Glory is the wryly ironic story of Martin Edelweiss, a twnety-two-year-old Russian émigré of no account, who is in love with a gir...
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Dec 27, 2010
I read the Foreword and first chapter (which was only about 2 pages) early this morning. All I can manage to say through the fog of exhaustion today is that I find Nabokov's authorial voice delightful. I usually skip the Forewords, but I saw that this one was dated on my birthday -- three years before I was born, but my birthday nonetheless, so I felt compelled by the cosmic symmetry to read it. I'm glad I did, because the writing was delightful and insightful. It's an interesting experience to
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Oct 20, 2011
kissmyshades
rated it: 
very unexpected - lovely to read however.
reread: quite brilliant but with the subject... it's just inherently not all that compelling. so i've got to disagree with nabokov's assessment of it being his 3rd best novel, but still worth reading and worth reading carefully.
reread: quite brilliant but with the subject... it's just inherently not all that compelling. so i've got to disagree with nabokov's assessment of it being his 3rd best novel, but still worth reading and worth reading carefully.
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Dec 27, 2010
J.
rated it: 
Nabokov’s kaleidoscopic coming-of–age novel Glory was written in Russian in 1932, and later translated into English by son Dmitri in the seventies, under the supervision of father, author and observant reporter, Vladimir.
Basically two veins being explored here. One the familiar theme of first-love / love-lost & consequent melancholy that comprises the vocational aspirations of every Sensitive Youth.
And the other, the Mise-en-Scène-- itself a complex place-shifti More...
Dec 27, 2010
Adelina
rated it:
Тази книга трябва да се чете бавно, за да може човек да се потопи в очарованието на езика. Кратки фрази, живи описания. Изграждане на образа внимателно, щрих по щрих - главният герой Мартин е руски емигрант, животът му протича в Швейцария, Англия, Германия, преминава през Франция, но никъде той не се чувства чужд, нито пък се чувства у дома си. Няма я и носталгията по Русия /както може да се очаква в подобен роман, още повече като се има предвид животът на самия автор/, Мартин е възпитаван от м
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Dec 27, 2010
Brendan
rated it:
Not one of Nabokov's heaviest books, to be sure, and not so full of those verbal acrobatics that so enhance his later work; in fact Glory is almost universally considered his least remarkable novel, but I quite enjoy it. Some memorable, well drawn characters: the witty and languorously charming Darwin, who is given one of my favorite descriptions in the book when we are familiarized with the soles of his shoes as he always has them listlessly propped up on some piece of furniture. Equally str
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Dec 27, 2010
milkrobot
rated it:
First, if you get the Vintage edition, don't read the book description! It's terrible, it must have been written for another book.
That being said, the book itself is wonderful. Martin Edelweiss is a helplessly romantic mama's boy whose main ambition is to gallop through life with loud enough virility to make ladies swoon. Year after year of his life (or chapter after chapter), Nabokov poses grander situations in which Martin feels challenged to make his life more picturesque, or him More...
That being said, the book itself is wonderful. Martin Edelweiss is a helplessly romantic mama's boy whose main ambition is to gallop through life with loud enough virility to make ladies swoon. Year after year of his life (or chapter after chapter), Nabokov poses grander situations in which Martin feels challenged to make his life more picturesque, or him More...
Dec 27, 2010
Andreea
rated it: 
I was starting to really like Nabokov and I guess that's why this book disappoints me more than it would if it came from an author I already didn't like. He [Nabokov:] seems to have the tendency to start things brilliantly, but then gradually lose his pathos. That's how I felt Ada or Adour was too, the first 200 pages truly brilliant the rest considerably more ...sloggy. The first half of this book, until Martin graduates from Cambridge was both interesting and funny. Things were happening and y
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Mar 08, 2011
This edition of this book is the perfect reason why I don't read the back cover of a novel any longer. Good thing I picked up this book and chose to go into it blind (and therefore refused to even look at the back cover.) When I finished the book I read the back cover. You know, where they actually spoil the ending of the book. The back cover tells you how it ends! What the hell?
Feb 11, 2012
James
rated it: 
Probably the most autobiographical of Nabokov's earlier novels originally written in Russian, but generally not as good as his later works.
At times the prose has the sparkling flair of his later works, but the overall narrative is unbalanced, meandering and ultimately unfulfilling.
At times the prose has the sparkling flair of his later works, but the overall narrative is unbalanced, meandering and ultimately unfulfilling.
Nov 02, 2011
Nicely observed novel centred on Russian emigres in Europe between the wars. Unusually for Nabokov much of the action takes place in England.
Not as harsh in tone as earlier novels like Invitation to a beheading or laughter in the dark, the tone is more similar to later works.
Not as harsh in tone as earlier novels like Invitation to a beheading or laughter in the dark, the tone is more similar to later works.
Nov 13, 2011
Riley
rated it:
Vladimir Nabokov has, unfortunately, always disappointed me, though I've returned to him many times hoping it wouldn't be so. This book was an exception, and I enjoyed it a lot. Nabokov's descriptive powers are really on display here.
Jul 27, 2011
Enjoyable enough without lighting any fireworks. Only my third Nabokov but it's not as good as Bend Sinister and it doesn't exist on the same plane of existence as Lolita.
Dec 27, 2010
Matthew
rated it:
Such languorous, simple, beautiful prose I have not had the grace to read since Remains of the Day or perhaps Left hand of Darkness. Martin never gave up his vigor of youth for the indolence, security, and artificiality of Adulthood. Much to the distress of his friends and family he doggedly pursues his adolescent dreams never succumbing to the siren's call of settling. Truly we can learn what Glory and sacrifice means from Martin's example, if only we have the courage to buck what society exp
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Dec 27, 2010
Chris
rated it:
If you want to know why Nabokov hates George Orwell, you'll find the answer here, ha, ha, ha. Not my favorite of his books; it's dry in the way his later American stuff was, but it comes together so nicely in the end that it's all worth it. Still, it's a treat, considering all the books out there that start out with some interesting stuff but turn it into a steaming pile of feces by the end, e.g. anything by Chuck Palahniuk and the movie Adaptation.
Dec 27, 2010
Mike
rated it:
Starts out wonderfully - very wry, witty and well cared for. Then Martin leaves college and I lost all interest. The jacket will tell you that he succeeds in crossing the border back to the USSR - but he doesn't actually succeed in doing so until the last few pages so it feels a little under-whelming when he simply disappears. Glad to be done with this one, not terrible but also not particularly great.
Dec 27, 2010
Paul
rated it:
"Petals had fallen from the almond trees, and stood out pale on the dark earth of the damp path, like almonds in gingerbread. Not far from some enormous cedars of Lebanon grew a lone birch tree, with that particular slant to its foliage that only a birch has (as if a girl had let her hair down on one side to be combed, and stood still). "
Another great book from Nabokov.
Another great book from Nabokov.
Dec 27, 2010
Brent
rated it:
I forgot how funny this book was. The very idea of Rasputin using the telephone to court a beautiful woman. The telephone, an instrument that would not allow him the power of his hypnotic gaze. That is too rich. Somebody -- I''m talking to you, Ian Frazier -- ought to write a Shouts & Murmurs column on that subject.
Dec 27, 2010
Sarah
rated it:
Ah, my first Nabokov. I have a feeling I will remember reading this and falling in love with him. All I've heard forever and ever is how much I needed to read him, and now that I've begun, I can safely say I will continue. And besides, who doesn't love reading those Vintage Paperbacks? The textures of their covers is divine!
Dec 27, 2010
Hamish
rated it:
I love Nabokov (he's probably my favorite writer) but there's always something kind of spiteful about his novels. Not this one though. It kind of reminds me of Speak, Memory in that it focuses on setting the scene and moves at a very casual pace and isn't quite so caught up in the complications of its plot.
Dec 27, 2010
Tim
rated it:
Didn't know anything about this book, and just picked it up off the shelves of a used bookstore for a trip. Ended up being the perfect book for the adventure I was on. Could relate to it in so many ways. Anyone who is an adventurous dreamer should read this.
Dec 27, 2010
Monique
rated it:
For me, nowhere near as good as Lolita, but still interesting. Martin's fascination with Russia seems somewhat impersonal -- it's a "product of his time" (Nabokov alludes to this in the forward), and I think that's part of where it lost me.
Dec 27, 2010
Lila
rated it:
Nabokov = fucking genius. I mean: "Amidst the twilight of the room, all in white, sat Irina, seeming to float int he dusk like a ghostly turtle.' GHOSTLY TURTLE?? Holy holy mackerel all holy. So good.
Dec 27, 2010
Adam
rated it:
Pierwsza z książek Nabokova, którą przeczytałem. Wspaniałe dzieło, byłem pod wielkim wrażeniem po przeczytaniu jej. Nie moge nic więcej napisać, bo byłoby to zbyt nieobiektywne ;)
Dec 27, 2010
Mimi
rated it:
an early Russian novel of Nabokov that I had never read, shows the dangers of romanticism. As usual with Nabokov, I had to look up a few words, but well worth it.
Dec 27, 2010
Tony
rated it:
Really great novel by everyone's favorite Russian emigre. I liked it better than Pale Fire, most people would probably argue me on that one, but fuck you, I say.
Dec 27, 2010
DoctorM
rated it:
A very early and rather romantic Nabokov. A young man's novel, but surprisingly powerful, and full of Russian romanticism and melancholy.
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Dec 27, 2010
Lavina
rated it:
What is up with the description of the book on the cover verso of the Vintage edition? It's like I read another book entirely.
Dec 27, 2010
I am in love with his lyrical voice. He mentions the kinds of detail I would notice were I there in the protagonists shoes.
Dec 27, 2010
Janarchy
rated it:
Glory is slow and Russian for about 4/5 of the book - not bad, just Russian - but the ending is fucking brilliant.
