The outrage misdirected at Lolita – and its author – does nothing to negate the realities it reflects. Reading Nabokov’s novel now raises questions about censorship, book banning and human nature.
Sue Lyon and James Mason in Stanley Kubrick’s 1962 adaptation of Lolita.
Warner Bros
The discrepancy between cover designs for Lolita – published 60 years ago – and the themes of the novel are stark. But that hasn’t stopped hundreds of designers trying to get it right.