Speak Memory

An Autobiography Revisited

By: Vladimir Nabokov

Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki

From one of the 20th century's great writers comes one of the finest autobiographies of our time. Speak, Memory, first published in 1951 as Conclusive Evidence and then assiduously revised in 1966, is an elegant and rich evocation of Nabokov’s life and times, even as it offers incisive insights into his major works, including Lolita, Pnin, Despair, The Gift, The Real Life of Sebastian Knight, and The Luhzin Defense.

One of the 20th century’s master prose stylists, Vladimir Nabokov was born in St. Petersburg in 1899. He studied French and Russian literature at Trinity College, Cambridge, then lived in Berlin and Paris, where he launched a brilliant literary career. In 1940 he moved to the United States, and achieved renown as a novelist, poet, critic, and translator. He taught literature at Wellesley, Stanford, Cornell, and Harvard. In 1961 he moved to Montreux, Switzerland, where he died in 1977.

©1947, 1951, 1967 Vladimir Nabokov (P)2010 Audible, Inc

Critic reviews

"Beguiling and superbly produced, this bittersweet rendition will appeal to lovers of Nabokov and those experiencing their first taste." (AudioFile)

Celestial Beauty of Literature

Being on my quest to listen to all of Nabokov's books, this marks my third thus far. Yeah, I cheated a little by skipping ahead, still unsure as to when his genius for literature actually came to fruition. Wasn't with 'Mary', but somewhere between that one and Lolita. I'll undertake his second work soon, but not knowing when I'd again return to the magic I went ahead and listened to this one. Although not terribly great when it comes to actual story, the writing itself, so exquisite! No one else uses words in such ways! Onwards my Nabokov journey sails...

The nature of our memory is subjective and often fragmented, so is this autobiography

As a native Russian speaker I had trouble understanding russian sentences mostly because of incorrect stress in words.

Perfect Narrator

Many people complain about Stefan as a narrator in reviews for this book, but the sonorous melody of his voice only improves Nabokov’s stylistic prose. He applies perfect intonations with Nabokov’s jokes and provides correct emphasis where emphasis is required. The book itself a solid, I think I prefer Nabokov’s erudite style in nonfiction form rather than fiction. It suits him immensely.

Brilliant story of the early life of a genius

No one who listens to the language of Nabokov can forget him. It is dense, rich, funny, and always surprising. His early life story is instructive in the unexpected and rarely told descriptions of pre Bolshevik Russia. It is a testament to what was destroyed by the communists and it is a warning for today. Highly recommend.

Very interesting and provocative

Nabakov is a master with words and he can weave a scene with exquisite detail. But then you could say this about all of his work. It was interesting to learn of his early life and which events he chose to reveal (and by omission, those he chose not to tell). Certainly worthwhile if you are familiar with his work and want to know more about the man.