POEMS

The author of Lolita, as well as numerous short stories, a brilliant memoir, and some of the best translations from his native Russian poetry, has now turned his attention to English verse. And in this brief volume of chiefly satirical lyrics he again shows his great command of style and his sharp commentary on the American scene. Nabokov is no upstart; he is a brilliant linguist in at least four languages; he has held distinguished teaching positions in several of our best universities; he has written successfully in many forms. In a word, Mr. Nabokov is a man of parts- perhaps too many- for here the lyrical seems to struggle with the satirical, the heart with the head. They should however reach a select audience of intellectual sophisticates.