New York, NY — June 30, 2026 — In 1940, Vladimir Nabokov arrived in America with nearly nothing: a handful of manuscripts, a butterfly net, and a command of the English language so extraordinary it would eventually shame most native speakers. Within two decades, he had written Lolita, scandalized the literary world, and secured his place among the immortals.
This fall, Casa Carlini invites readers to encounter that remarkable story with the release of Simply Nabokov, a vivid, rigorous, and genuinely accessible introduction to one of the twentieth century's most dazzling and elusive literary minds.
Published as part of the acclaimed Simply Charly's Great Lives series, Simply Nabokov is written by Dana Dragunoiu, one of the foremost Nabokov scholars working today. Dragunoiu brings rare clarity to an author whose brilliance can be as intimidating as it is irresistible, charting a lucid path through the seductive labyrinth of Lolita, the mirror-game architecture of Pale Fire, and the luminous, grief-lit passages of Speak, Memory.
Blending biography with literary analysis, the book follows Nabokov's journey from the gilded world of Imperial Russia through the upheaval of Revolution, years of European exile, and his eventual triumphant reinvention on American soil. Along the way, Dragunoiu illuminates the obsessions that animated his art: linguistic virtuosity, the treachery of memory, the pleasure of artifice, and an almost supernatural attentiveness to beauty in its most fleeting forms.
Simply Charly's Great Lives series has built its reputation on a single conviction: that history's greatest movers and shakers deserve to be understood, not just admired from a distance. Each volume offers an accessible introduction to a towering figure, without condescension, without shortcuts. Simply Nabokov upholds that standard. Whether you are encountering Nabokov for the first time or returning to him after years, this volume offers something essential: context, insight, and a guide who clearly loves her subject.
"Dana Dragunoiu captures the elegance, wit, and mystery that define Nabokov," said Charles Carlini, founder of Casa Carlini. "This is a book that opens doors, inviting readers not just to understand Nabokov, but to experience the pleasure and the challenge of his work."
Simply Nabokov by Dana Dragunoiu will be available in Fall 2026 in print and digital formats through major retailers and directly from Casa Carlini.
About Dana Dragunoiu
Dana Dragunoiu is a leading Nabokov scholar whose work has advanced critical understanding of his fiction, philosophy, and legacy.
About Casa Carlini
Casa Carlini is an independent publishing house devoted to timeless storytelling and enduring ideas. Through its curated imprints, including Carlini Classics and the Simply Charly Great Lives series, Casa Carlini connects contemporary readers with the writers and thinkers who continue to shape our cultural life.
For review copies, interview requests, or media inquiries, please contact Casa Carlini at charles@casacarlini.com | casacarlini.com.
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