In 'Lolita', Vladimir Nabokov spins a haunting tale of obsession and manipulation, narrated by the enigmatic Humbert Humbert. His illicit desire for the young Dolores Haze leads him down a path of moral decay and self-destruction. As Humbert's gripping narrative unfolds, readers are drawn into a labyrinth of passion and depravity, challenging their understanding of love and legality. With exquisite prose and intricate wordplay, Nabokov explores the dark corners of the human psyche. Can one truly separate art from its troubling subject, or does beauty come at a perilous cost?
By Vladimir Nabokov
Published: 1989
"It was love at first sight, at last sight, at ever and ever sight."
Awe and exhiliration--along with heartbreak and mordant wit--abound in Lolita, Nabokov's most famous and controversial novel, which tells the story of the aging Humbert Humbert's obsessive, devouring, and doomed passion 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.
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“It was love at first sight, at last sight, at ever and ever sight.”
Lolita
By Vladimir Nabokov
Discover a world of knowledge through our extensive collection of book summaries.
Vladimir Nabokov was a Russian-American novelist, poet, and lepidopterist, born on April 22, 1899, in Saint Petersburg, Russia. He is renowned for his intricate prose style, innovative narrative techniques, and profound explorations of memory and identity. Nabokov's most notable works include 'Lolita,' 'Pale Fire,' and 'Speak, Memory,' each showcasing his masterful command of language and vivid imagery. His writing often combines elements of surrealism and psychological depth, making him one of the most significant literary figures of the 20th century. Nabokov passed away on July 2, 1977, in Montreux, Switzerland.
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In 'The 120 Days of Sodom', Marquis De Sade takes readers on a harrowing journey into the darkest corners of human desire and moral depravity. A group of wealthy libertines retreat to a remote castle, where they indulge in their wildest fantasies, pushing the boundaries of cruelty and pleasure. As the 120 days unfold, the tale weaves a visceral tapestry of excess, showcasing the grotesque intertwining of power and sexual freedom. With its unflinching portrayal of human nature, the novel challenges societal norms and provokes profound questions about morality and ethics. A provocative reading experience, this controversial work remains a stark commentary on the duality of liberation and oppression.
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