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Despair
Despair | Vladimir Nabokov
Self-satisfied, delighting in the many fascinating quirks of his own personality, Hermann Hermann is perhaps not to be taken too seriously. But then a chance meeting with a man he believes to be his double reveals a frightening 'split' in Hermann's nature. With shattering immediacy, Nabokov takes us into a deranged world, one full of an impudent, startling humour, dominated by the egotistical and scornful figure of a murderer who thinks himself an artist.
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The_Penniless_Author
Despair | Vladimir Nabokov
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#two4tuesday Thanks for the tag, @TheSpineView !

1. For sure. If I'm browsing at the book store, either the title or the cover needs to win me over, otherwise I may never pick it up to learn more.
2. Nabokov's always good for a one-word title.

Tagging anyone who wants to play!

TheSpineView You're welcome and Thanks for playing! 🧡📙 3y
38 likes1 comment
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The_Penniless_Author
Despair | Vladimir Nabokov
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Pickpick

A man wandering down a country road comes across his perfect double dozing in the grass, and what follows are a series of events that lead to the MC plotting his own murder. This was Nabokov's homage to (or parody of) Dostoevsky's The Double. Fun fact - when Dostoevsky was imprisoned in the Fortress of SS. Peter and Paul while awaiting trial as a young radical, the commander was one "General Nabokov", who Nabokov claims was an ancestor of his.

52 likes8 stack adds
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Graywacke
Despair | Vladimir Nabokov
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Pickpick

Nabokov has become an interesting look into 1930‘s Germany and the then modern technology and personalities. Here he plays games with an irritating unreliable narrator and his faltering self analysis. Hermann finds an impoverished man he sees as looking exactly like himself and makes some dark plans. It‘s fast and entertaining enough. N did not like Dostoyevsky, and there is some snark into this ode to Crime and Punishment.

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Graywacke
Despair | Vladimir Nabokov
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I cracked this open last night. It was supposed to be my July Nabokov, but instead it‘s the first non-audiobook I‘ve started since July 12. It‘s has 25% positive rating on Litsy.

ItsAnotherJen 3.91 rating on Goodreads! Goodreads is much more accurate. One of the books I'm reading has a 0% on Litsy😄 4y
Graywacke @ItsAnotherJen thanks. Encouraging. I‘ve been enjoying working through his novels. 4y
Hooked_on_books Cute pup in the background! 4y
52 likes4 comments
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Leannr
Despair | Vladimir Nabokov
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Storm Ali is wreaking havoc in the city! Fallen trees have damaged the tram lines and blocked roads rendering my usual commute home from work out of the question. Fret in the rain and wind at the bus stop for an indefinite amount of time? Naaaah, slink into a familiar cafe, find the cosiest nook and chill for a while instead 😎

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Leannr
Despair | Vladimir Nabokov
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Sigh of enjoyment.

BarbaraBB Perfection 😍 6y
MStew 🍻 6y
MStew #goals😍 6y
11 likes3 comments
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amalthia
Despair | Vladimir Nabokov
Bailedbailed

Master of prose I picked this up after Lolita with high hopes. The voice of the author was so strong frankly I was put off. It was a show off page after page when after 40 odd pages I couldn't do it anymore. And for good measure I even sold this book off. Dissapointing!

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Billypar
Despair | Vladimir Nabokov
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batsy ❤️👌🏽(Why haven't I read this book? The title calls out to me 😆) 7y
BarbaraBB Perfect! 7y
Cinfhen Wasn‘t familiar with this Nabokov title! 7y
See All 6 Comments
Billypar @batsy @Cinfhen I would say it's slightly disappointing by Nabokov standards (but still excellent by regular book standards). 7y
Liz_M @Billypar Ha, nice qualifiers! 7y
Billypar @Liz_M Yes- important ones, for the same reason why Olympic broadcasts don't just show the medal winners ☺️ 7y
31 likes2 stack adds6 comments
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JoeStalksBeck
Despair | Vladimir Nabokov
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I've never felt rage and fear rise faster in me than when I have to delete Overdrive and re download thinking all my audiobooks would be gone. That flush and despair of a true addict 😂😂😂😂

DivineDiana But they are safe, right? 7y
Sydsavvy I feel your pain 7y
JoeStalksBeck @DivineDiana yes! Thank Zeus! 7y
See All 6 Comments
JoeStalksBeck @Sydsavvy it's a terrible feeling 7y
merelybookish My library stopped switched from Overdrive to another platform. I miss it so much! 7y
96 likes6 comments
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heikemarie
Despair | Vladimir Nabokov
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You guys convinced me and I'm organizing my TBR on Goodreads. Im on page 12 of 52 and I am despairing of ever finishing!!! #Goodreads #organizing

Rachbb3 I love the organization. I really need to do that. 😐 7y
MrBook You can do it! 7y
MrBook My To-Read shelf has 2,582 books 😂👏🏻🙌🏻. 7y
heikemarie @MrBook ✊️🙌👏 i bow down to you!! 7y
heikemarie @Rachbb3 I'm sure I'll be glad I did it once it is done! Haha. Right now I'm wondering why I did this to myself. 7y
20 likes5 comments
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LitHousewife
Despair | Vladimir Nabokov
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This afternoon I learned that my manager, the person who had supported me since he started in September (on his second day my blood pressure was an anxiety induced 160/108), is leaving the company. Suffice to say this has ruined my day. I hope to turn my outlook around, but I don't want to go back to where I was before he started. As the major bread winner in a small town, I don't see alternatives right now. Tomorrow will be better, right?

Gezemice Just breathe... it will be better. 🤗 8y
TrishB Hopefully it will be 💝 8y
Angelala007 You will continue to kick ass ❤️ 8y
See All 21 Comments
LeahBergen 💗💗💗 8y
moranadatter 💜You've got this. 8y
Bibliogeekery ❤️ 8y
Sarah83 tomorrow all will be fine 💖 8y
jessdean 🙏🏽❤️ 8y
auntie_jenn it's ok to be sad, but perhaps an opportunity awaits! 8y
LitHousewife @Gezemice @TrishB @Angelala007 @moranadatter @Bibliogeekery @Sarah83 @auntie_jenn Thank you all so much for your support. It was a rough afternoon. Now that my family is home I'm feeling better. At least I am distracted. 8y
Megabooks Thinking of you, Jennifer! I'm so sorry! 8y
LitHousewife @Booksandcooks Thank you! I'm feeling a little better. I've got to be hopeful that this will either be fine or open me up to a new opportunity. I can't let this ruin my vacation. 🙂 8y
Megabooks @LitHousewife I'm glad you're feeling better. I have faith in you. I think all of us with excellent bosses have this fear. #relatable 8y
MaureenMc Hang in there! One day at a time. 8y
Bookworm83 I'm so sorry, Jennifer 😢Definitely don't let it ruin your vacation...you've got this, friend ❤ 8y
Amandajoy That's rough. I hope things get better for you! 8y
TeeCee Chin up & carry on. To repeat others, you've got this! 8y
VoraciousReader So sorry, Lit. 😔You can do this.❤️ 8y
NovelGirl82 I'm so sorry. You can do this! Sending all my love. ❤️❤️ 8y
DebinHawaii So sorry. Sending you positive thoughts and hugs. 💜💜💜 8y
Suet624 ☹️☹️ 8y
49 likes21 comments
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jennw1212
Despair | Vladimir Nabokov
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Arbol
Despair | Vladimir Nabokov
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I am in such a state of shock. I cannot understand how/why this has happened. As an Immigrant and adoptee i can only hope that my people will be safe.

BookishFeminist 💙💙💙 I hope so too. Here to support you anyway I can. 8y
Bibliogeekery Sending care and solidarity and love! 8y
Librariana We're gonna be ok 😊💙 We're here for each other. #imwithyou 8y
20 likes1 stack add3 comments
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shawnmooney
Despair | Vladimir Nabokov
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And this is one of those times.

#wtfICantEven

LeahBergen I know. 😐 8y
75 likes1 comment
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GoneFishing
Despair | Vladimir Nabokov

That man...when he slept, his features motionless, showed me my own face...the flawlessly pure image of my corpse […] in a state of perfect repose, this resemblance was strikingly evident, and what is death, if not a face at peace...Life only marred my double; thus a breeze dims the bliss of Narcissus; thus, in the painter‘s absence, there comes his pupil and by the superfluous flush of unbidden tints disfigures the portrait painted by the master.