Showing posts with label Henry Miller. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Henry Miller. Show all posts

Thursday, June 9, 2011

The World of Sex - Henry Miller


I picked this up at last Sunday's flea market for $1. Of course the title print first caught my eye, and I figured most people passed it over because of that and the fact it looked like a flimsy pamphlet. But upon closer inspection I saw the author's name - Henry Miller, then made out the delicate, beautiful print of the human body, barely noticeable when viewing the thing at a 90ยบ angle, and without any further ado I snapped it up. I was wide awake despite feeling exhausted yesterday and so read it all last night before bed. The content is not as extensive on the topic of sex as the title offers, but in no way does that undermine the writing. In it Miller addresses the issue of his liberal usage of sex in his writing, as sex undoubtedly plays a strong role in the growth of many an individual, whether one would like to admit this or not. What I find remarkable about Henry Miller is that I've never found his writing obscene for the sake of being provocative, in fact his writing seems incredibly truthful and poetic as he chronicles his life experiences and how they build or break him down as a man. I find his words totally intoxicating.

I could tell that my mom was slightly mortified upon viewing this title, as she didn't even know what to say about it. I told her it's an essay by one of my favorite writers, and that seeing only 1000 copies of this one had been printed, I had to have it. I began to tell her about it today but she didn't seem interested. Prudish mothers are so funny and ironic!

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

excerpt - Tropic of Cancer


"It may be that we are doomed, that there is no hope for us, any of us, but if that is so then let us set up a last agonizing, bloodcurdling howl, a screech of defiance, a war whoop! Away with lamentation! Away with elegies and dirges! Away with biographies and histories, and libraries and museums! Let the dead eat the dead. Let us living ones dance about the rim of the crater, a last expiring dance. But a dance!"

-- Henry Miller, Tropic of Cancer