LOLITA [First UK edition - third impression]

Vladimir Nabokov

Published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London, 1960

Third impression of the first UK edition, published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson in 1960 - following the first two impressions from 1959. ***Very good in black cloth-covered boards with silver titles to the spine. Head and tail of spine slightly creased, with a crease to the bottom edge of the front board near to the spine, which has also creased the front free endpaper and pastedown slightly. Corners sharp. There is a very slight forward reading lean to the binding, but no reading creases to the spine. Top edge stained light red by the publisher, slightly faded. Page block edges clean with none of the usual foxing. Internally also very good with no inscriptions. No significant creases or tears, and the pages are clean without any foxing. Spine tight. ***In a very good colour printed dustwrapper, designed by Eric Ayers. The dustwrapper is unclipped, retaining the original publisher's printed price of 21s net. Whilst the dustwrapper is largely complete, there are some areas of loss at the head of the spine and top edge of the back panel near to the spine - however, this doesn't affect the titles. There is also a very small chip out of the bottom edge of the back panel. Edges of dustwrapper generally creased, nicked and worn, with a closed tear at the bottom corner of the front panel with associated creasing. No significant creasing to the inside foldover flaps. Very little fading to the light brown of the dustwrapper, even on the spine. Dustwrapper slightly marked with age and handling, mainly to the back panel which has a white background. ***215mm x 140mm. 319 pages including a nine-page appendix to the book, giving detailed reviews about the book from around the world. ***'In recent fiction no lover has thought of his beloved with so much tenderness, no woman has been so charmingly evoked, in such grace and delicacy, as Lolita; it is one of the few examples of rapture in modern writing. I think that the real reason why Mr Nabokov chose his outrageous subject matter is that he wanted to write a story about love. Lolita is about love. Perhaps I shall be better understood if I put the statement in this form: Lolita is not about sex, but about love. Almost every page sets forth some explicit erotic emotion or some overt erotic action and still it is not about sex. It is about love. This makes it unique in my experience of contemporary novels - Lionel Trilling [Quote taken from the front flap of the dustwrapper] ***A third impression of the first UK edition of this notorious work, in its original dustwrapper, in acceptable condition. Although early printings of the first UK edition are not particularly scarce, many have either damaged dustwrappers, or have lost their dustwrappers altogether. Finding copies in well-preserved original dustwrappers is becoming increasingly difficult as they were printed on very thin paper, and are prone to edge wear, creasing, chips and the light-brown colour is prone to fading. ***For all our books, postage is charged at cost, allowing for packaging: any shipping rates indicated on ABE are an average only: we will reduce the P & P charge where appropriate - please contact us for postal rates for heavier books and sets etc. Seller Inventory # 8352

Bibliographic Details

Title: LOLITA [First UK edition - third impression]
Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London
Publication Date: 1960
Binding: Hardcover
Illustrator: Eric Ayers [Jacket design]
Condition: Very Good
Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good
Edition: First UK Edition