Gavriel Shapiro Books

Exploring the intersection of visual arts and literature, this study delves into Vladimir Nabokov's artistic aspirations and how they influenced his writing. It highlights his vivid imagery, nuanced color perception, and incorporation of painters and paintings into his narratives. By examining these elements, the book reveals the profound impact of visual arts on Nabokov's literary creations, showcasing a significant aspect of his work that enhances our understanding of this modern literary master.

Delicate Markers is the first book-length study of Vladimir Nabokov's novel Invitation to a Beheading (1935-36), a masterpiece that has received a great deal of scholarly attention, second only to Lolita, among Nabokov's works. Contrary to the prevailing critical practice of interpreting the novel along specific lines, such as political or metaphysical, Shapiro considers its diverse subtexts, the implicit meanings, thereby achieving more complex and multifaceted perspectives. Even though centering on one work from Nabokov's Russian canon, Shapiro demonstrates the complexity of interartistic and cross-cultural ties in the writer's entire oeuvre, which became especially apparent in his "American years."

The narrative explores the author's ancestry and offers insight into Russian Jewish history, particularly the experience of growing up in the Soviet Union post-WWII. It reflects on the evolution of Jewish national awareness and details the challenges faced during the immigration struggle to Israel in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Through personal anecdotes, the author captures the complexities of identity and belonging within a historical context.