Vladimir Nabokov's Last Manuscript

Vladimir Nabokov, author of 'Lolita,' left a final, unfinished manuscript that he demanded be burned upon his death. Now his son must decide its fate.

If you were one of the greatest authors of the 20th century, and you had left the outline of a manuscript, but were unable to finish it before your death, would you want it destroyed? I would.

But if you had possession of the final written words by one of the 20th century's greatest writers, would you want to burn it? I wouldn't!

Dmitri Nabokov, 74 years old, is Vladimir Nabokov's son. He has to make a decision - to destroy the manuscript his father requested be burned, or to preserve it for those who study, read, and revere Nabokov's literature. Revealing the manuscript's contents would spure a flurry of literary super-sleuthing and supposition about its content's meaning, Nabokov's intent, and the quality of the would-be finished masterpiece (of course, a masterpiece!). Destroying the manuscript would produce collective disappointment among Nabokov scholars, ending the hope of being gifted with one last treasure from Nabokov's own hand.

Ron Rosenbaum has been in correspondence with Dmitri Nabokov; Rosenbaum discusses Dmitri's decision in an article published on Slate.com.

Nabokov, who wrote in Russian, and then in English (subsequently translating his works into either language, sometimes with the help of Dmitri) is famous for the novel Lolita, a beautifully written book about a horrible topic - child molestation. Nabokov is also famous for other works like Pale Fire. His collection of short stories is the best protection against the sense of exasperation that bad writing can bring into any reader's life, and is best kept close by at all times, for emergencies.