Chasing Lolita : How Popular Culture Corrupted Nabokov's Little Girl All Over Again

In the summer of 1958, a twelve-year-old girl took the world by storm― Lolita was published in the United States. This child, so fresh and alive, yet so pitiable in her abuse at the hands of the novel's narrator, engendered outrage and sympathy alike, and has continued to do so ever since. Yet Lolita's image in the broader public consciousness has changed. No longer a little girl, Lolita has come to signify a precocious temptress, a cunning underage vixen who'll stop at nothing to get her man. How could this have happened? Chasing Lolita , published on the fiftieth anniversary of Lolita's American publication, is an essential contemporary companion to Vladimir Nabokov's great novel. It establishes who Lolita really was back in 1958, explores her predecessors of all stripes, and examines the multitude of movies, theatrical shows, literary spin-offs, artifacts, fashion, art, photography, and tabloid excesses that have distorted her identity and stolen her name. It considers not just the "Lolita effect" but shifting attitudes toward the always volatile mix of sex, children, and popular entertainment―from Victorian times to the present. And it also looks at some real-life cases of young girls who became the innocent victims of someone else’s obsession―unhappy sisters to one of the most affecting heroines in American fiction, and one of the most widely misunderstood. "Ambitious . . . a companion book to Nabokov's misunderstood masterpiece." — Bitch "In his outrageously readable literary criticism-slash-pop culture survey of her fate, Graham Vickers is determined to defend Lolita's honor through a keen analysis of Nabakov's original novel." — Toronto Star Graham Vickers is a freelance magazine writer who has covered the subjects of advertising, design, movies, and popular culture. His books include 21st-Century Hotel and Key Moments in Architecture . Chasing Lolita, Published On The Fiftieth Anniversary Of Lolita's American Publication, Is An Essential Contemporary Companion To Vladimir Nabokov's Great Novel. It Establishes Who Lolita Really Was Back In 1958, Explores Her Predecessors Of All Stripes, And Examines The Multitude Of Movies, Theatrical Shows, Literary Spinoffs, Artifacts, Fashion, Art, Photography, And Tabloid Excesses That Have Distorted Her Identity And Stolen Her Name. It Considers Not Just The Lolita Effect But Shifting Attitudes Toward The Always Volatile Mix Of Sex, Children, And Popular Entertainment - From Victorian Times To The Present. And It Also Looks At Some Real-life Cases Of Young Girls Who Became The Innocent Victims Of Someone Else's Obsession - Unhappy Sisters To One Of The Most Affecting Heroines In American Fiction, And One Of The Most Widely Misunderstood.--jacket. The Real Life Of Dolores Haze: Just The Facts -- Casebooks And Fantasies: Dolores Haze's Oft-told Tale -- A Very 1950s Scandal: Hurricane Lolita -- Lolita In Movieland 1: Little Victims And Little Princesses -- Lolita In Movieland 2: Pedophilia Is A Hard Sell -- On The Road: Lolita's Moving Prison -- Take One: How Did They Ever Make A Film Of Lolita? -- Dramatic Arts: Lolita Center Stage -- The Spirit Of Free Enterprise: Every Foul Poster -- Tabloids And Factoids: The Press And Lolita -- Take Two: Once More, With Feeling -- Blood Sisters: Some Responses To Lolita. Graham Vickers. The Real Life Of Dolores Haze: Just The Facts -- Casebooks And Fantasies: Dolores Haze's Oft-told Tale -- A Very 1950s Scandal: Hurricane Lolita -- Lolita In Movieland 1: Little Victims And Little Princesses -- Lolita In Movieland 2: Pedophilia Is A Hard Sell -- On The Road: Lolita's Moving Prison -- Take One: How Did They Ever Make A Film Of Lolita? -- Dramatic Arts: Lolita Center Stage -- The Spirit Of Free Enterprise: Every Foul Poster -- Tabloids And Factoids: The Press And Lolita -- Take Two: Once More, With Feeling -- Blood Sisters: Some Responses To Lolita. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 233-234) And Index. In the summer of 1958, a 12-year-old girl took the world by storm, Lolita was published in the United States, and since then, her name has been taken in vain to serve a wide range of dubious ventures, both artistic and commercial. Offering a full consideration of not only the Lolita effect but shifting attitudes toward the mix of sex, children, and popular entertainment from Victorian times to the present. This study explores the movies, theatrical shows, literary spin-offs, artifacts, fashion, art, photography, and tabloid excesses that have distorted Lolita's identity with an eye toward some real-life cases of young girls who became the innocent victims of someone else's obsession, unhappy sisters to one of the most affecting heroines in fiction. New insight is provided into the brief life of Lolita and into her longer afterlives as well. Cover Front Matter Title Page Copyright Dedication Epigraph Contents Introduction 1. The Real Life of Dolores Haze: Just the Facts 2. Casebooks and Fantasies: Dolores Haze’s Oft-Told Tale 3. A Very 1950s Scandal: Hurricane Lolita 4. Lolita in Movieland 1: Little Victims and Little Princesses 5. Lolita in Movieland 2: “Pedophilia Is a Hard Sell” 6. On the Road: Lolita’s Moving Prison 7. Take One: How Did They Ever Make a Film of Lolita? 8. Dramatic Arts: Lolita Center Stage 9. The Spirit of Free Enterprise: Every Foul Poster 10. Tabloids and Factoids: The Press and Lolita 11. Take Two: Once More, with Feeling 12. Blood Sisters: Some Responses to Lolita Conclusion Bibliography Index Also by Graham Vickers Back Cover