Published September 22, 2006
I finished this book about a month ago. It has raced to the top of my list, I fell in love with it. Nabokov did such an amazing job with everything. It was called "One of the best love stories of our century" and I completely agree. The voice and the style were both unique, and it was hard not to feel sympathetic for Hum Hum, Even if he was a pedophile.
It was one of the most amazing books I've ever read. Sorry my description of it is so bland, a month took a lot of it from me! When I finished it, a few days later, I really wanted to pick it back up again and reread it!
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I finished Lolita a few months ago, it took me a little over two weeks because i was so into it. In fact it was the opening paragraph that did it for me. Also, I love books where the author uses language to hide vile or disgusting acts, pedophilia and child abduction don't seem so bad when its told by silver tongued poet Humbert Humbert.
You are reading a polish version of Lolita?
Hmm... I hope its good. The whole wonder of Lolita is the way it is written, and translations always leave room for error and to make the books not as magical.
The best thing about Lolita is the way its written; the English version, since it is the original. I suggest you eventually read the English version
I've never read an english translation of "Lolita" ( nor any other, lol, I'm finishing the polish one). -Though polish and russian are simillar, aren't they?
For now I can't say that I absolutely loved it (again, I haven't finihsed the book yet) but its not bad. Maybe in a couple of year it will seem better?
-elein.
That's just it, though. Nabokov translated Lolita into russian after it was published in English, so it could have nothing to do with translation.
EDIT: Never mind the above post.
I have heard alot about it, so yes I read this one=) It is good! not the best, but deffinetely up there on my top 10 or so
keep writing and =) happy reading (=
I also blame it on translation, and just like you I've been going on a bit of a Russian frenzy
It's so perfectly written, written better than most could do if English was their first language.
But yes, wit the Russian classics, I put that all on the translation.
I read "Lolita" a few months ago and like Humbert and his nymphets i was totally entranced by this book. I've been on a bit of a Russian kick recently, slowly working my way through the classics, and what really struck me was how vivid his language and imagery was. Although i love all the Russian authors i have read; Dostoyevsky, Gogol, Turgenev etc i have always felt that the actual language used was a little bland. Personally i put this down to translation, Nabokov is the only Russian author i have ever read who wrote in English, maybe I'm just not giving Nabokov enough credit and he is truly a standout Russian author, or maybe he is giving us a glimpse of how it is to read Russian literature in its mother tongue.
I guess that you could call it that. Yes, I'm going on a Nabokov craze.
So you're going on a Nabokov craze? Nice. I wish I was.
Yeah, he thinks that he's a relative or something of his. Right now I can't remember his name. My mind's going. I finished the book a few days ago. I should know this.
Right now I'm reading Ada or Ardor: A Family Chronicle. I finished Pale Fire last night. Great book, by the way.
If I remember correctly, didn't Hum name Quillty after an uncle of his? Because the man looked like his Uncle? I remember something like that. Hum was kind of crazy like that.
I'm going to be getting his Pale Fire soon, but I can't read it until I finish The Brothers Karamazov. But at least I'll have it!
I just finished reading it a few days ago. Nabakov sure was a brilliant writer. I especially liked the ending where Humbert murders Quillty.
I read Lolita a few years ago, but it's stuck with me for a while. Definately one of my favourites. I remember I especially found Humbert's rivalry with the other (better) pedophile ironically amusing. (Can't remember the other pedophile's name. Begins with a Q, if I remember correctly?) I was cheering for Hum in his rivalry, though I never found that I was able to empathize or sympathize with him. After reading Nabokov's introduction and a few papers he wrote on the book after, I'm still not entirely sure whether you're supposed to or not. Then again, one should never trust what an author says about their own work. (They/we like to play with readers.)
Above all, the prose in Lolita is brilliant.
I am reading Lolita and have fallen in love with it, even though I am still on chapter twelve of part one. The word play is marvelous.
It would seem so.
I shall add this book to my ever growing reading list.
It seems I beat you, Cassandra
I have my very poor synopsis above. I'll try to find another, better one out there on the web...
Taken from the description listed on my Library's web site...
^ Aye, I'd like to know, too. It's obviously very good if everyone likes it so much but...what's the story about?
Very Generally speaking?
It's about a man named Humbert Humbert who loves Nymphets (Girls that are of the age 9 to 14, if I remember correctly) I know it sounds strange by that description, but its something just have to read. He marries a woman, just to try to be alone with her daughter Daloris (whom he calls Lolita) It's rather romantic, I think. Maybe some one could give a better description than I.
What is Lolita about, very generally speaking?
I haven't seen any of the movies no, but I'd really like to.
What I think is impressive is the fact that Nabokov's first language was Russian. He mastered the English language better than most English speaking people!
I'd really like to get my paws on Pale Fire, but I can't find it at any of my local libraries.
Brilliant. One of my favorites.
Nabokov is (was) a synaesthete. His writing really speaks to me.
I liked Humbert a lot more than I did Lolita...the character, anyway.
I love the way Nabokov writes- it's very detached and random, but sort of Lemony Snicket for its wordiness. Or span of vocabulary, depending on the way you look at it...
'Twas a very good book, though it took forever to read.