'Nikolka Persik' and 'Anya in Wonderland' are two free translations by Nabokov of the works of Romain Rolland 'Colas Breugnon' and Lewis Carroll 'Alice in Wonderland'. Nabokov took on the translations literally on a bet, setting himself strict deadlines for completion, thereby complicating an already difficult process. Nabokov translated the incredibly complex works into Russian with filigree precision - all the authors' ideas and intentions, all the wordplay were conveyed in detail. According to critics, 'Anya in Wonderland' is one of Carroll's best translations. About 'Peach' they said: '... its translation is joyful, fresh; it would seem especially difficult to translate into Russian all this wordplay, sometimes rhymed; the whole character of this old man's chatty talk. The spirit of the story is well, richly preserved by Vl. 'Sirin, other words are successfully replaced...' (Yuri Ofrosimov). Vladimir Nabokov is the author of his most famous novel, Lolita, Camera Obscura, Ada, or Joy, and other world-famous works, a multiple Nobel Prize nominee.

Abstract

This edition consists of two books translated by Vladimir Nabokov between 1920 and 1923: Nikolka Persik (Cola Brugnon) by Romain Rolland and Anya in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. Having spoken French and English since childhood, Nabokov, at the beginning of his writing career, took on two equally difficult works to translate and demonstrated a virtuoso mastery of the Russian language, managing to reproduce the wordplay, imagery, and verses of the originals. In this regard, the future author's translation experiences with 'The Gift' and 'Ada' reveal the beginnings of his sophisticated literary style. 'Nikolka Persik' was apparently the first Russian translation of 'Colas Brugnon,' while 'Anya in Wonderland' was recognized as one of the best translations of 'Alice' into Russian.