Vladimir Nabokov - Lolita

[pontalba]

"Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Le. Ta.

She was Lo, plain Lo, in the morning, standing four feet ten in one sock. She was Lola in slacks. She was Dolly at achool. She was Dolores on the dotted line. But in my arms she was always Lolita."

 

Humbert the Horrible. Yes he was horrible. Horrible for the pain and theft of life he visited on Lolita, horrible to himself for the destruction of his own life. Horrible to his first wife, and Charlotte. Ah Charlotte, without whom none of the story could have happened. Selfish Charlotte, Curious Lolita. Innocent Lolita. And in the end.....well, that would be telling.

 

The first time I read "Lolita" I did have a difficult time getting through the book. I was so outraged at.........everything and everybody in the story. Then upon dissection the reader is able to begin seeing underneath the layers of the story. There is a quote on the front cover of my copy from Vanity Fair, it says "The only convincing love story of our century." I am still not sure if I agree with that or not, but I do know this--it is a love story, and a story that will rip your heart right out, and ultimately a story of freedom. The pursuit of freedom at any cost.

 

I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

[Renniemist]

I did enjoy reading Lolita. Indeed Humbert was horrible. I felt the book gave an insight into the mind of a Paedophile. However there seemed to me to be more to this book since Humbert

[Weave]

It sounds interesting Rennie x

[Kell]

I adored this book when I read it as part of my Olympic Challenge last year - very vivid and compelling. It sort of twists everything and turns it all on its head - I often felt sorry for Humbert and horrified by Lolita, as well as feeling the opposite for both at times. Beautiful writing throughout and such strong characters!

 

My review.

[Renniemist]

That

[Kell]

There was also Clare Quilty - the playwright - with whom Lolita has another, very strange, relationship - she seems to attract, and be attracted to, a certain kind of man throughout the book The novel is filled with unconventional relationships.

[Weave]

I saw the updated version of the movie, with Jeremy Irons, I found Lolita to be manipulative but naive at the same time, it was such a tale of woe x

[Renniemist]

I have not seen the movie, but certainly would like to now that I have read the book.

[Weave]

I have not seen the movie, but certainly would like to now that I have read the book.

 

I watched it one evening Rennie, it was on really late, there is two versions...

 

I don't know why (thinking about it), I have seen the 1962 version too and I felt really sorry for Humbert (played by James Mason) but in the 1997 version, I did not feel sorry for Humbert (played by Jeremy Irons)

 

 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056193/ (1962 version)

 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119558/ (1997 version)

 

I am planning on buying the book and Rennie (off topic) but I still have to post 'oh play that thing' to you, I keep forgetting, sorry hen x

[Renniemist]

Thanks for the information Paula. I had not realised there were two films.

 

You can have a loan of my copy of Lolita meantime if you want. I don

[Weave]

Thanks for the information Paula. I had not realised there were two films.

 

You can have a loan of my copy of Lolita meantime if you want. I don

[Renniemist]

I will PM you in the morning Paula.

[pontalba]

In case y'all are interested, there is a discussion of Lolita going on at the New York Times book forum. They are being quite calm and no fisticuffs so far.

Here is the link in case. You'll have to register with the NYT, but it's free and they have a great many interesting things going on all the time.

 

http://forums.nytimes.com/top/opinion/readersopinions/forums/books/aprilreadinggrouplolitabyvladimirnabokov/index.html?offset=0

[Suzanne123]

I love the director Stanley Kubrick, so when I was watching many of his films, I saw Lolita. I thought the film was brilliant, so I asked for the book for christmas (and got it ) so its now on my reading pile for 2009! I also didn't realise there was an updated version with Jeremy Irons in it, but im defeninatly going to buy that version now Actually, when I got the book, I thought it looked like Jeremy Irons on the front cover, so it is probably a picture from that version on the front of my book!

[Kylie]

I hope you enjoy it, Suzanne! It's been a while since I saw Kubrick's Lolita, and that was a long time before I read the book so I've been wanting to compare them. If you see the Jeremy Irons version, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts because I've been wanting to see that as well.

[Suzanne123]

It's been a while since I saw Kubrick's Lolita, and that was a long time before I read the book so I've been wanting to compare them.

 

Ohhh, do you know if you prefered the film or the book?

I was going to try and buy the Jeremy Irons version tomorrow - but im not sure if it was a film or a tv series?

Do you know?

[Kylie]

I prefer the book (it's one of my very favourites), but then I'm a sucker for Vladimir Nabokov's writing, which is simply beautiful. Every sentence is a well-crafted masterpiece. I didn't find it an easy read though, for that same reason. It took me ages to read, but I thought it was well worth it!

[Suzanne123]

Oh, what else of his stuff have you read?

I only found out about him after watching the film so I know nothing about him or any of his other works!

[Kylie]

I've only read Pnin, which is quite a short book (although it still took me an age to read!) I have several other works of his on my TBR pile.

[Suzanne123]

If I like Lolita, i'll probably read some of his other works

[Ben Mines]

Lolita is a little girl who made Nabokov a lot of money and enabled him to become a full-time writer. I'm grateful for that, but I prefer his other novels.

[Raven]

I was going to try and buy the Jeremy Irons version tomorrow - but im not sure if it was a film or a tv series?

Do you know?

 

It is a film, released in 1997, according to imdb!

[Suzanne123]

It is a film, released in 1997, according to imdb!

 

Thank you

[Smay]

I've only read Lolita, but really liked it. I was suprised that Nabokov felt so 'western'. I would've expected him to be more Russian like Dostoyevsky.

[pontalba]

I've seen both films, and I think the Jeremy Irons version is truer to the book, but I have to say that no one can beat Shelly Winters as mommy. And of course, James Mason is perfect as Humbert.

 

The real thing I didn't like about the Kubrick version was Peter Sellers as Quilty, he didn't do the Quilty of the book at all. Sellers was an interesting actor, it's true, but he did his own thing, And that didn't include following a script, at least in this case.

In the newer version, Frank Langella played Quilty, and did so to absolute perfection. He was Quilty.