LIFE - RARE PHOTOS: The Author of 'Lolita'

Rare Photos: Vladimir Nabokov

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:40:06 EST

"Nabokov writes prose the only way it should be written," John Updike once wrote. "That is, ecstatically." In 1959, LIFE Magazine sent photographer Carl Mydans to Ithaca, New York to shoot the Russian-born author, whose magnum opus "Lolita" was breaking sales records across the country. Most of the photos from that series were never published — a handful appeared in LIFE's international edition — but they offer an unique look into the private life of one of the titans of American literature. To mark the recent publication of Nabokov's last, unfinished novel "The Original of Laura," LIFE now presents the unpublished photos from that shoot.

On the Road Again

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:42:23 EST

Nabokov preferred to write in a car and penned most of "Lolita" in 1953 while on a butterfly-catching road trip with his wife Vera. The book's delayed release can be attributed to the difficult of finding an American bookstores given the novel's explicit elements.

Vera Challenges the Master

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:47:28 EST

Along with butterfly catching, Nabokov's other favorite pastime was chess and he claimed to craft chess problems with the same "originality, invention, conciseness, harmony, complexity, and splendid insincerity" that he used to create art. Here, he squares off against his wife, Vera, possibly relying on the Luzhin Defense.

Professor Nabokov

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:48:03 EST

At the time these photos were taken, Nabokov was teaching Russian and European literature at Cornell University. The reclusive novelist Thomas Pynchon is said to have taken one of Nabokov's classes while he was a student there.

Duly Noted

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:56:08 EST

Nabokov wrote most of his novels on 3" x 5" notecards, keeping blank cards under his pillow for whenever inspiration struck. Seen here: a draft of "Lolita."

Notecard Detail

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:56:23 EST

The early sketches of a new novel? No, these are merely doodles Nabokov made during the negotiations for the "Lolita" movie rights, which were eventually sold for $150,000 plus 15 percent of the profits.

Typing Up the Cards

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:43:30 EST

Nabokov dictates the contents of a card to Vera. Near the end of writing "Lolita," Nabokov became dissatisfied with the work and tried to burn his notecards. Vera stopped him.

Original of the Species

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:41:31 EST

Nabokov takes to his feet while dictating a card. "The Original of Laura" is actually only based on some 125 notecards, and has stirred controversy as Nabokov explicitly asked his wife and son to destroy the work.

Feel a Draft

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:45:04 EST

Nabokov begins to proofread his latest book (at this time, possibly "Pale Fire").

On the Prowl

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:52:44 EST

Throughout his life, Nabokov was a dedicated lepidopterologist, catching and studying butterflies whenever he had a free moment. His distinguished work in the field resulted in a butterfly genus, Nabokovia, being named for him.

The Butterfly Effect

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:45:12 EST

Nabokov displays a day's haul. In 1967, he told The Paris Review: "The pleasures and rewards of literary inspiration are nothing beside the rapture of discovering a new organ under the microscope or an undescribed species on a mountainside in Iran or Peru. It is not improbable that had there been no revolution in Russia, I would have devoted myself entirely to lepidopterology and never written any novels at all."

Eyes Peeled

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:54:00 EST

Nabokov and Vera make their way through the leaves in search of butterflies.

Net Earnings

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:49:01 EST

Spotting a butterfly, Nabokov prepares to strike.

The Author Lunges

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:52:11 EST

Nabokov nearly catches an unsuspecting butterfly.

Vera

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:53:09 EST

A portrait of Nabokov's wife Vera while on a butterfly hunt.

An Expert Grasp

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:54:34 EST

Nabokov carefully removes a captured butterfly from his net.

Ready For Anything

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:52:05 EST

The author poses with his butterfly net.

Big Man on Campus

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:46:32 EST

Professor Nabokov takes a stroll around the Cornell grounds

Illuminating Work

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:46:57 EST

Nabokov reclines with his work on a bed.

Home Again

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:53:11 EST

Nabokov walks home under the shadows of two trees on the Cornell campus.

Portrait of the Author

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:44:48 EST

Few modern authors can boast Nabokov's critical reception or his sphere of influence. His every word was a joy to read. Here, the opening lines from Lolita, perhaps his most famous: "Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta."