Praise for The Secret History

"A penetrating analysis certain to compel a major reassessment of the Nabokov canon."
— starred review, Booklist

"...a brilliant examination that adds to the understanding of an inspiring and enigmatic life."
— starred review, Kirkus

"Highly recommended for all Nabokov fans..."
— starred review, Library Journal

"Certainly the most remarkable and insightful book on Vladimir Nabokov in many years."
— Michael Maar, author of Speak, Nabokov and The Two Lolitas

"... an intriguing and provocative new take on one of the giants of modern American letters."
— Adam Hochschild, author of To End All Wars: A Story of Loyalty and Rebellion: 1914-1918 and other books

"... a feat of fascinating literary detective work ..."
— Christopher Goffard, author of You Will See Fire and Snitch Jacket

"A wide-ranging introduction to Nabokov's life and work as well as a game-changer for those readers who thought they knew his writing cold."
— Steven Belletto, author of No Accident, Comrade: Chance and Design in Cold War American Narratives (Oxford U. Press)

Archive for the "News" Category

The Boston Globe praises The Secret History

Kate Tuttle of The Boston Globe weighed in over the weekend with a generous review of The Secret History that ran in the March 17 print edition of the paper. Noting Nabokov’s reputation as a “an almost impossibly gorgeous stylist, a linguistic virtuoso whose works glided past the wars, revolutions, and genocides that scarred 20th-century […]

Nabokov in DC: how declassified intelligence and forgotten history reveal hidden stories in Lolita and Pale Fire

Calling all Nabokov fans, literary fiends, and history buffs in the nation’s capital! I’m giving a (free!) talk this Thursday, March 14, at 6:00 pm in downtown DC to celebrate the publication of The Secret History of Vladimir Nabokov. Appropriate to the setting, I’ll cover the ways in which FBI files, newspaper archives, and declassified CIA […]

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Lolita & anti-Semitism: talking Nabokov at the 92nd St. Y

Do you live or work in Manhattan? If so, join me at noon on Wednesday, March 13, at the 92nd Street Y’s Tribeca location to talk about Nabokov in America. I’ll cover the calamities that turned him into a refugee from both the Soviets and the Nazis, as well as what he found in the […]

Publication day for The Secret History

What were you planning to do today? Well, today is publication day for The Secret History of Vladimir Nabokov! I hope you’ll plow through any pesky snowfall that happened to arrive overnight and go to your local bookstore to buy it, or check it out of your library, or borrow it from a friend. If […]

Kirkus gives The Secret History a starred review; announcing spring book tour dates

More good news! With just over a week to go until The Secret History’s publication on March 6, Kirkus has given the book a starred review. Lots of generous things in there, most of which are still behind a paywall. But here’s a peek, skipping the spoilers (and there is one big spoiler, so don’t […]

Booklist gives The Secret History a starred review; Pegasus Books moves up publication date

Just two quick news items before the weekend. I’m thrilled to share that Booklist, the American Library Association’s magazine, has given The Secret History of Vladimir Nabokov a starred review. Here’s the closing paragraph from their very generous comments: Through her historically grounded readings of [Nabokov’s] fiction, Pitzer discredits the widespread but misleading perception of Nabokov […]