In his prologue, Nabokov argues that a book is not merely a vessel for "ideas" or "social messages," but a work of art that exists independently. Nabokov’s Definition of a Good Reader
The PDF version of Vladimir Nabokov's lectures on literature is widely available online. Readers can access the text through various digital libraries, academic databases, and online archives. Some popular sources include: vladimir nabokov lectures on literature pdf
The "specific and crammed" world of Dickens receives a commensurate lecture. Nabokov delighted in the book's "tricks, the richness and the pity", showcasing his appreciation for a writer who, like himself, was a master of intricate plotting and vibrant detail. In his prologue, Nabokov argues that a book
Nabokov famously filled index cards with scene sequences. In the margin of your digital PDF (use Preview or Adobe Acrobat), try to reduce one chapter of Bleak House into the 15 "essential scenes" Nabokov lists. This exercise is worth a semester of graduate school. Some popular sources include: The "specific and crammed"
In the standard lecture set, Nabokov dissected seven major works with surgical precision:
“In reading, one should notice and fondle details.”