Larry Summers' wife Elisa New referenced "Lolita" in an email to Epstein 3 days before a report which led to the financier's arrest being published

After the House Oversight Committee released vast documents of emails from Jeffrey Epstein's account last week, the two names that popped up frequently in those conversations was that of Larry Summers - a professor at Harvard's Charles W. Eliot University. 

Summers' wife, Elisa New, was also a friend of Epstein's, with the two exchanging emails years after allegations of s*xual abuse first surfaced against the financier. According to The Observer, one email exchange New sent Epstein stands out in particular. 

Here's Larry Summers's wife Elisa New emailing Jeffrey Epstein, in 2018, literature recommendations. She recommends Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita and My Antonia by Will Cather, as both are about "a man whose whole life is stamped forever by his impression of a young girl." pic.twitter.com/5gmWYQpBsP

— Sam Haselby (@samhaselby) November 13, 2025

The conversation started with Elisa sending Jeffrey an email requesting his advice for pursuading Serena Williams to participate in the Poetry in America TV series. However, as it progressed, New sent him a strange email, writing:

"I'm going upstairs to hunt for my copy of Lolita"

For the unversed, Lolita is a 1955 novel that focuses on its protagonist's sexual obsession with a 12-year-old, whom he later abuses. Vladimir Nabokov - who wrote Lolita - was also reportedly Epstein's favorite author, with the financier rumored to keep a copy of the novel at his bedside.

Further in the email, Professor New also made a book recommendation to Jeffrey, writing:

"I would recommend reading My Antonia by Cather next time you’re on a long plane trip. The book has... similar themes to Lolita in that it’s about a man whose whole life is stamped forever by his impression of a young girl."

An important thing to note is that these emails were exchanged between Epstein and New three days before Miami Herald published an investigative piece into the financier that led to his eventual arrest. 

​Larry Summers announced stepping away from public commitment after his email exchanges with Epstein released

BREAKING: Former Harvard President Lawrence Summers will step down amid ties to Jeffrey Epstein’s child-trafficking network. pic.twitter.com/XJBHgSDkDy

— The General (@GeneralMCNews) November 18, 2025

While Elisa New's email with Jeffrey Epstein has caught public attention, so has her husband's continued interaction with the convicted child offendor. 

Released emails indicate that Summers and Epstein wrote to each other frequently between 2013 and 2019 - nearly a decade after the latter pleaded guilty to charges of prostitution with a minor. 

Their discussions revolved around politics and current news, as well as Summers seeking romantic advice from the disgraced financier.

After the emails were brought to light last week, Larry Summers issued an apologetic statement, including his decision to step away from "public commitments". He wrote:

"I am deeply ashamed of my actions and recognize the pain they have caused. I take full responsibility for my misguided decision to continue communicating with Mr. Epstein. While continuing to fulfill my teaching obligations, I will be stepping back from public commitments as one part of my broader effort to rebuild trust and repair relationships with the people closest to me."

Despite his apology, his willingness to continue teaching at Harvard has been questioned by many. 

One of his sharpest critics is Massachusetts Senate Elizabeth Warren, who is appealing to Harvard to sever ties with the professor because of his close friendship with Epstein.