Books

New York: Putnam, 1962. First. hardcover. fine. 315 pages, 8vo, handsomely rebound in full black morocco, gilt-ruled and lettered spine. New York: Putnam's Sons, (1962). First edition. Fine.

Pale Fire is a 1962 novel by Vladimir Nabokov. The novel is presented as a 999-line poem titled 'Pale Fire', written by the fictional poet John Shade, with a foreword, lengthy commentary and index by Shade's neighbor and academic colleague, Charles Kinbote. Together these elements form a narrative in which both fictional authors are central characters. The novel has been hailed as one of Nabokov's most complex and rewarding works and one of the greatest novels of the 20th century.

The first edition of 'Pale Fire' published by G.P. Putnam's Sons in 1962 can be identified by its hardcover format, the lack of additional printings mentioned on the copyright page, and its distinctive cover featuring an illustration of a peacock.