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Title: The Annotated Lolita : Revised and Updated by Vladimir Nabokov, Alfred Appel Jr. ISBN: 0-679-72729-9 Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 23 April, 1991 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $19.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.62 (55 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Annotated version helps a lot
Comment: It is actually possible to read the story and make sense out of it without reference to any of the annotations, but almost any reader will be keenly aware of having missed a lot in the process. That is, you don't really miss any of the story without the annotations, but much of what makes Lolita famous is what's going on between the lines, and, unless you speak both English and French and have an encyclopedic knowledge of literature in both languages, you probably won't get more than 10% of this "extra" material without a good set of annotations.
As the name implies, "The Annotated Lolita" is superbly annotated, translating foreign phrases, explaining literary references, and pointing out connections between characters in different parts of the story. Unfortunately, this has the effect of sacrificing some of the surprise in the surface story, not to mention giving you neck pain from constantly flipping back and forth while you read.
But if you don't mind taking the time, you can get the best of both worlds from this edition. You begin by reading the text of the novel straight through one time without reference to either the introduction or the annotations. Having done that, you next read the introduction (which is excellent in its own right, but which really does depend on you already having read the story) and finally, skim the text again, checking out each annotation as you go. It will take more time, but you'll get to enjoy the surface story without distractions and you'll have the pleasure of watching all the mysteries clear up on the second pass.
Rating: 5
Summary: Extraordinary prose
Comment: It is difficult to add anything new not already said by previous reviewers of this book. I think, however, that a distinction should be made between the absolutely extraordinary narrative and the actual topic of the book. Most negative reviews refer to the apparent "lack of morals" of the story, due to the fact that it revolves around a case of paedophilia.
The main character recognises the "perverted" nature of his emotions and desires, so it is difficult to support any idea that the book fosters any concept of sexual liaison with a minor, despite the fact that he ends up acting upon his obsession. In any case, the extraordinary power of the book goes beyond the issue of Humbert's sexual inclination for Lolita.
The narrative puts the reader right under Humberts skin. The vivid description of his obsessive/compulsive behavior is nothing like I've read before - its realism is frightning.
I own both the "regular" version and the anotated version of Lolita. I've found that the anotated version is not ultra necessary; though useful at times, I've noticed that it gives away some spoilers.... I personally think that it is not worth the price difference unless the reader becomes a real fan of the book; some commets are interesting as an insider's story to the author and his writing.
By far, the best fiction book I've ever come across.
Rating: 5
Summary: in response to "inferior story"
Comment: It sounds to me like you only read the book because it's 'deemed a classic.' In your sluggish effort to simply finish the book so you could say you read it, you missed some large issues that Nabokov presented. Being a former English major, you should've picked up on the larger themes, not that it's just a story about a girl being raped. What about the theme of 'old Europe' vs. 'young America,' American modernization, generation clashes, pop culture, love and romance, betrayal. You missed all that and more. No, you don't have to like the book, but you didn't pick up what the book really was about and maybe that's why you didn't like it.
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Title: Reading Lolita in Tehran : A Memoir in Books by AZAR NAFISI ISBN: 081297106X Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks Pub. Date: 30 December, 2003 List Price(USD): $13.95 |
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Title: Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita: A Casebook (Casebooks in Criticism) by Ellen Pifer ISBN: 0195150333 Publisher: Oxford University Press Pub. Date: November, 2002 List Price(USD): $17.95 |
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Title: Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov ISBN: 0679723420 Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 23 April, 1989 List Price(USD): $13.00 |
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Title: Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov ISBN: 0679723161 Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 13 March, 1989 List Price(USD): $13.00 |
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Title: Invitation to a Beheading by Vladimir Nabokov ISBN: 0679725318 Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 19 September, 1989 List Price(USD): $12.00 |
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