Vladimir Nabokov discusses his brilliantly expressive novel ‘Lolita’ - scandalous for many at the time, and a regular high-ranking novel in my list of all-time favourites - with the critic Lionel Trilling and the host of a 1950’s talk show.

Nabokov amusingly ruminates on whether the character of Humbert Humbert, famous primarily for pursuing an illicit, illegal love for a young girl, has anything in common with the author himself.

“If you ask me, for instance, whether my own ideas are those of Humbert Humbert I would say no.

Of course, he is European and a man of letters as I am, but I have taken great care to separate myself from him. For instance, the good reader notices that Humbert Humbert confuses - just to take an instance - Hummingbirds with Hog Moths. Now I would never do that, being an entomologist.

[…]

Well there are many other matters which I would leave to him.”