Speak, Memory Resources

Websites

Correspondence from the Author Himself

Check out the Nabokov archives at Cornell University!

Home-Turned-Tourist-Destination: The Nabokov House

Curious to see the Nabokov's St. Petersburg town house? You're in luck.

Articles and Interviews

A Review of "Speak, Memory" by the Famous Scientist Oliver Sacks

Oliver Sacks is known for his work writing about rare brain conditions. Read as he gets to work on Nabokov's noggin.

An Interview with Nabokov from the New York Times, 1951

Nabokov sits down for a brief chat on the occasion of the first "Speak, Memory" publication.

"The Genius & Mrs. Genius"

This fascinating New Yorker article spends time talking about Nabokov's wife Vera and her prominent role in his life and work.

Vladimir Nabokov and The Art of the Self-Interview

A piece in the Paris Review revealing the fascinating fact: Nabokov insisted on writing his interview answers, rather than giving them in conversation.

Excuse Me, Professor Nabokov?

Wonder what it was like to be taught by Vladimir? Read this essay by one of his students at Cornell.

Video

A CSPAN-2 Book TV Tribute to Vladimir Nabokov

Because who doesn't love Book TV?

"Speak, Memory" and the Craft of Memoir

A panel of writers discusses the book's craft at the Jaipur Literature Festival.

Hello, I'm Checking In

A funny video about the author and why he loves hotels.

The Ivan Mozzhuin Effect

Remember that actor Vladimir encounters beside his "walk-away" horse in Yalta? He was a famous Russian silent film actor who was the subject of the Kuleshov Effect, where filmmaker Lev Kuleshov demonstrated that a montage impacted audiences' emotions more than a single shot. (FYI: His last name was also spelled "Mozzhukin" and, most commonly "Mosjoukine.")

Audio

Use Another Sense to Experience Nabokov's Singular Prose!

Here's a sample of actor Stefan Rudnicki reading it.

An Interview with Nabokov From Way Back When (1969)

The author talks to British journalist James Mossman about the pleasure and pain of writing.

A Secondary Source

Listen to an NPR interview with Nabokov's biographer Andrea Pitzer.

Images

Nabokov and His Net

Vladimir Nabokov kept his butterfly net after all those years.

The Photograph from the Foreword

This photograph shows Nabokov and the 1936 editorial staff of Mesures, who first published "Mademoiselle O" (Chapter 5 of "Speak, Memory").