Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0004176, Mon, 14 Jun 1999 09:07:15 -0700

Subject
Reply to : Query: censoring Lolita (fwd)
Date
Body
> From: Susan Mooney <kboterbloem@sympatico.ca>
>
> I have been researching the censorship of Lolita, and know M.
> Couturier's fine work, B. Boyd and Edward de Grazia
> provide excellent points also on the difficult publication history of
> this novel. However, I am trying to determine in greater detail the
> censorious machinations of politicians and government officials in Gr.
> Britain and France.

There is an excellent account of the difficulties faced by Nabokov's English
publisher, Messrs Weidenfeld & Nicolson, in bringing forth 'Lolita' to be found
in Nigel Nicolson's recent volume of memoirs ("Long Life", Weidenfeld & Nicolson
1997, now in paperback). If memory serves, it includes some coverage of the
press and political response to Lo's possible and actual publication, together
with much illuminating detail on the censorship problems facing English
publishers in the 1950s, and W&N's relations with VN.
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