Lolita is a 1955 novel written by Russian-American novelist
Vladimir Nabokov that addresses the controversial subject of
hebephilia. The protagonist is a French literature professor who moves to New England and writes under the pseudonym Humbert Humbert. He describes his obsession with a 12-year-old "
nymphet", Dolores Haze, whom he kidnaps and
sexually abuses after becoming her stepfather. Privately, he calls her "Lolita", the Spanish nickname for
Dolores. The novel was originally written in English, but fear of
censorship in the U.S. (where Nabokov lived) and Britain led to it being first published in Paris, France, in 1955 by
Olympia Press.
The book has received critical acclaim regardless of the controversy it caused with the public. It has been included in many lists of best books, such as
Time's List of the 100 Best Novels,
Le Monde's 100 Books of the Century,
Bokklubben World Library,
Modern Library's 100 Best Novels, and
The Big Read. The novel has been twice adapted into film:
first in 1962 by
Stanley Kubrick, and
later in 1997 by
Adrian Lyne. It has also been
adapted several times for the stage.
The influence of the novel extends beyond that, however. In Japanese culture,
Lolicon is a whole media genre dedicated to related ideas. In English,
Lolita has become a term in its own right. On social media, in the 21st century, postings tagged with a "
Lolita aesthetic" have surfaced time and again.