Nabokov has crafted here a work so brilliant it deserves to be put side by side with all the classics of western literary tradition. He towers above the rest with a literary style that can only be described as breathtaking.

I will not bother to respond to the idea of Lolita as pornography or as a book of paedophilia. It is a topic not worthy of discussing.

The literary allusions in Lolita are so rich and subtle that a reader can reread Lolita dozens of times and still find fresh material to marvel at. Perhaps one of the most directly readable of the Modernist authors, Vladimir Nabokov combines here a dazzling virtuoso performance of literary meaning. Though no master of languages or literature yet, I caught the few simple allusions to Poe, and am tracking down the rest slowly. Lolita is truly a book of multiple meanings, a book that transfigures and transforms, remakes and enlightens in a way subtle and profound.

A glorious work of a maestro in his prime, Lolita ought to be required reading simply for the lush beauty of its prose.

"Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins, my sin, my soul, my Lolita." If there's such a thing as a "top ten" for 20th century lit, this book easily makes the cut. Appel's annotations are judicious and informative-- he's a wit in his own right, and his love for Nabokov (a former professor) is evident. This is the version to read-- Nabokov's genius and Appel's diligence meld nicely to enhance an already great work.

LOLITA is one of the greatest novels written in the English language...that much is indisputable, except by pc-evangelists who are quick to brand characters "heroes" and "villains." The relationship that develops between Humbert and Lolita is an odd one, nevermind their age differences. Their relationship is one of an S/M variety, as each character's pleasure and empowerment depend upon the other's sexual frustration and vulnerability. And arguments can be tossed both ways, as to which character tortures and preys upon the other.

But nevermind this barrage of psychoanalysis: read LOLITA for yourself and decide. After all, LOLITA is about much more than sex: it deals with post-war sensibilities, relations between America and Europe, censorship, etc. It's one of the most beautiful, wickedly funny novels of the 20th century. Nabokov details so much about American culture at this time--more so than in many other novels I've come across.

(Also, the annotations are a pleasure in themselves, especially if you're a literary buff who likes guessing the origins of character names and likes pondering the significance of particular cultural/literary allusions.)