestingly the Stanford Alumni magazine has published an article about Lanz in which it does not shirk from revealing his extracurricular interests. See link below).
http://www.stanfordalumni.org/news/magazine/2006/mayjun/features/lolita.html
