Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

Lolita is widely regarded as one of the greatest books of the 20th Century. The cultural influence of Lolita cannot be understated, and numerous editions have been printed since 1955. The book has been made into movies, plays, and has sparked countless conversations about relationships and the nature of obsession. Even the covers of the later editions have sparked controversy, as they feature potentially suggestive depictions of the famous "nymphet". Unsurprisingly, Lolita is often at the top of banned books lists in high schools.

Best selling editions of Lolita

Vladimir Nabokov
Paperback
Penguin Books, Limited (UK)
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Vladimir Nabokov
Paperback
Penguin Books, Revised
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Vladimir Nabokov
Paperback
Penguin Group
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Vladimir Nabokov
Paperback
Viking
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Vladimir Nabokov
Paperback
Viking
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Vladimir Nabokov
Hardcover
Everyman Chess, Revised
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Vladimir Nabokov
Paperback
Berkley
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Vladimir Nabokov
Paperback
Berkley
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Collecting Lolita

Lolita is widely regarded as one of the greatest books of the 20th Century. The cultural influence of Lolita cannot be understated, and numerous editions have been printed since 1955. The book has been made into movies, plays, and has sparked countless conversations about relationships and the nature of obsession. Even the covers of the later editions have sparked controversy, as they feature potentially suggestive depictions of the famous "nymphet". Unsurprisingly, Lolita is often at the top of banned books lists in high schools.

First Edition Identification

Even though Vladimir Nabokov originally wrote the book in English in the United States, he could find no American publishers to accept the manuscript. Nabokov eventually found Olympia Press publishing house in France, and the 1955 first printing of about 5,000 copies sold out fairly quickly. The book was first published as green hardcovers in two volumes, with the price of "Francs : 900" stamped on back wrappers of each copy. Most later editions were printed as paperbacks with both volumes in one book. Due to the infamous subject matter of the book, Lolita was quickly banned in much of Europe, but was finally published in the United States in 1958. The American edition found a receptive audience, as it became the first book after Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind to sell 100,000 copies in just three weeks. -