Lolita

Paris: Olympia Press, 1955. First edition. 188, [2]; [3]-223, [1] pp. 2 vols. 12mo. Green printed wrappers, priced Francs : 900 on back wrappers. Spines toned, lower portion of spine of first volume worn with small loss. Dated 1.X.1955 on the flyleaf of volume I in an unknown hand. Very good. Morocco backed slipcase, cloth chemises. First edition. 188, [2]; [3]-223, [1] pp. 2 vols. 12mo. The Nabokov Cousins: 'Lolita' Signed. This copy with ownership signatures of composer and cosmopolitan Nicolas Nabokov (1903-1978) on the flyleaf of each volume. With the signature of his first cousin the author on the flyleaf of the first volume: "Vladimir". The cousins got to know each other when the aristocratic Nabokov family arrived in Yalta in the aftermath of the Bolshevik coup, and their paths crossed repeatedly during their new lives in exile. Vladimir invented himself as one of the great literary figures of the twentieth century; Nicolas pursued his musical studies and achieved renown as a composer. Nicolas accepted a position at Wells College in Auburn, N.Y., in 1936; when war broke out in Europe, he was in a position to assist the German composer Hindemith and the Austrian artist and designer Victor Hammer in fleeing the Nazis. He also helped his cousin Vladimir, who sailed from France for America in May 1940. For The Return of Pushkin, first performed in 1948, Vladimir prepared the English text. Lolita gained worldwide notoriety for its author upon publication in 1955. Nicolas later wrote his cousin, "I never told you how much I liked both Pnin and Lolita and how happy I am about the success of the latter. The only thing that troubles me is that due to my vagrant, erotic past, people often think that Humbert Humbert is a portrait of me! I suppose that the way to profit by it is to say it openly and go on a lecture tour through American high schools and girls' colleges under the title 'How I did It' ..." (quoted in Giroud p. 313). The cousins met regularly through the 1970s. Juliar A28.1, issue a. Provenance: from the estate of Nicolas Nabokov

Olympia Press, Paris, 1955 First Edition, First Printing SIGNED by Vladimir Nabokov on a laid in signature. A fabulous copy of this TRUE FRIST EDITION with the 900 Francs price printed on the rear panels of both volumes that was later changed to 1200 francs on later editions. This two volume set is in excellent shape with minor wear to the spine and edges. Both Vol 1 and Vol 2 are complete with clean pages. There is NO writing, marks or bookplates in either book. A wonderful copy SIGNED by the author.. Signed by Author(s). 1st Edition. Soft cover. Near Fine.

Paris: Olympia, 1955. First edition. Paperback. Near fine. Original wraps; first issue w/ 900 francs on the rear covers. 2 vols. Exceptional copies with minor flaws: vol. one has a small bump at the spine; vol. two with a short tear expertly repaired, otherwise minor rubbing and wear, bright with no foxing and little creasing to the spine. Near fine copies, each book held separately in folding cloth cases; all housed in a deluxe clamshell box with gilt-stamped label. Best copies we have seen in a decade. One of the cornerstone works of the 20th Century, one of the few comparable for notoriety and quality to ULYSSES.

Paris: Olympia Press. Very Good. FIRST EDITION of one of the most important novels of the twentieth century. WITH IMPORTANT PROVENANCE: From the Bureau Littéraire Clairouin, Nabokov's literary agency who was instrumental in its publication. "Vladimir Nabokov is an artist of the first rank, a writer in the great tradition ... [and] Lolita is probably the best fiction to come out of this country (so to speak) since Faulkner's burst in the thirties. He may be the most important writer now going in this country. He is already, God help him, a classic" (Critic Conrad Brenner, in 1958). Controversial since its conception, Lolita was rejected by American publishing houses until finally accepted by the avant-garde Olympia Press in Paris and published in a fragile two-volume format. First issue, with 900 Francs on rear wrappers and no evidence of later price sticker. WITH IMPORTANT PROVENANCE: with stamp of the Bureau Littéraire Clairouin, Nabokov's literary agency, on front free endpaper of each volume. Nabokov on the Bureau Littéraire Clairouin and the publication of Lolita: "Lolita was finished at the beginning of 1954, in Ithaca, New York. My first attempts to have it published in the US proved disheartening and irritating. On August 6 of that year, from Taos, New Mexico, I wrote to Madame Ergaz, of the Bureau Littéraire Clairouin, Paris, about my troubles. She had arranged the publication in French of some of my Russian and English books; I now asked her to find somebody in Europe who would publish Lolita in the original English. She replied that she thought she could arrange it. A month later, however, upon my return to Ithaca (where I taught Russian Literature at Cornell) I wrote to her saying I had changed my mind. New hopes had arisen for publication in America. They petered out, and next spring I got in touch with Madame Ergaz again, writing her (Feb. 16) that Sylvia Beach 'might perhaps be interested if she still publishes.' This was not followed up. By April 17 Madame Ergaz had received my transcript. On April 26, 1955, a fatidic date, she said she had found a possible publisher. On May 13 she named that person. It was thus that Maurice Girodias, [founder of The Olympia Press], entered my files…" (Nabokov in Strong Opinions). Paris: Olympia Press, 1955. Octavo, original green paper wrappers; custom box. Two volumes. A little edgewear and a few spots of soiling, usual spine creases. An excellent copy with an important provenance of the rare first issue.

Paris: The Olympia Press, 1955. First edition of Nabokov's masterpiece, published in Paris by the Olympia Press in 1955. First issue with the price of 900 francs on the rear panel of each volume. Octavo, 2 volumes, original green wrappers. In near fine condition with light rubbing. A very nice example. "Brilliant One of the funniest and one of the saddest books that will be published this year" (New York Times). "Lolita blazes with a perversity of a most original kind. For Mr. Nabokov has distilled from his shocking material hundred-proof intellectual farceLolita 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" (Atlantic Monthly).

Olympia Press, Paris, 1955, 1959 First Edition, First Issue bound in the ORIGINAL publisher's green paper covers. This First Issue has the printed price of Francs: 900 present on both wrappers. Both volumes are in great shape. The bindings are tight with NO cocking or leaning with minor wear to the panels. The pages are clean with light wear to the title page in volume 1. There is NO writing, marks or bookplates in the books. Overall, a lovely copy in collector's condition. We buy Nabokov First Editions.. 1st Edition. Soft cover. Fine.

Paris: The Olympia Press, 1955. First Edition; two volumes; original wrappers; presumed earliest issue with the 900 francs price on the back wrappers. Aside from some tiny nicks and very slight rubbing, a near fine set; in a custom clamshell box. That this novel still engenders controversy decades after its publication speaks to its power, importance, and perhaps its permanence.

Paris: The Olympia Press,, 1955. 2 volumes, octavo. Finely bound by the Chelsea Bindery in black morocco, titles to spine, two raised bands, single rule to boards, twin rule to turn-ins, marbled endpapers, gilt edges. Housed in a black leather entry slipcase. A fine copy. First edition, first impression, of one of the most notorious books published in the 20th century, published three years before the American edition and four before the London.

Paris: The Olympia Press, 1955. 6/1/2018. Near Fine. First edition. Two volumes. Printed wrappers with "Francs 900" on both rear panels. Touch of wear at the edges of each volume, along with owner's names and book store stamps, and Volume One with sticker remnant on the rear panel with the price crossed out in pencil and "1,200" written in, else fine. The true first edition of one of the highspots of modern literature. Nabokov wrote the screenplay for the 1962 Stanley Kubrick film with James Mason, Shelley Winters, Peter Sellers, and Sue Lyon in the title role. Remade by Adrian Lyne in 1997 with Jeremy Irons.

Paris, The Olympia Press, (1955). Bound with the original green wrappers in two elegant, uniform, fully contemporary Danish Half morocco-bindings with gilt author and title to spine (Harry Larsen). Elegant burgundy-red paper over boards. Minor traces of use to extremities. Internally very fine, fresh, and clean. ¶ First edition, first issue (with "Francs : 900" to back wrappers) of this main work of 20th century literature, which, with its innovative style and highly controversial subject caused a number of scandals after its appearance. It had been turned down by six publishing houses, anticipating how it would be received by the public, but in 1955 Nabokov finally signed a contract with Olympia Press in Paris. By the Sunday Express editor it was called "the filthiest book I have ever read" and "sheer unrestrained pornography"; the Home Office in Great Britain instructed British Customs to seize all copies entering the country, and in 1956 the book was banned in France. The various translations of the work into other languages caused a number of other scandals, but in spite of American officials being anxious about the appearance of the first American edition, this was issued without problems (in 1958) and became an instant bestseller. In fact, it sold more than 100.000 copies within the first three weeks (as the first book after "Gone With the Wind").<br><br>Today the book has classic status and is considered one of the finest novels of the 20th century.

Paris: The Olympia Press, 1955. First Edition. Paperback. Very Good. First edition, first printing in two volumes. (All points present for both volumes with first issue "900 francs" prices and no traces of stickers.)188 p. (with no pages 11-12 as noted by Juliar); 223 p. Original green wraps. A Very Good+ set overall. Light creasing to both volumes' wrappers, light foxing to edges. Clean text. Volume One about very good with some scattered staining to its wrappers with some toning, worn edges, light dulling to front cover title, creasing and slight lean to the spine, pencil mark through back cover price. Volume Two near fine with clean, bright wrappers and just a bit of wear to its edges. The first appearance of Nabokov's still-controversial novel from Maurice Girodias's pioneering, Paris-based publishers Olympia Press.

Paris: Olympia Press, 1955. First. paperback. 2 volumes. 12mos, printed green wrappers. Paris: Olympia Press, (1955). First Edition. First issue, with the 900 franc price on both volumes. Very good copy of this modern classic, with minimal wear to the edges and spines. Light foxing on the fore-edges and preliminary pages, not affecting text block; light diagonal creases on back cover of volume 2.

Beverly Hills, CA: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer [MGM], 1962. Original US three-sheet poster for the 1962 film. An iconic image for an iconic film. Kubrick's rendition of Nabokov's masterpiece is legendary in its own right, a work that stands ten feet above the rhetoric later raised by Nabokov's son and the resulting forgettable 1997 remake. Kubrick's carefully crafted film preserves the mystery, tragedy, and humor of Nabokov's source material, while adding a level of its own perversion--notably with its portrayal of Claire Quilty, represented in a performance by Peter Sellers that according to some sources was mostly improvised. And who could ever best Shelley Winters as Lolita's grasping mother, or James Mason as the long-suffering Humbert? 41 x 81 inches, linen-backed. Near Fine.

London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1959. First British edition. A rare proof copy. Original printed wrappers, tanned and slightly rubbed, pinholes through the front cover and first 30 pages. Juliar E28.2.

(Jerusalem: Printed in Israel for The Olympia Press by Steimatzky's Agency, 1955. Near Fine/Very Good. First Israeli edition, and the first hardcover edition (there was also a wrappered issue of the Israeli edition). Two volumes in one. Original blue leather-textured papercovered boards in dustwrapper. Offsetting to the front and rear endpapers as usual, small and light stain on rear fly leaf, else near fine in a modestly rubbed, very good dustwrapper with some tanning to the white portion of the spine and a few modest chips. The first hardcover edition; the true first edition was published in Paris in two wrappered volumes. Stamped with the number 1442 on the front flap, Nabokov bibliographer Michael Juliar believes all copies of the Israeli edition were numbered, both hardcover and wrappered. A very uncommon issue of a high spot of modern literature. Nabokov wrote the screenplay for the 1962 Stanley Kubrick film with James Mason, Shelley Winters, Peter Sellers, and Sue Lyon in the title role, the film was remade by Adrian Lyne in 1997 with Jeremy Irons.

First Edition/First Printing. Hardcover. Fine book in a Fine Dust Jacket. Slight wear to the jacket edge.

Paris: The Olympia Press; printed in Jerusalem by Steimatzky's Agency. 1955 [1958]. First hardcover edition of the original Olympia Press edition. First hardcover edition of the original Olympia Press edition. Two volumes in one, as issued. Publisher's original blue Rexene with gilt titles to the spine, in dustwrapper. An excellent near fine copy, the binding firm and square, the contents toned to the text block edge otherwise clean throughout and without previous owner's inscriptions or stamps. Complete with the lightly rubbed and toned original dustwrapper which is a little creased at the top edge of the flaps. Publisher's ink stamped number (1694) to the bottom edge of the rear flap. An attractive example. This printing, produced in small numbers in Israel c.1958, is the first Olympia Press edition of the novel to appear in hardback. Further details and images for any of the items listed are available on request. Lucius Books welcomes direct contact with our customers.

London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, , 1959. Octavo. Finely bound by The Chelsea Bindery in black morocco, titles and decoration to spine gilt, raised bands, single rule to boards, twin rule to turn-ins, burgundy endpapers, gilt edges. A fine copy. First UK edition.

Printed in Israel for The Olympia Press 7, Rue Saint-Séverin, Paris First Israeli Edition [1958] 1958., 1958. Two volumes in one first Israeli edition hard back binding in publisher's original dark navy leather textured paper covered boards, gilt title and author lettering to the spine. 8vo. 7½'' x 4½''. Contains 190; 223 printed pages of text. There were apparently 1000 numbered copies printed [ours bears the number 137 on the inside front flap] of which half were issued in wrappers the rest as here in boards. A little ghosting to the end papers and one vertical faint tape shadow line to the lower paste down where the dust wrapper has been protected in brown paper and secured, now removed. Very Good condition book in Good condition dust wrapper with a tear to the front fore edge, tanning of the paper to the spine and edges of the flaps, tiny flaked chips to the spine tips, priced 7.500 in pencil to the rear panel. Dust wrapper supplied in archive acetate film protection, this preserves and prolongs the life of the paper, it is not adhered to the book or to the dust wrapper. Member of the P.B.F.A.

G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1955 G.P. Putanm's Sons, New York c. 1955. First American Edition. Remarkably uncommon in the correct (unclipped) dust jacket and the true trade first edition (not the book club). Previous owner's bookplate affixed to the front free endpaper. Original price of $5.00 printed on the front flap of the dust jacket. A fine copy in a near fine jacket. A small closed tear on the front panel, near the spine hinge. Comes housed in a custom slipcase.. Hardcover. Fine/Near Fine.

New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1955. First American edition and first trade edition of Nabokov's masterpiece. Octavo, original cloth. Photograph of Nabokov by Maclean Dameron. Small name to the front free endpaper, near fine in a near fine dust jacket. An exceptional example. One of the most celebrated books in history, Nabokov's Lolita quickly attained classic status upon publication in 1955. Notable for its controversial subject, the novel was adapted into a film by Stanley Kubrick in 1962, and again in 1997 by Adrian Lyne in addition to several adaptations for stage. "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" (Atlantic Monthly).

London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1959. A first edition, first printing published by Weidenfeld and Nicolson in 1959. A fine book (minute spotting to the page edge) with full rich topstain still present. In a fine lightly rubbed dust wrapper which is unclipped. Simply the best copy you could find. Many copies will purport to be fine - this definitely is.

Penguin Books, Limited (UK), 1998-04-30. Paperback. Used:Good.

Vintage, 1989-01-01. Paperback. Used:Good.

Berkley, 1955-05-05. Mass Market Paperback. Used:Good.

New York: Putnam, 1955. First. hardcover. fine. 319 pages. 8vo, handsomely rebound in half black morocco; gilt-ruled and lettered spine with raised bands. New York: Putnam, [1958] with 1955 printed on copyright page. First American edition. A fine copy.

London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson,, 1959. Octavo. Original black cloth, spine lettered in silver, top edge pink. With the dust jacket designed by Eric Ayers. Contemporary ownership inscription to front free endpaper. Spine very gently, minor rubbing to spine ends, a couple of very faint marks to covers, top edge lightly browned, edges toned as usual; a near-fine copy in the jacket with minor creasing and nicks to extremities, tiny mark to foot of rear flap. First UK edition, first impression. Nabokov's work was originally published in Paris in 1955.

Phaedra Publishers. Collectible - Very Good. . , 1967. First Russian Edition. 304 pp. First Russian Edition of Nabokov's classic. Contains new postscript from Nabokov which reveals both his enthusiasm and ambivalence regarding his translation and overall feelings about the Russian language. Dustjacket has small chips along spine ends and corners, minor crease to edges. Profile portrait of Nabokov to rear panel. Bound in original pink cloth with gilt title stamp along spine. Pages clean throughout. Binding excellent. A true rarity! VG/NF [FOSTER 798] Offered by the Antiquarian, Rare, and Collectible department of Better World Books. Your purchase benefits global literacy programs. 100% satisfaction guaranteed.

New York: McGraw-Hill, 1974. First edition. Uncorrected Proof. Green wrappers. Nearly fine, spine slightly faded, faint staining to front cover. Juliar E45.1.

London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1959. First British edition of Nabokov's masterpiece. Octavo, original cloth. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket designed by Eric Ayers. A very sharp example. One of the most celebrated books in history, Nabokov's Lolita quickly attained classic status upon publication in 1955. Notable for its controversial subject, the novel was adapted into a film by Stanley Kubrick in 1962, and again in 1997 by Adrian Lyne in addition to several adaptations for stage. "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" (Atlantic Monthly).

E-29: Putnam. Very Good+ in Very Good- dust jacket. 1955. First Edition; First Printing. Hardcover. Hardcover. 8vo. G. P. Putnam's Sons. 1955. 319 pgs. First Edition/First Printing. DJ has light shelf-wear present to the DJ extremities (small tape repair present to the crown of the DJ spine; even more curious is the DJ that is both stamped Book Club Edition but also has a price present). Previous owner's name present to the FFEP Text is clean and free of marks, binding tight and solid, boards lightly rubbed and worn. 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. Vladimir Vladimirovich Nabokov (1899 – 2 July 1977) was a Russian-American novelist. His first nine novels were in Russian, and he achieved international prominence after he began writing English prose. He was also a capable lepidopterist and chess composer. E-29; 8vo 8" - 9" tall; 319 pages .

New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1955. First American Edition. Hardcover. Very Good+/Good. Cloth-backed decorative paper over boards, lettering stamped in gilt and copper on spine, red topstain; dust jacket; 8vo; pp. 319. Spine tips a little wrinkled; boards lightly rubbed; ownership signature on front paste-down. Dust jacket a bit tanned and dust-smudged; some light wrinkling and a few small closed tears along the edges; small chips at extremities; waterstain on rear panel; good in mylar, not price-clipped. Nabokov's infamous and controversial novel -- always ripe for debate, and (as is so often the case with controversy) pretty good for sales. First published by the rather shady Maurice Girodias of the Olympia Press (Paris), and riddled with typographical errors, it went on to be published by Weidenfeld and Nicolson in the UK, where it was seized, then banned. (It also dealt the final blow to Nigel Nicolson's political career.) Its publication in America received no official goverment response, and in a matter of days the novel reached its third printing, becoming the first book since "Gone with the Wind" to sell 100,000 copies in three weeks. This is not a case of un-met hype -- the subject matter is difficult, and the writing is certainly compelling. "Your run-of-the-mill obscene masterwork -- Tropic of Cancer, say -- demands that you, enlightened reader, work your way past the sex and excrement to recognize how beautiful it is. But with Lolita, you must work past its beauty to recognize how shocking it is" (Stephen Metcalf, Slate Magazine). A near fine copy of an important and enduring work, one which Nabokov spoke of proudly. Amongst his comments: "I would say that of all my books Lolita has left me with the most pleasurable afterglow -- perhaps because it is the purest of all, the most abstract and carefully contrived. I am probably responsible for the odd fact that people don't seem to name their daughters Lolita any more. I have heard of young female poodles being given that name since 1956, but of no human beings."

New York: Phaedra Publishers, 1967. Pink boards, 304 pp; spine shows some cocking, in addition, a mylar cover was once on the dj & this has resulted in some tape stains on the endpapers, front & back; very minor bumping to the upper front board edge & very minor soiling to boards; the dust jacket shows some wrinkling (due to the mylar) & light soiling to the front & foxing to the inside, as well there is a narrow 2 1/2" strip of glue which was used to paste down the mylar protector (I have left a strip of mylar to cover the glue residue, which could probably be removed). {13}. First This Edition. Boards. Very Good -/Very Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

Paris: Olympia Press, 1958 2 vols. Rebound in without original wraps. The novel was first written in English and published in 1955 in Paris, later translated by the author into Russian and published in 1967 in New York. The novel is both internationally famous for its innovative style and infamous for its controversial subject: the book's narrator and protagonist Humbert Humbert becoming sexually obsessed with a twelve-year-old girl named Dolores Haze. After its publication, the novel attained a classic status, becoming one of the best known and most controversial examples of 20th century literature. The name "Lolita" has entered pop culture to describe a sexually precocious young girl. The novel has been adapted to film twice, once in 1962 by Stanley Kubrick starring James Mason as Humbert Humbert, and again in 1997 by Adrian Lyne, starring Jeremy Irons. Crease to back cover of volume 1.. Second Printing. Paperback. Very Good. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall.

Paris: Olympia Press, (September, 1959). 12mo (17.5 cm, 6.8 "). 2 vols. I: 189, [3] pp. II: 221, [1] pp. First edition, stated fourth printing: The two-volume "Traveller's Companion" edition (no. 66 in that series) of one of the most controversial classics of 20th-century literature. Maurice Girodias's Olympia Press specialized in providing the types of books that would be automatically banned in Britain and the United States; in addition to Lolita, it was the first to publish Donleavy's Ginger Man as well as avant-garde and controversial works by prominent Beat writers including William S. Burroughs and Gregory Corso, along with numerous exuberantly pornographic works penned pseudonymously by members of the Paris expatriate community. Publisher's printed green paper wrappers; very slight traces of shelfwear, vol. I with tiny nick to front wrapper. A crisp, clean copy.

New York: Putnam's, 1958. First American edition. Hardcover. Near Fine/Very Good. 1958. First American edition, and second in English following the original Paris edition. Hardcover. Near Fine in a Very Good dust jacket. A few shallow tears and chips along the edges of the jacket; a single 2-inch snag on the rear panel; light, general discoloration. First issue dust jacket with price intact. Digital images available upon request.

Paris: Olympia Press [through 1959], 1955. First Edition. Stiff Wrappers. Fine. Fourth Printing (as stated, top left-hand corner of front cover), No. 66 in The Traveller's Companion series), in two volumes (as issued), in the identical format as the first issue. (The first issue [Kearney 1.13.1), published by the Olympia Press in 1955, is neither numbered nor with any indication of being part of The Traveller's Companion Series.) Small 8vo: [4],5-189,[3], [4],7-291,[1]pp, with the longer six-page version of "Publisher's Digression" added to the third printing. Olive-green wrappers printed in black on spine and front cover and priced Francs 2.400 on back cover. (Back wrapper of vol. one in altered state, with rubber-stamped price reduction, "New Price / 6 NF. / 2 vols.") A superior set, with little evidence of use. Juliar A28.1 Kearney 5.66.3. Lolita was filmed in 1962, attaining cult status and becoming one of the best-known and most controversial modern novels (fourth on the Modern Library's list of the 100 Best Novels of the 20th century). "Nabokov almost burned the manuscript of Lolita halfway through, and its first publisher was a French pornographic press. But Lolita would go on to become a huge bestseller and the unlikeliest of American classics. Our hero, who goes by the self-mocking name of Humbert Humbert, is a pedophile. He is a highly cultured, endearingly ironic man, and he loathes himself about as much as a human being can, but he loves, and can only love, nubile young girls, whom he calls 'nymphets.' Lolita is the story of Humbert's romance - if that's the word, which it isn't-with a 12-year-old girl named Dolores Haze. Their story is as vile and obscene as one can imagine, but Humbert's voice, an endlessly inventive stream of angry, cosmopolitan invective, elevates it to the level of a tragic, twisted epic." (Time 100) N. B. With few exceptions (always identified), we only stock books in exceptional condition, carefully preserved in archival, removable polypropylene sleeves. All orders are packaged with care and posted promptly. Satisfaction guaranteed. (Fine Editions Ltd is a member of the Independent Online Booksellers Association, and we subscribe to its codes of ethics.).

Putnam Adult, 1958-08-18. Hardcover. Good.

NY: Putnam; (1955) First US, and first hardcover edition, first issue, of this classic novel (actually published in 1958). Very good in a very good first issue dust jacket. The patterned boards are just slightly darkened at the edges, as is the page block. The jacket is uniformly browned, and has a couple of small chips at the spine ends. There are some internal tape repairs to the jacket, and one small tape repair externally at the head of the spine. The jacket is also creased at the spine and has some closed tears at the edges. A solid copy in an acceptable dust jacket that presents fairly well.. First Edition. Hard Cover.

London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1959. Fine/Fine. First English edition. Fine in just about fine dustwrapper with light wear at the edges. Preceded by the Paris edition, and preceding the American, this edition is more common than both, and made less desirable by the forgettable jacket design. However, this is a nicer copy than usually found.

London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1959. First British edition. Black cloth, corners bumped, a near-fine copy in near-fine dust jacket, lightly edge-worn. Juliar A28.3.

New York, New York, U.S.A.: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1955. Book. Very Good. Hardcover. 1st Edition. 1955 GP Putman's FIRST edition, First? or Second? printing of this classic. A solid copy in VG/VG- condition. The HB is clean and tight with no marks inside save for a crossed out signature. The outer boards have some minor bumps at the corners and wear at the spine ends. The unclipped DJ sates second printing and has minor wear with chips at the spine ends, darkening of the spine and minor wear. **Brenbooks specializes in first edition books made into films..

LONDON: WEIDENFELD & NICOLSON. 1959. Very Good. 1959. First Edition. Hardcover. 0297167626 . First English Edition. A very good+ or better copy in a Vg. dj. (Several 1/4" & 1/2"-inch-size tears at edges of dj. Tiny chips at corners on dj. Traces of soiling at edges in text) .

Franklin Center, Pennsylvania: Franklin Library. 1981. First Edition; First Printing. Hardcover. Near Fine. Leather bound, Accented in 22kt gold. Printed on archival paper with gilded edges. The endsheets are of moire fabric with a silk ribbon page marker. Smyth sewing and concealed muslin joints. This book is in full leather with hubbed spines. A Limited Edition. ; A Limited Edition.; 8vo 8" - 9" tall .

Franklin Center, PA: The Franklin Library. 1981. First Edition; First Printing. Hardcover. Near Fine, Accented in 22kt gold, printed on archival paper with gilded edges, smyth sewing & concealed muslin joints. Bound In full leather with hubbed spines. A Limited Edition. ; A Limited Edition.; 8vo 8" - 9" tall .

Putnam Adult. Hardcover. 0399105018 Like New Condition. . Fine.

Putnam Adult. Hardcover. 0399105018 New Condition. . New.

Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London, 1959. First UK Edition. Hardcover. Very Good Condition. Size: octavo (standard book size). 319 pages. Top red (slightly faded). First impression . Dust-jacket shows only slight shelf wear with a light scratch across back cover but not ships or other creases. Slight light foxing to fixed end papers and to edge of block else clean crisp tight copy. Quantity Available: 1. Category: Fiction; 1960s; Inventory No: 20226..

Paris: Olympia Press / Traveller's Companion Series, 1959. Mass Market Paperback. Very Good. Fourth printing of the two volume Traveller's Companion Series No. 66 edition. Original price of 2,400 francs on back covers. Green paperbacks with slight wear to corners and edges of covers. White blemishes from sticker removal on front of Volume One and on the back of both volumes (please see photos). Interior pages clean and bright. Includes ""Publisher's Digression"" and foreword. Lolita was published by Olympia Press in France after being turned down by major American publishers because of its content. Though the content is still controversial, today the book is considered by many to be one of the finest novels written in the twentieth century .