Connolly, Julian W., ed. Invitation to a Beheading: A Critical Companion. 1997

Conceived in a "fortnight of wonderful excitement and sustained inspiration" in 1934, Invitation to a Beheading is one of Vladimir Nabokov's most enigmatic and compelling novels. The haunting tale of a man condemned to death for the mysterious crime of "gnostical turpitude", Invitation has provoked a dazzling range of interpretations, from the political to the metaphysical. In the fifth AATSEEL Critical Companion to Russian Literature, ten distinguished Nabokov scholars penetrate Nabokov's narrative to discover its wealth of meanings and implications.