The History of Literature 739 Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov (#14 GBOAT) | Johannes Gutenberg (with Eric Marshall White)
Oct 9, 2025
Eric Marshall White, a rare books librarian and author, discusses Johannes Gutenberg's innovations in printing and the myths surrounding his life. Jenny Minton Quigley shares insights into the editorial journey of Nabokov's controversial novel, Lolita, and the risks taken to publish it. Novelist Jim Shepard reflects on Lolita's impact on literature and its narrative techniques. Joshua Ferris delves into Nabokov's disdain for Freud and how it influenced interpretations of his work. The conversation weaves together the threads of literary history with modern implications.
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Gutenberg Studied Through His Books
- Johannes Gutenberg's historical record is thin, so books he produced become the best evidence about him.
- Eric Marshall White analyzes those surviving books to reconstruct Gutenberg's life and work.
Nabokov's 'Sob In The Spine'
- Vladimir Nabokov said he didn't aim to affect hearts or minds but to produce 'that little sob in the spine' of the artistic reader.
- That remark captures his artist-first ethos toward Lolita and other works.
Type Over Press For The Real Breakthrough
- Gutenberg's core innovation was producing many nearly identical metal letters and using them to print pages repeatedly.
- The surviving impressions show precise, sharp type even though his original metal types no longer survive.
