Few people realize just how much inspiration Nabokov drew from real life for his notorious novel, but by researching extensive legal and public records, interviews, and investigations, Weinman is able to reveal that the subject of Nabokov's novel was heavily influenced by the real-life abduction of Sally Horner in 1948. She shows just how much Nabokov drew on this case for his book, and how much he tried to disguise his knowledge of the crime throughout his writing process. The story is a thrilling one, weaving together cultural history with a suspenseful, investigative narrative, and lending a voice to Sally's story.Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita is one of the most beloved and notorious novels of all time. And yet, very few of its readers know that the subject of the novel was inspired by a real-life case: the 1948 abduction of 11-year-old Sally Horner.
Weaving together suspenseful crime narrative, cultural and social history, and literary investigation, The Real Lolita tells Sally Horner’s full story for the very first time. Drawing upon extensive investigations, legal documents, public records, and interviews with remaining relatives, Sarah Weinman uncovers how much Nabokov knew of the Sally Horner case and the efforts he took to disguise that knowledge during the process of writing and publishing Lolita.
Sally Horner’s story echoes the stories of countless girls and women who never had the chance to speak for themselves. By diving deeper in the publication history of Lolita and restoring Sally to her rightful place in the lore of the novel’s creation, The Real Lolita casts a new light on the dark inspiration for a modern classic.
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