ZASHCHITA LUZHIN (The Luzhin Defense) - True first edition in book form in the Russian language

V. Sirin (Vladimir Nabokov)

Published by Slovo, Berlin, 1930

About this Item

A rare true first edition in book form of Nabokov's third novel - published by the émigré publishing house Slovo as "The Luzhin Defense" in Berlin in 1930. The novel was originally serialised in the Russian émigré quarterly 'Sovremennye zapiski' in 1929-30. The novel wasn't translated into English until 1964 under the title of "The Defense". ***A very good copy - originally published in card covers, this copy has been rebound in a later half-leather binding, with brown spine and black and brown mottled boards. There are no titles on the binding. The original card covers have not survived the rebinding, and the preliminary leaves including the half-title have also been lost. The title page remains intact, with some paper reinforcement on the reverse. The gutter between the first two printed pages has also been strengthened. Internally, the book is complete, with no significant creases or tears. There are some sporadic light stains on some of the pages, but these are mainly in the margins and do not significantly affect the text. A well preserved example of a fragile production. ***234 pages plus a single sheet publisher's advert bound in at the back of the book. 210mm x 140mm. ***The provenance of the book is stated in pencil on the new front free endpaper as 'From the library of Avenir Nizoff, Edmonton, Canada' - Nizoff was an émigré pianist who amassed a large collection of Russian works, covering art, history and literature. ***'"The Defense" (also known as "The Luzhin Defense" - "Zashchita Luzhina") is the third novel written by Vladimir Nabokov after he had immigrated to Berlin. In the foreword to the 1964 first English edition, Nabokov states that he wrote "The Defense" in 1929 while he vacationed in Le Boulou ("hunting butterflies") and then finished it in Berlin. He links the events in the central chapters to moves as encountered in chess problems'. ***'In the foreword to the English translation, Nabokov wrote "of all my Russian books, "The Defense" contains and diffuses the greatest 'warmth', which may seem odd seeing how supremely abstract chess is supposed to be'. (Wiki) ***A very scarce pre-war Vladimir Nabokov first edition title, published under his pen name of V. Sirin - the third of Nabokov's novels to be published by Slovo in Berlin before the Second World War. The book presents well in the attractive binding, with the contents of the book well preserved in original condition. ***For all our books, postage is charged at cost, allowing for packaging: any shipping rates indicated on ABE are an average only: we will reduce the P & P charge where appropriate - please contact us for postal rates for heavier books and sets etc.

Seller Inventory # 8200

Bibliographic Details

• Title: ZASHCHITA LUZHIN (The Luzhin Defense) - True first edition in book form in the Russian language
• Publisher: Slovo, Berlin
• Publication Date: 1930
• Language: Russian
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: First Edition
• Condition: Very Good
• Dust Jacket Condition: No Jacket
• Seller catalogs:
  • Foreign Language
  • Literature
  • First Editions