Invitation to a Beheading
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 2001 Penguin Modern Classics edition |
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| Author | Vladimir Nabokov |
|---|---|
| Original title | Приглашение на казнь |
| Translator | Dmitri Nabokov in collaboration with the author |
| Country | Russia |
| Language | Russian |
| Genre(s) | Novel |
| Publisher | |
| Released | 1935-1936 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| ISBN | NA & reissue ISBN 0-679-72531-8 (Vintage; Reissue edition, September 19, 1989) |
Invitation to a Beheading (Russian: Приглашение на казнь, Priglasheniye na kazn') is a novel by the Russian-American author Vladimir Nabokov. It was originally published in Russian in 1935-1936 as a serial in Contemporary Notes--the most respected literary journal of the Russian emigration. It was published in book form in 1938, and in English in 1959, translated by Nabokov's son, Dmitri Nabokov, under the author's supervision.
[edit] Plot introduction
The novel tells the story of a man named Cincinnatus C., a citizen of some unnamed dream country, who is imprisoned and sentenced to death for "gnostic turpitude". He is surrounded by his jailer (Rodion), the director of the jail (Rodrig), and his lawyer (Roman), all of whom have names reminiscent of Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment. Indifferent to the absurdity and vulgarity around him, Cincinnatus finds his true life in the journal, where he records his visions of an ideal world. Taken to be executed, he refuses to believe in either death or his executioners, and as the ax falls the false world dissolves and he joins the spirits of his fellow visionaries in "reality."
While Nabokov stated in an interview that of all his novels he held the greatest affection for Lolita, it was for Invitation to a Beheading that he held the greatest esteem.
| The Works of Vladimir Nabokov |
|---|
| Novels : Mary • King, Queen, Knave • The Defense • The Eye • Glory • Laughter in the Dark • Despair • Invitation to a Beheading • The Gift • The Enchanter • The Real Life of Sebastian Knight • Bend Sinister • Lolita • Pnin • Pale Fire • Ada or Ardor: A Family Chronicle • Transparent Things • Look at the Harlequins! • The Original of Laura
Short Stories : The Wood-Sprite • Russian Spoken Here • Sounds • Wingstroke • Gods • A Matter of Chance • The Seaport • Revenge • Beneficence • Details of a Sunset • The Thunderstorm • La Veneziana • Bachmann • The Dragon • Christmas • A Letter That Never Reached Russia • The Fight • The Return of Chorb • A Guide to Berlin • A Nursery Tale • Terror • Razor • The Passenger • The Doorbell • An Affair of Honor • The Christmas Story • The Potato Elf • The Aurelian • A Dashing Fellow • A Bad Day • The Visit to the Museum • A Busy Man • Terra Incognita • The Reunion • Lips to Lips • Orache • Music • Perfection • The Admiralty Spire • The Leonardo • In Memory of L. I. Shigaev • The Circle • A Russian Beauty • Breaking the News • Torpid Smoke • Recruiting • A Slice of Life • Spring in Fialta • Cloud, Castle, Lake • Tyrants Destroyed • Lik • Vasiliy Shishkov • Ultima Thule • Solus Rex • Mademoiselle O • The Assistant Producer • "That in Aleppo Once..." • A Forgotten Poet • Time and Ebb • Conversation Piece, 1945 • Signs and Symbols • First Love • Scenes from the Life of a Double Monster • The Vane Sisters • Lance • Easter Rain Drama : Death • The Grandfather • The North Pole • The Tragedy of Mr. Morn • The Man from the USSR • The Event • The Waltz Invention Non-Fiction : Speak, Memory • Strong Opinions • Nikolai Gogol • Lectures on Literature • Lectures on Russian Literature • Lectures on Don Quixote • The Nabokov-Wilson letters • Selected Letters, 1940-1977 Miscellaneous : Poems and Problems • Lolita: A Screenplay • The Annotated Lolita • Carrousel |
Josephine Shaffer
