From the Bookshelf of Around the World in 80 Books…
Find A Copy At
Group Discussions About This Book
No group discussions for this book yet.
What Members Thought

Although this book has its comic moments, I found it to be an overall sad story. I also kept thinking as I read the book whether it was somewhat autobiographical in nature. Pnin's living in many countries throughout this life mirrors to some extent the experience of Nabokov. Pnin's inability to settle down in one area leads to him feeling disconnected and like an outsider looking in. However, Pnin has been working at the university for 9 years and is ready to put his roots into the local communi
...more

A comic trifle of a book with Nabokov's wonderful word play and sense of the absurd. He was such a snob and there are so many deliciously catty asides in the book. He clearly hated psychology and saves some of his sharpest barbs for the psychology professors and their surveys and studies that are supposed to glean deep insights into human behavior. The book would simply be clever and slight if he didn't so poignantly capture the pain of nostalgia for an immigrant. Missing the landscape of home,
...more

Mar 09, 2024
Lisa of Hopewell
marked it as to-read
I knew of this book, but decided to read it based on this review: https://thoughtsonpapyrus.com/2023/12...
...more

i can't find a copy. i guess i have to go to the library this weekend.
...more

Dec 22, 2009
Juliana Philippa
marked it as to-read


Sep 12, 2011
superawesomekt
marked it as tbr-myshelf

Dec 16, 2011
Deedee
marked it as to-read
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
classics,
immigrants,
year-1957,
title-has-1-word,
n,
color-gray,
guardian-list-unread,
rws-reading-1001

May 03, 2012
Pam
marked it as to-read

Dec 21, 2012
Micha
marked it as to-read


Mar 30, 2016
Chris Hammer
added it

Jun 20, 2016
Dana Arbelaez
marked it as to-read

Nov 22, 2020
Dianne
marked it as to-read

Feb 19, 2021
Ann
marked it as to-read

Nov 05, 2022
Bill
marked it as to-read

Feb 04, 2024
Grace
marked it as to-read