Sui Generis book club #17

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

I feel dumb writing about this book for two reasons:

1. It's too good for me to attempt any kind of critique or say much of anything about it, since what else is there to add--it's a classic, and;
2. I didn't actually read it. I listened to it... on audio tape. But!--

It's narrated by Jeremy Irons, and it's the best book-on-tape I've ever heard. I'm sure you recognize Mr. Irons from his role as "Profion" in the movie Dungeons & Dragons. No? Okay, how about as Simon Gruber in Die Hard: With a Vengeance? But check out his voice work experience: he was Scar in The Lion King! He also played Humbert Humbert in the 1997 version of Lolita, natch. He reads Lolita as if it really were his own life he's talking about, with all the emotional energy you could hope for.

Anyway all I'm saying is that if you need something to listen to in your car during your commute, give this a shot. I'll have to read the book some day to pick up on everything I missed, but this audio presentation is a true performance in its own right.

Categories: books