Books by Gerard Vries

The Real Life of Sebastian Knight is one of Vladimir Nabokov's most autobiographical novels. Sebastian's affair with Nina Rechnoy seems to be an extension of Nabokov's infatuation with Irina Guadanini. The novel also conceals a love affair Sebastian had with a man, reflecting an episode in the life of Nabokov's brother Sergey.

In this study the numerous literary and autobiographical allusions in Nabokov's novel are annotated and analyzed, which reveals an altogether different love affair the main character had than the narrator wishes the reader to believe.