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Mary Audiobook
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(3.01) - 1,779 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
In a Berlin rooming house filled with an assortment of serio-comic Russian émigrés, Lev Ganin, a vigorous young officer poised between his past and his future, relives his first love affair. His memories of Mary are suffused with the freshness of youth and the idyllic ambience of pre-revolutionary Russia. In stark contrast is the decidedly unappealing boarder living in the room next to Ganin’s, who, he discovers, is Mary’s husband, temporarily separated from her by the Revolution but expecting her imminent arrival from Russia.
“Nabokov writes prose the only way it should be written, that is, ecstatically.” —John Updike
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"When I think of the best ending I have ever read, this book comes instantly to mind. It's a very short read, but the ending is wonderful. I took a moment after reading the last line, and felt a lightness of heart that you only get a few times in your life. Vladimir - you are the best! "
— Ben (5 out of 5 stars)
Mary Listener Reviews
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" Obviously Nabokov's writing is extraordinary, but the climax is disappointing, especially after the long lead up to it. "
— Kerry, 2/16/2014 -
" Actually enjoyed this more than Lolita. Nabokov's first novel is compact but the dose is satisfying. The ending is a true shock. It all leads up to that. "
— Mary, 1/28/2014 -
" Borrowed from South Pasadena library but I don't remember much of the plot. "
— Sarah, 1/11/2014 -
" Not bad for his first novel. I wish he'd written more short works. I'm not averse to longer books, as I write this I'm reading one short book, one long book, and one ridiculously long book, but I think Nabokov works better with less pages. Just my opinion. "
— Tony, 12/25/2013 -
" One of the most gloriously romantic love stories I've ever read. Nabokov could do kink, but he could also do pure. "
— Lanea, 11/29/2013 -
" I didn't care for the resolution. Nabokov's first work. It gets better. "
— Peter, 9/27/2013 -
" If this had been a first time author whose work I'd never seen before, this most likely would have gotten four stars from me, but since it's Nabokov and it's nowhere near Lolita or Pale Fire or Ada for me, it's left with three. "
— Anita, 3/8/2013 -
" I don't remember much about this book. Is that a bad thing? Yes. But it's Nabakov so I still give it some stars. "
— Maurene, 2/22/2013 -
" While I read MARY I kept mixing up the main character in my head with other Nabokov protagonists. MARY may be the root of everything. "
— Julie, 1/21/2013 -
" I found this book to be remarkably more rewarding than most of the previous critics. The story drags for the first half but turns wonderful at the end with positively manipulative resolve mixed with Nabokov's perpetually effervescent prose. It's a really fast read to boot! "
— Mike, 1/12/2013 -
" This is probably my favorites of Nabokov's acknowledged books. "
— Lauralee, 12/28/2012 -
" Mary by Vladimir Nabokov (1971) "
— Lyle, 12/27/2012 -
" Doesn't hold a candle to Lolita in terms of style, but worth reading if you like Nabokov. "
— Margo, 2/21/2012 -
" ????? ???????? o??????? ?????? ? ?????????? (??????? ? ????). ?????????? ? ??????????? ??????. ? ????? ??? ???????? ????????????! "
— Jaga, 4/10/2011 -
" Obviously Nabokov's writing is extraordinary, but the climax is disappointing, especially after the long lead up to it. "
— Kerry, 3/27/2011 -
" This Nabakov bloke isn't too bad. I understand that this is one of his earlier novels but he certainly shows he has plenty of potential. I look forward to reading more. "
— Jason, 1/13/2011 -
" [ contented sigh ] <br/> <br/>Just to be clear, a few days ago when I said "99% of human civilization is bullshit," it should be understood that the whole of Nabokov's work falls into that rare 1% which makes life worth living. "
— Kristen, 11/24/2010 -
" This was a bit of a slow story, there were no real "moments" that defined it, but Nabokov is such a beautiful writer it was still a nice read. He really is very talented. "
— Emily, 11/1/2010 -
" How dare this be Nabokov's first novel. It shouldn't be allowed. It's just too fantastic. "
— Louis, 9/8/2010 -
" Actually enjoyed this more than Lolita. Nabokov's first novel is compact but the dose is satisfying. The ending is a true shock. It all leads up to that. "
— Mary, 6/19/2010
About Vladimir Nabokov
Vladimir Vladimirovich Nabokov (1889–1977) was one of the most prolific writers and literary critics of the twentieth century. Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, he grew up in a trilingual household and later studied Slavic and romance languages at Trinity College, Cambridge, taking his honors degree in 1922. For the next eighteen years he lived in Berlin and Paris, writing prolifically in Russian under the pseudonym “Sirin” and supporting himself through translations, lessons in English and tennis, and by composing the first crossword puzzles in Russian. Having already fled Russia and Germany, Nabokov became a refugee once more in 1940 when he was forced to leave France for the United States. There he taught at Wellesley, Harvard, and Cornell. He died in Montreux, Switzerland.
About Christopher Lane
Christopher Lane is an award-winning actor, director, and narrator. He has been awarded the prestigious Audie Award for Best Narration several times and has won numerous AudioFile Earphones Awards.