Kamera Obscura (Laughter in the Dark)

Foreign Language Learning and ESL Books and Games

$9.00

SKU: 978-5389056602 Azbuka-Klassika

Kamera Obscura - Advanced Russian reader by Vladimir Nabokov. Albert Albinus is a married, successful art critic who meets and falls in love with a young, attractive, but low class girl who is an aspiring, but no talent actress. She cuckolds Albinus with a colleague of his who is also a deceitful and amoral opportunist.
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 starts with a catchy line, and Nabokov never hides from the reader that the main character will have a bad ending. Cynical and well written, this book is very enjoyable.