Laughter In The Dark: Amazon.ca: Vladimir Nabokov, John Banville: Books

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"Nabokov writes prose the only way it should be written that is, a ecstatically." -- John Updike --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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Albinus, a respectable, middle-aged man and aspiring filmmaker, abandons his wife for a lover half his age: Margot, who wants to become a movie star herself. When Albinus introduces her to Rex, an American movie producer, disaster ensues. What emerges is an elegantly sardonic and irresistibly ironic novel of desire, deceit, and deception, a curious romance set in the film world of Berlin in the 1930s. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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First Sentence
Once upon a time there lived in Berlin, Germany, a man called Albinus. Read the first page

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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover

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Customer Reviews

25 Reviews

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4.6 out of 5 stars (25 customer reviews)

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5.0 out of 5 stars `Once upon a time there lived in Berlin, Germany a man called Albinus.', Nov 5 2011

By

J. Cameron-Smith "Expect the Unexpected" (ACT, Australia) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Laughter In The Dark (Paperback)

'He was rich, respectable, happy; one day he abandoned his wife for the sake of a youthful mistress; he loved; was not loved; and his life ended in disaster.
This is the whole of the story and we might have left it at that had there not been profit and pleasure in the telling; and although there is plenty of space on a gravestone to contain, bound in moss, the abridged version of a man's life, detail is always welcome. '

And, as Nabokov has summarised the story and told us the ending in the first paragraph, what's to be gained by reading the detail? Why read about Albert Albinus and his doomed relationship with Margot, and the failure of his marriage to Elisabeth? This is hardly a new plot: novels are filled with fools and failures; villains and vixens; and tears and tragedy. Albinus is tragically na�ve; Axel Rex is a heartless opportunist and Margot is cruelly manipulative. In fewer than two hundred pages we follow Albinus from comparative light into absolute darkness, through a series of choices (often associated with windows and doors) to a disastrous conclusion. Can there possibly be enjoyment in reading that? Yes, because of the way Nabokov provides the detail and uses humour.

`The door leading from the hall to the landing is wide open, too.'

This is the fourth Nabokov novel I've read, and I've enjoyed them all. In addition to `Laughter in the Dark', I've read `Lolita', `Bend Sinister' and `Pale Fire'. I'm not sure which to tackle next.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Nabokov's best novel, Jan 29 2004

By

David Cullen "Dave Cullen" (Denver, CO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Laughter in the Dark (Paperback)

This is one of my all-time favorite books, and favorite Nabokov novel (though nothing comes close to his memoir, "Conclusive Evidence" -- now sold under the inferior title, "Speak, Memory; I loved that one so much I named my blog after it.)

This book includes the usual Nabokov wit in every sentence, but it's also a deliciously fun read. Nearly all the characters are kind of bad, but not blood-curdling Humbert Humbert sort of way. These are people who fail despite themselves.

And it won my heart with the first sentence. Try it out:

Once upon a time there lived in Berlin, Germany, a man called Albinus. He was rich, respectable, happy; one day he abandoned his wife for the sake of a youthful mistress; he loved; was not loved; and his life ended in disaster.

Gutsy opening, huh? But it's all in the telling.

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Lolita - Lite, May 15 2003

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"mephistopheles_9000" (Mount Prospect, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Laughter In The Dark (Paperback)

This is one of Nabokov's earlier books, published 22 years before Lolita. In many ways, the plot and feel of the two stories are quite similar (older man falls in love with younger girl who he idealizes, she doesn't love him but realizes her dependence on him, eventually ends in disaster). It's interesting to compare Nabokov's writing from one book to the other - Lolita is much more emotionallty intensive, challenging, has smoother and richer language, has more to say, and seems far less contrived than Laughter in the Dark. There's not so much to enjoy in Laughter outside of a pretty basic, well-written story. If you haven't read Lolita, buy an annotated copy and read that first, if you've already read it and are a fan of Nabokov's other works, definitely give it a shot, but with lowered expectations. A very good little book, just not a classic.

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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite Nabokov
Having read many of his books, this is by far my favorite.
Nabokov does not hide from the reader that his main character will have a bad ending, even though at some point in... Read more

Published on April 13 2003 by cpiy

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite Nabokov
Having read many Nabokov books, this is by far my favorite. It is simply delicious. It starts with a catchy line, and Nabokov never hides from the reader that the main character... Read more

Published on April 12 2003 by cpiy