20th Century Invitation To A Beheading: Amazon.ca: Vladimir Nabokov: Books

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Product Description

This novel takes the reader into the prison world of a man condemned to death.

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In an unnamed dream country, Cincinnatus C. is condemned to death by beheading for "gnostical turpitude," an imaginary crime that defies definition. After spending his last days in jail, he simply wills his executioners out of existence. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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13 Reviews

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4.1 out of 5 stars (13 customer reviews)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Strange and prophetic, Aug 31 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Invitation to a Beheading (Paperback)

I first read this book as a student in the 1960's and was puzzled but liked it. It seemed, to quote Nabokov, a violin in a void. Suddenly in 1989 I realised it is a prophecy about the Fall of Communism, its symbolism very close to what actually happened: the State and its ideology - once wielding real power and terror- have withered to an absurd shell, its rewards and blandisments have someting of senile infantilism about them, only its power as a death-dealer is apparently undiminished. The victim, Cincinnatus, suddenly realises he has had enough, stands up and comes to his senses and the whole idiotic apparatus of oppression crumbles to dust. It could have been the story of Prague, Budapest, Warsaw or East Berlin in 1989. My favourite Nabakov, it is a beautiful, haunting and unforgettable piece of writing.

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3.0 out of 5 stars Magical, but ultimately unsatisfying, Oct 1 2009

By	J. Tobin Garrett (Vancouver, BC) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Invitation to a Beheading (Paperback)

After reading Lolita, I wanted to try something else from Nabokov's extensive line of work. Reading the back blurbs of a couple, I decided to try this one, as it sounded very magical realist, which is something I enjoy a lot.

First, and I know this is not a criticism of Nabokov at all but it has to be said, the person at Vintage who wrote the back copy of this book is a dolt. A class-A moron. The back of the book gives away every single aspect of the story, down to the very ending. I know that this book is not a "thriller" where the twists and turns of the plot are integral to the enjoyment of the story, but dammit, there were some things that I'd rather not have known at the get-go. So, Vintage people, if you are reading this: fire that copy writer.

OK, so I enjoyed the book. I thought it was good, but not great. I am sure that there are much better Nabokov books out there. I felt some frustration at times with this book, especially during the first-person writings of Cincinnatis C, which I felt were rambling, esoteric to the point of boring, and incomplete. If what was happening to him was meant to be a greater metaphor for society (or as someone else suggested, the fall of communism) then I didn't get it.

Interesting things happen. Beautiful psychedelic images and happenings are described. But, as it turns out, this is not enough to sustain a book for me, not enough to carry me through 200 pages. I read the whole thing, but was left feeling like it could have been a lot better.

I look forward to more Nabokov, as his grip on the english language (how the hell he learned it later in life and can still write better than most native speakers is a thing of genius) is incredible, his writing lyrical and exciting. I love his metaphors, his subtlety, his humour. I think it can be found better in other books, however.

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2.0 out of 5 stars Rambling and Incoherent, April 7 2003

By	Scott Shorey (Moscow, Russia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Invitation to a Beheading (Paperback)

I've read a lot of Nabokov and finished this one while riding on the Moscow Metro. This is not even close to his best work. It may have been the intention of Nabokov to keep the reader guessing about what was and wasn't real, but in the end it didn't really matter. I don't believe what the copy on the back cover says either. Cinnatus doesn't will his executioners out of existance. His head has been removed and in the end it is his spirit moving to this other existance. Apparently when you write copy for book jackets you are not required to actually read the book you are writing about.

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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Gnostical turpitude!
"Invitation to a Beheading" is a strange book. First of all, it sports a brilliant preface by the author, and truth be told, this preface is superior to the contents of... Read more

Published on April 6 2002

5.0 out of 5 stars Of course Nabokov gets five stars...
It's virtually impossible not to give Nabokov five stars...

Anyhow, Invitation to a Beheading is certainly a tricky book, but Nabokov's work always is. Read more

Published on Dec 25 2001 by C. D. Shirley

3.0 out of 5 stars Imaginative, but not among Nabokov's highest works
Written serially for a Russian expatriate magazine in Berlin, Vladimir Nabokov's novel INVITATION TO A BEHEADING feels like a mere diversion, an imaginative exercise, but not a... Read more

Published on May 22 2001 by Christopher Culver

4.0 out of 5 stars Very, very strange
Most peculiar - I hurtled through this book without ever sorting out what it really was about: a strange experience, in that it didn't bore me despite it being obscure. Read more

Published on Mar 5 2001

5.0 out of 5 stars Invitation to a Beheading
It's almost impossible to give Nabokov anything LESS than five stars. He has become such a giant in the world of literature, that one ceases to be able to compare his work to... Read more

Published on Jun 7 2000 by hannah1350n

3.0 out of 5 stars Perhaps not the best intro to Nabokov
This is the first of Nabokov's books that I've read and was rather unimpressed by it. I understand that Nabokov has what might be described as a "cult" of followers,... Read more

Published on May 5 2000 by Steve

4.0 out of 5 stars Bravo! Nabakov still the reigning champion of comedie noir!
Definitely not for the reader that can only appreciate overt symbolism a la "Lolita". Nabakov offered to take me into his dark and unjust world and I was a very willing... Read more

Published on Oct 8 1999 by Steve

5.0 out of 5 stars The Matrix in damned good prose
A brilliant concept and well executed (no pun intended), but in the process of recreating the dual lives we can lead (and sometimes do lead if we take part in the creative world)... Read more

Published on May 13 1999

4.0 out of 5 stars You thought you had it bad.
Where else but between the pages of Nabokov's Invitation to a Beheading could one find a story so well written and so exceptionally powerful that you beg for more. Read more

Published on April 18 1998

5.0 out of 5 stars It's a dang good book by-golly.
Whoever it was that wrote the encyclopedia entry at the top of this page either didn't read the book or didn't understand Nabakov. Read more

Published on Jan 12 1998

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	55% buy the item featured on this page: 20th Century Invitation To A Beheading 4.1 out of 5 stars (13) CDN$ 12.74
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20th Century Invitation To A Beheading (Paperback)

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