A Revolver to Carry at Night

Join author Monika Zgustova in conversation with translator and writer Sabrina Jaszi on Zgustova’s new novel, A Revolver to Carry at Night – a captivating, nuanced portrait of the life of Véra Nabokov, who dedicated herself to advancing her husband Vladimir Nabokov’s writing career, playing a vital role in the creation of his greatest works.

Véra Nabokov was in many ways the epitome of the wife of a great man: keenly aware of her husband’s extraordinary talent, she decided to make his success her ultimate goal, throughout fifty-two years of marriage until his death in 1977. In a rich, sweeping novel, Monika Zgustova immerses us in the daily life of this remarkable couple, offering insights into their complex personal and professional relationships. Véra considered herself an independent woman, but was she really, when her husband took up so much space? And without Véra, could Vladimir Nabokov have become one of the twentieth century’s greatest writers?