Lolita, by Vladimir Nabokov

The Annotated Lolita
Vladimir Nabokov

Lolita. Light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lolita. 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. Lee. 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 school. She was Dolores on the dotted line. But in my arms she was always Lolita.

Undoubtedly, Lolita is the best book I have ever read. What a beautiful, beautiful novel, despite the fact that it’s about a middle-aged man in love with a child. This is my second time reading this novel, and I’m more convinced than ever that Nabokov is the author I’d most want to be. I know I’ll have to read Lolita about two more times before I even come close to understanding all of it.

Side note: I was inspired to reread the novel after recently hearing Elefant’s song “Lolita.” I don’t know much about Elefant, but I’ve been listening to the music channels on Comcast digital cable, and “Lolita” is often played on their Alternative channel. It’s a really catchy tune, and, obviously, about Lolita. The song reminded me of how much I loved reading this book a few years ago, so I picked it up again.

My first reaction upon rereading the book was one of wonder. I read the book as an undergrad about 6 years ago, and I was either grossly naïve or else I barely read it, because it seemed as if I had missed a world of meaning. I read Lolita with brand new eyes. I missed so much the first time around, it was as if I hadn’t read it at all. What, in six more years, will I find during my next read?

I can’t imagine anyone is unfamiliar with the book, but if you happen to be one of the few, it is not a pornographic work, despite our modern associations with it. Due to its multitude of allusions, puns, doubles and mirrors, it is often compared to Joyce, whom Nabokov admired; it is a comparison I don’t like, hating Joyce as I do. But the complexity of this work cannot be denied; for this reason, if you’re going to read Lolita, only the annotated version will do, and I’ve linked to it above. The almost 200 pages of notes at the end of the book help you understand the breadth of Nabokov’s references, which only the most learned person has a shot of recognizing.

In a nutshell: Simply put, if you haven’t read this book, you must. If you’ve only read it once, read it again. And then maybe again. And listen to Elefant’s song. Is it wrong that I love this book so much I’ve considered naming a daughter (should I ever have one) Lola?

Bibliolatry Scale: 10 out of 6 stars (it’s that good)