Particularize Books Supposing Laughter in the Dark
Original Title: | Камера обскура |
ISBN: | 0811216748 (ISBN13: 9780811216746) |
Edition Language: | English |
Characters: | Albert Albinus, Margot Peters, Axel Rex, Elisabeth Albinus |
Setting: | Berlin(Germany) |
Vladimir Nabokov
Paperback | Pages: 292 pages Rating: 3.97 | 12213 Users | 813 Reviews

Details Epithetical Books Laughter in the Dark
Title | : | Laughter in the Dark |
Author | : | Vladimir Nabokov |
Book Format | : | Paperback |
Book Edition | : | Anniversary Edition |
Pages | : | Pages: 292 pages |
Published | : | September 17th 2006 by New Directions (first published 1932) |
Categories | : | Fiction. Classics. Cultural. Russia. Literature. Russian Literature. Novels |
Explanation Concering Books Laughter in the Dark
"Once upon a time there lived in Berlin, Germany, a man called Albinus. He was rich, respectable, happy; one day he abandoned his wife for the sake of a youthful mistress; he loved; was not loved; and his life ended in disaster." Thus begins Vladimir Nabokov's Laughter in the Dark; this, the author tells us, is the whole story except that he starts from here, with his characteristic dazzling skill and irony, and brilliantly turns a fable into a chilling, original novel of folly and destruction. Amidst a Weimar-era milieu of silent film stars, artists, and aspirants, Nabokov creates a merciless masterwork as Albinus, an aging critic, falls prey to his own desires, to his teenage mistress, and to Axel Rex, the scheming rival for her affections who finds his greatest joy in the downfall of others. Published first in Russian as Kamera Obskura in 1932, this book appeared in Nabokov's own English translation six years later. This New Directions edition, based on the text as Nabokov revised it in 1960, features a new introduction by Booker Prize-winner John Banville.Rating Epithetical Books Laughter in the Dark
Ratings: 3.97 From 12213 Users | 813 ReviewsAppraise Epithetical Books Laughter in the Dark
I periodically revisit a handful of authors (kundera, kafka, calvino, queneau, fleming etc.) - why? to reaffirm my faith in humanity, or in something you may call "human achievement?" "art??" (ugh). perhaps for the thrill of experiencing a unique pleasure in a certain kind of intellectual, or, better, cerebral stimulation that has no equal anywhere else in nature (or human construction!) what am I talking about?!?!? all of this is a way of saying that nabokov is one of that select few, perhapsOnce upon a time there lived in Berlin, Germany, a man called Albinus. He was rich, respectable, happy; one day he abandoned his wife for the sake of a youthful mistress; he loved; was not loved; and his life ended in disaster . That way Nabokov starts Laughter in the dark and in fact these words are enough to describe the plot. Outwardly it is a banal tale of tragicomic romance of older man with young girl. There are loads such stories but this one stands out with acerbity and witticism.
I'm sticking up for this book. A lot of the reviews I've read have panned it, but they shouldn't. It's a great book.The protagonist is a philandering middle-aged art critic named Albinus. He sets out to get a mistress--with disastrous results. The mistress he secures, Margot, is a vamp, a femme fatale, a pouting silver screen siren, a Louise Brooks look-alike who leads poor blundering Albinus around by his balls and his wallet. She demands they go on extravagant vacations. She throws temper

A cautionary, satirical tale of lust and obsession, betrayal and inevitable doom. It's enough to put one off younger women for life...
Probably Nabokov's most accessible novel and in some ways a precursor to the later Lolita. The opening paragraph gives us a precis of the entire story: "Once upon a time there lived in Berlin, Germany, a man called Albinus. He was rich, respectable, happy; one day he abandoned his wife for the sake of a youthful mistress; he loved; was not loved; and his life ended in disaster."It was interesting to discover he was unhappy with the English translation and so, five years later in 1938, decided to
Almost every Nabokov novel probably deserves five stars. But while Laughter in the Dark is filled with stunning scenes, it's not one of his bulletproof masterpieces. Still, this might be his most breezy and purely enjoyable book. The plot moves along at a speedy clip, building up to a cinematic climax that's genuine edge-of-the-seat material. The prose is as inventive as ever, but never overly demanding. If you've only had a casual interest in his work, this might be a perfect place to kindle a
Nabokov famously disowned Laughter in the Dark and one can see some of the reasons why-it lacks the vivacity and verve, the poetic cadence of Nabokovs prose, however it contains most of the themes which dominate Nabokovs works; the vicissitudes of reality, of cruelty, the burgeoning sexuality of adolescence, solipsism and unreliable narrators. Some of the descriptions can be cloyingly clichéd and it lacks perhaps the complexity of his great novels, however traces of his genius and lyricism are
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