Vladimir Nabokov, recognized as one of the greatest writers of the 20th century, was also from early childhood impassioned by a very different subject: butterflies. Nabokov’s love of Lepidoptera spanned his full lifetime, from his exuberant childhood in Russia collecting moths and butterflies and poring over scientific illustrated tomes, to his final days in Switzerland lamenting that he would not live to see a certain butterfly again.
This lesser-known side of Nabokov as a devoted and accomplished lepidopterist is showcased in the exhibit From Nabokov's Net, while volumes from his childhood library, scientific butterfly books that helped fuel this life-long interest and which are also found in the Special Collections of Mann Library, are showcased in No Mere Curios.
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This exhibit was was made possible by support from the Elizabeth (Betty) Rowley Fund for Mann Library and the Bondareff Family Fund for Mann Library.