Tildes Book Club discussion - May 2026 - Pnin by Vladimir Nabokov
This is the fifth Tildes Book Club Discussion for 2026 and the twenty-fifth overall. We are discussing Pnin by Vladimir Nabokov. For June we will discuss How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Wexler.
I don't have a particular format in mind for this discussion, but I will post some prompts and questions as comments to get things started. You're not obligated to respond to them or vote on them though. So feel free to make your own top-level comment for whatever you wish to discuss, questions you have of others, or even just to post a review of the book you have written yourself.
For latecomers, don't worry if you didn't read the book in time for this Discussion topic. You can always join in once you finish it. Tildes Activity sort, and "Collapse old comments" feature should keep the topic going for as long as people are still replying.
And for anyone uninterested in this topic please use the Ignore Topic feature on this so it doesn't keep popping up in your Activity sort, since it's likely to keep doing that while I set this discussion up, and once people start joining in.
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Did you like/enjoy the book? Dislike it? Appreciate it in a more neutral way?
Did the book Pnin match your expectations or surprise you based on what you had heard or experienced of Nabokov's other writing?
What did you think about how the narrator's identity is finally revealed? Did the twist at the end add to Pnin's story?
What did Pnin's story reveal about the challenges of navigating a new cultural environment?
What do you think about how Nabokov portrays university/college as a cultural/employment setting in the US?
What did you think about how Pnin's marriage and divorce are shown and how that contributes to Pnin's story?
What did you notice/ find noteworthy about Pnin's relationship with his son?
Many readers find the book funny. Did you? Were there particular incidents that were funny or was it more Pnin's overarching character and experiences?
Is there anything to admire in Pnin's character? What were his strengths?
What would you like to say or share about this book and or your experience reading it?
What questions do you have for other readers of Pnin?