Lolita discussion

Hello! I am intrested in what actually made you read this book. This is one of my favorite books and I found it in my mom's small library. I had no idea what it is about and was really surprised. :D

We were reading the book Reading Lolita in Terran. We decided to read Lolita afterwards. I was a 2 book month

I watched the movie and wanted to read the source.

I read a lot of praise for Nabokov - the master of words. I did some research and found out that Lolita was his most famous and enduring work. I read it, and oh boy, did it sweep me off my feet. A great piece of writing, a wonderful novel, despite it having a controversial storyline, and despite the fact that a large section of intelligent readers seem to accuse him of rationalising if not justifying paedophilia. Very unfair to Nabokov.

My mother told me the story of how she got Lolita for my half sister, Jannet, when she was 14 and how the school wanted my sister to stop reading it. It was a Banned book and 'inappropriate' for children and they were adamant that she stop reading it. But my sister was enjoying it, came to my mother for help and my mother told them that Lolita had landed at 2nd place in the top 1oo books of the 20th century. And that a book praised like that should not be banned from schools but should be taught in them. My mother persuaded them to leave my sister alone and my sister finished and loved the book as a result.

I heard that story and immediately wanted to read it, so my mother went out and bought me a copy. I love this book.

Iris wrote: "My mother told me the story of how she got Lolita for my half sister, Jannet, when she was 14 and how the school wanted my sister to stop reading it. It was a Banned book and 'inappropriate' for ch..."
Interesting story. Thank you for sharing it. :D We both have great moms :)

Had to read it for an English class. We were studying what the purpose and intentions of narrators are in writing - what better book than Lolita for that? A bit awkward to talk about in a group of teenagers, but well worth it.

Jibran wrote: "I read a lot of praise for Nabokov - the master of words. I did some research and found out that Lolita was his most famous and enduring work. I read it, and oh boy, did it sweep me off my feet. A ..."

I completely agree with you. I believe Nabokov wanted to make people aware of pedophilia rather than to justify it. I love the way he introduces readers into the world of pedophilia and the mind of a pedophile. :)

Heidi wrote: "Had to read it for an English class. We were studying what the purpose and intentions of narrators are in writing - what better book than Lolita for that? A bit awkward to talk about in a group of ..."
That's great! I wish I had a chance to discuss it with my teacher. :)

I saw this book at the library being featured as a banned book, so of course I was intrigued at that point, and wanted to read it to discover why it had been banned.

My friends were reading it because it was raunchy. I was told by my mother that I couldn't read it due to its content, 15 year old me however didn't care at the time and read it anyway. So glad I did, I read it again last year, and loved it even more.

Found it around my uncle's house and took the opportunity.

I participated in a summer program before my senior year in high school, and this was one of the novels we read (along with books like Slaughterhouse Five and The Reluctant Fundamentalist). I'm glad I've read it since references to it are quite common. It was great to have the chance to discuss it with people who handled it seriously, despite being teenagers.

I thought about reading it but I never did. I was thinking about it when I heard the song "Lolita" by Lana Del Rey (whose favorite book is, in fact, "Lolita"). I took that as a sign.

Edita wrote: "I thought about reading it but I never did. I was thinking about it when I heard the song "Lolita" by Lana Del Rey (whose favorite book is, in fact, "Lolita"). I took that as a sign."

Well, I recommend you read it and I hope you'll like it. :)

Wanted to see what all the noise was about, as usual...

Iris wrote: "...she got Lolita for my half sister, Jannet, when she was 14 and how the school wanted my sister to stop reading it. It was a Banned book and 'inappropriate' for children and they were adamant that she stop reading it."

You know... IF some sniveling little puke of an "Educator" stuck their Pecksniffian proboscis into MY relationship with MY children in that fashion, I'd be getting out of jail *long* before they got out of the hospital.

It had a reputation as a classic. Started it but never finished it. The writing was good. The subject matter became difficult and unrealistic.

First, it was because it is considered a classic. Second, the plot sounded amazing to me. It turned out to be one of my favourite books of all time.

Duane wrote: "Wanted to see what all the noise was about, as usual...

Iris wrote: "...she got Lolita for my half sister, Jannet, when she was 14 and how the school wanted my sister to stop reading it. It was a ..."

Lol, right on.

I read it because a lot of my friends suggested it. Honestly, I loved the writing and deplored the book. I can see where people like it, but pedophilia is just a topic I cannot get around. I love dystopia books, Palahniuk, Easton Ellis, McCarthy, etc.. but i just couldn't find it in my mind to enjoy this story. I am in no way saying it is a bad novel and I don't want to take away from its beautiful language. I wrote on my review for "American Psycho" that I loved the book and could see how it would not be a novel that everyone would enjoy due to the subject matter. Unfortunately "Lolita" was this for me.

As one of the great novels, I'd always meant to read it. I saw it in a charity shop and picked it up.
A wonderful novel written perfectly, so well that it took me almost a week to read a couple of specific pages near the end (!) but I was so happy I kept going. The beauty far surpassed any feelings of revulsion.

Richard wrote: "The beauty far surpassed any feelings of revulsion."

My feelings exactly. Well said :)

Jibran wrote: "Richard wrote: "The beauty far surpassed any feelings of revulsion."

My feelings exactly. Well said :)"

Wow... first time public comment on the site. Thanks:-)

The premise, just as with any other book.

Jibran wrote: "I read a lot of praise for Nabokov - the master of words. I did some research and found out that Lolita was his most famous and enduring work. I read it, and oh boy, did it sweep me off my feet. A ..."

Agreed- well said!

Richard wrote: "As one of the great novels, I'd always meant to read it. I saw it in a charity shop and picked it up.
A wonderful novel written perfectly, so well that it took me almost a week to read a couple of..."

Yes, not only that, but Nabokov was such a master of the English language and all it can do, that I actually found myself sympathizing with HH! This made for an uncomfortable read, although an amazing and satisfying one. I read it twice, and this last time (very recently) I read HH in a different way- he was repulsed and tortured with himself, and my sympathetic feelings for BOTH characters at the end of the book made me believe that this is one of the greatest novels we have.

Erna wrote: "Edita wrote: "I thought about reading it but I never did. I was thinking about it when I heard the song "Lolita" by Lana Del Rey (whose favorite book is, in fact, "Lolita"). I took that as a sign...."

I meant to say, after that I actually did read it. And I loved it. :)

Karen wrote: "I read HH in a different way- he was repulsed and tortured with himself..."

Yeah, and if Nabokov *hadn't* portrayed him that way, the book wuld have been classified as high-class porn, sort of like "Lady Chatterly's Lover" except it would have been REALLY off the reservation. (Nowadays, the ACLU or NAMBLA or somebody would hasten to its defense, but... .)

And that consideration is why I"ve always been suspicious of Nabokov's "motives" in writing it, ever since I read it at age 14 or something... even though it's "Beautiful Literature" and all that, yada yada yada...

But it's just a book... Nobody ever CAUGHT Nabokov "In Flagrante Delicto" with some underage poontang (that we know of), so...

It is always tempting to assume that an author is like the characters they write about, even though -- self-absorbed first-time novelists aside -- this is generally not the case.

One can imagine Nabokov trying to get into the mind of a paedophile. He projects the desires of the paedophile onto his own mind, and fills in the gaps using conjecture or reason until he has created a plausible personality. Of course, what made him want to get inside the mind of a paedophile to begin with?

Why did I read the novel? Kubrick's film had soured me on the idea, years ago. Recently I read Pale Fire, which got me into reading more Nabokov. Then, when I saw the Thug Notes treatment of Lolita, I had to give it a go.

Mkfs wrote: "It is always tempting to assume that an author is like the characters they write about, even though -- self-absorbed first-time novelists aside -- this is generally not the case.

One can imagine N..."

Who wouldn't want to get into the mind of a pedophile? Everyone wants to know how or why the depraved think as they do. By creating a character with those qualities we could say that he was trying to dissect, deduce and ultimately resonate with those depraved souls of the world.

I found it on my Dad's bookshelf.circa 1976
Was too young to read it probably - all it did was make me cringe. No plans on reading it again.

I had a copy of it lying around (I still do, it's not mine, though), and my curiosity made me pick it up and start reading just like with each book in our house. I wouldn't do it again, however.

My dead Aunt Shirley makes me read one novel a day.

Sugar Free wrote: "I read it because of a song by the Police called "Don't Stand So Close to Me". I figure if Sting mentioned it, it's worth a read."

Same here.

I found the cover cool and then then I was spell-bound by the first sentence!

I once saw a "The Making Of" (the fillers in between movies) on TV when I was in my teens and image of Jeremy Irons and Dominique Swain being directed by Adrian Lyne (the director of the film) is still vivid in my memory. Also, the unforgettable and iconic poster of the Stanley Kubrick film adaptation is branded on my memory.

Our book club read it a few years ago. The language was intriguing
yet I had a very hard time with the content. I really felt the need to shower every time I finished reading another section.(most of our group felt the same way). I am convinced that Nabokov must have spent a great deal of time talking with a pedophile to be able a to capture some of the thought processes and imagery that were in the book.

Mary wrote: "Our book club read it a few years ago. The language was intriguing
yet I had a very hard time with the content. I really felt the need to shower every time I finished reading another section.(most..."

Well, you may be convinced of that but I do not believe that was true- you can research, easy enough to do. I have never read an interview nor seen anything that would convince me of this.

Michael wrote: "My dead Aunt Shirley makes me read one novel a day."

Hahahahaha! Good one.

Masonth wrote: "I read it because a lot of my friends suggested it. Honestly, I loved the writing and deplored the book. I can see where people like it, but pedophilia is just a topic I cannot get around. I love d..."

So, you loved American Psycho, with all that disgusting violence, but could not read Lolita? Interesting.

Love Nabokov and everything he wrote

I kept seeing it on "The 100 Books you should read before you die" lists and kept reading about the controversy and decided to read it (well, audiobook really). I enjoyed it, it was definitely an interesting read. Well written, though I don't consider it a favorite, and I dislike the way it is sometimes romanticized. (I dont the think the main character was supposed to be glorified the way I sometime see him portrayed)

Kirby wrote: "I kept seeing it on "The 100 Books you should read before you die" lists and kept reading about the controversy and decided to read it (well, audiobook really). I enjoyed it, it was definitely an i..."

I think the main character was portrayed like that so that the readers could approach Humbert in a different way than "pedophiles" usually are. I think it was necessary in order to see experience his point of view and his mentality.

I knew it was considered a classic, and it was kinda taboo...I didn't exactly know what a "Lolita'" was but I knew it wasn't good. I was intrigued, young teen when I picked up this book. WOW. I was so engrossed by the story, I loved it. I thought it was beautiful. I was completely wow'd by that book and it remains one of my favs to this day. I don't know how he did it.

Kirby wrote: "I kept seeing it on "The 100 Books you should read before you die" lists and kept reading about the controversy and decided to read it (well, audiobook really). I enjoyed it, it was definitely an i..."

Humbert is literally the greatest example of an 'unreliable narrator' in the world of literature, he's def not meant to be romanticized, in fact he is by definition not meant to even be believed.

HH is speaking to a jury, narrating his story to those who will determine his guilt in a trial for murder. Essentially, he is sealing his own fate by admitting his guilt, his premeditation, and far more of his criminal mind than he was originally suspected of. His self satisfaction about what he's done far outweighs any concern for his own well-being. Although somewhat unreliable, he is too smug to be completely dishonest.

Lara wrote: "HH is speaking to a jury, narrating his story to those who will determine his guilt in a trial for murder. Essentially, he is sealing his own fate by admitting his guilt, his premeditation, and fa..."

I'd vote 'Not Guilty.'

I first read it when I was about fifteen. I had heard about it at school and that it was banned so of course I had to read it. I'm glad I did because it's one of my favorite books. I read it once a year.

I wonder if genuine paepophiles read Lolita with the same interest...

It's listed as a "classic" and "must-read" so I gave it a shot. Wish I hadn't, though. Way over-rated and aside from the good writing nothing of consequence.