Tells the story of Nabokov's life that continues with his arrival in the United States in 1940. He found that supporting himself and his family was not easy - until the astonishing success of Lolita catapulted him to world fame and financial security.

*Frontmatter, pg. i*Contents, pg. ix*List of Illustrations, pg. xiii*Introduction, pg. 1*1. Refuge: New York and Stanford, 1940-1941, pg. 9*2. Visiting Lecturer: Wellesley and Cambridge, 1941-1942, pg. 35*3. Scientist, Writer, Teacher: Cambridge and Wellesley, 1943-1944, pg. 58*4. Permanent Impermanence: Cambridge and Wellesley, 1944-1946, pg. 77*5. Bend Sinister, pg. 93*6. Teaching Literature at Last: Cambridge and Wellesley, 1946-1948, pg. 107*7. Russian Professor: Cornell, 1948-1950, pg. 129*8. Conclusive Evidence/Speak, Memory, pg. 149*9. Teaching European Fiction: Cornell, 1950-1951, pg. 166*10. Finding Time for Lolita: Cornell and Harvard, 1951-1953, pg. 199*11. Lolita, pg. 227*12. Lolita into Print, Pnin onto Paper: Cornell, 1953-1955, pg. 255*13. Pnin, pg. 271*14. Lolita Sparks: Cornell, 1955-1957, pg. 288*15. Eugene Onegin, pg. 318*16. Lolita Explodes: Cornell and After, 1957-1959, pg. 356*17. Chased by Fame: Europe, America, Europe, 1959-1961, pg. 391*18. Pale Fire, pg. 425*19. Mask and Man: Montreux, 1961-1964, pg. 457*20. Ada Stirs: Montreux, 1964- 1966, pg. 487*21. Flying High: Montreux, 1966-1968, pg. 518*22. Ada, pg. 536*23. Tidying Up: Montreux, 1968-1972, pg. 563*24. Transparent Things, pg. 588*25. Reinventing a Life: Montreux, 1972-1974, pg. 602*26. Look at the Harlequins!, pg. 623*27. Unanswered Questions: Montreux, 1974-1977, pg. 643*Acknowledgments, pg. 665*Abbreviations, pg. 671*Notes, pg. 675*Bibliography, pg. 731*Index, pg. 759

One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 1992 "Nabokov has found at last a biographer worthy of him."--Walter Kendrick, The New York Times Book Review "[Boyd is] an inspired explicator... In Vladimir Nabokov: The American Years [Nabokov's] life and his art intertwine. They work against each other almost as often as they work with each other, and it takes a biographer as skilled as Brian Boyd to keep track of every fascinating twist and turn."--Anne Tyler, The Atlantic "A munificently detailed biography... [Boyd has] put all readers of Nabokov in his debt."--David Lodge, The Los Angeles Times Book Review