---
product_id: 8073583
title: "Pale Fire: A Poem in Four Cantos by John Shade Hardcover – October 1, 2011"
brand: "vladimir nabokovr s gwynnbrian boydjean holabird"
price: "₱1078"
currency: PHP
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 10
url: https://www.desertcart.ph/products/8073583-pale-fire-a-poem-in-four-cantos-by-john-shade
store_origin: PH
region: Philippines
---

# Pale Fire: A Poem in Four Cantos by John Shade Hardcover – October 1, 2011

**Brand:** vladimir nabokovr s gwynnbrian boydjean holabird
**Price:** ₱1078
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** Pale Fire: A Poem in Four Cantos by John Shade Hardcover – October 1, 2011 by vladimir nabokovr s gwynnbrian boydjean holabird
- **How much does it cost?** ₱1078 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.ph](https://www.desertcart.ph/products/8073583-pale-fire-a-poem-in-four-cantos-by-john-shade)

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- vladimir nabokovr s gwynnbrian boydjean holabird enthusiasts

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## Description

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## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars







  
  
    Beautiful presentations of a beautiful poem from the novel of the same name
  

*by J***N on Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2021*

I mostly used the pamphlet form of the poem, but seeing the poem in longhand on index cards, exactly as John Shade (and very probably VN) wrote it, was pleasing but less handy to read since the cards are loose. The pamphlet form is easier to flip from one part to another.The poem "Pale Fire" is very different from the rest of the novel Pale Fire, and bears separation well. The poem is not at all "deliberately bad" as some criticism has had it. It is excellent.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars







  
  
    A neat gift for any Nabokov fan
  

*by E***. on Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2013*

Nicely made, with cards and all, edition of Pale Fire. Will make a great gift for a literature buff.For those unfamiliar with the book: the poem Pale Fire is written by John Shade. His crazy "friend" Kinbote kidnaps the manuscript and comments profusely on it. In fact, his comments take up the bigger part of the book. Both Shade and Kinbote are products of Vladimir Nabokov's imagination.This edition is a hard-bound exterior folio with a stack of cards (the draft) and a small book with the final edition of the poem. Very cute!

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.0 out of 5 stars







  
  
    Oddly Aberrant Concept, But Lovely
  

*by J***N on Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2013*

This version of "Pale Fire" is a truly attractive and interesting concept in the production of one of Nabokov's greatest masterpieces.  The original book is based on a 999 line poem of extraordinary wonder in 4 Cantos.  In addition, there is an extensive interpretive statement also written by Nabokov, under the guise of a 'Professor Kinbote.'  The publishers of this version of the book had a wonderful concept.  They rendered the 999 line poem on index cards, as Nabokov would have utilized in his creation of this great masterpiece.  Aesthetically, the rendering of this version is truly exceptional.  However, the premise of the production is aberrant in one serious respect.The publisher seeks to emphasize the beauty and wonder of Nabokov's poem, and does this along with two wonderful interpretive commentaries never before published.  However, they completely eliminate the commentary by 'Prof. Kinbote,' writing him off as a crazy lunatic with an obscure and absurd interpretive commentary on the poem.  The odd thing about this choice is that 'Kinbote' is not a real person, who is a crazy lunatic.  Rather, Kinbote is also a creation of Nabokov himself and the true and full meaning of the poem's underlying amazement is ONLY revealed through the comments of 'Kinbote.'  To exclude his commentary from the publication is truly to rob the reader of some of the most intricate and important aspects of the book as Nabokov originally rendered his work.  Even more surprising is that one of the commentators in this edition is Brian Boyd, who wrote a biography of Nabokov and of all people, should have been one of the most illuminated people with respect to Nabokov's multi-tiered levels of meaning in virtually everything he wrote.  While Boyd's interpretation of the poem is surely interesting and revealing, it fails to serve the reader in helping him/her in the interpretation of what Nabokov is saying in one of his most seminal works.While the publication is truly beautiful in its conception, it is really something that is only for Nabokov collectors and for others who are not as steeped in Nabokovian literature, as it fails to assist the reader in interpreting all of Nabokov's brilliant conveyances which lie very much in the 'Kinbote Commentary.'  Nonetheless, for those who are truly Nabokov collectors, this publication of "Pale Fire" is something that should not be missing from a full collection of Nabokov's work.  Therefore, I would recommend that true lovers of Nabokov's literature do invest in purchasing a copy of this publication as it does add to the fullness of the wonder of Nabokovian inspiration.

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*Product available on Desertcart Philippines*
*Store origin: PH*
*Last updated: 2026-01-29*