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Lolita

By: Vladimir Nabokov
Narrated by: Jeremy Irons
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Publisher's summary

The most famous and controversial novel from one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century tells the story of Humbert Humbert’s obsessive, devouring, and doomed passion for the nymphet Dolores Haze.

"The conjunction of a sense of humor with a sense of horror [results in] satire of a very special kind."
—The New Yorker

Awe and exhilaration—along with heartbreak and mordant wit—abound in Lolita, which tells the story of the aging Humbert Humbert's obsession for the nymphet Dolores Haze. Lolita is also the story of a hypercivilized European colliding with the cheerful barbarism of postwar America.

Most of all, it is a meditation on love—love as outrage and hallucination, madness and transformation.

(P)2005 Random House, Inc. Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

One of TIME Magazine's All-Time 100 Novels

"Lolita blazes with a perversity of a most original kind. For Mr. Nabokov has distilled from his shocking material hundred-proof intellectual farce…Lolita seems an assertion of the power of the comic spirit to wrest delight and truth from the most outlandish materials. It is one of the funniest serious novels I have ever read; and the vision of its abominable hero, who never deludes or excuses himself, brings into grotesque relief the cant, the vulgarity, and the hypocritical conventions that pervade the human comedy." —The Atlantic Monthly

"Intensely lyrical and wildly funny." —Time

"The only convincing love story of our century." —Vanity Fair

Featured Article: Essential Russian Authors to Know in Audio


Don’t be daunted by the towering reputations of Russia’s literary giants. Listening is the perfect way to appreciate the masters. Russia is a sprawling country with a rich and complex history, which is reflected in its literature. Whether you’re keen on brushing up on classic Russian literature or you want to find a new author to explore, we’ve rounded up 13 of the best Russian authors, classic and contemporary, whose work you should know.

What listeners say about Lolita

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
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    5 out of 5 stars

Hypnotizing, Disturbing, Darkly Beautiful

Jeremy Irons is unmatched in his hypnotic timbre. Nabokov is unmatched in his beautiful prose and bold, intense, and baroque style. Highly recommend!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Disturbing

Dark subject matter that's magnified through modern sensibilities. I'm a Huge Kubrick fan and read it mostly to see how closely the film matched the source material. I found it pretty faithful. Jeremy Irons performance is top tier. I suppose he was chosen having starred in the 1997 film remake. It you like Dark tragedy, with a troublesome theme, this might be your cup of tea.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Perfect in Prose

i was surprised at how good it was. i will listen to it again i am sure. it was also funnier than i expected. I am reminded to not judge a book by its reputation.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Very well done

As others have mentioned the subject and story line is a little hard to wrap your head around, but the author handled it with as much discretion as possible and with a level of extraordinary writing I have never encountered before. Couple that with the narration by Jeremy Irons which was phenomenal and you have a greatly elevated reading experience. Glad I got back to my list of classics and read it!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Classic brought to life

Jeremy Irons is amazing in this. A true work of art brought to life in full.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Sigh

I definitely didn't like the narrator of this book. When he says certain words he whistles and it's so annoying especially when you're listening to this on high volume. The book was ok. I didn't completely hate it or love it. But I was for sure disgusted by it.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Disturbing story, but great writing

The unreliable narrator sometimes convince me that his doings are justified, and that it is a perfectly acceptable thing. That is one thing I like about the book: the beautiful language prevents the reader from viewing the situation objectively.

I appreciate the choice of narrator - their voice was deep and soothing, exactly how I imagine the protagonist’s voice would be. However, I will say hearing him trying to do a little girl’s voice is half hilarious half disturbing.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Well written- deprived subject

So how do you rate the “story”? I knew the subject from the start so that isn’t the issue.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

I was wondering why everyone liked this book

the narrator was fantastic. I usually prefer dramatized audiobooks, and this was just as fantastic! He makes the book really come to life as if the author himself was directing him.

the book was very well written. I was worried about the subject matter, but it is written very perfectly. sometimes the author makes you feel like this the narrator is extremely personable, and then reminds you of his actions. the prose is fantastic and keeps you very interested. the story line is forever keeping your attention. it's like a snowball tolling down a hill.

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