One of my objectives in writing a biography of Henry Miller was to bring young new readers to his books. Last night, at an author talk I gave at The Last Bookstore in Los Angeles, this happened right before my eyes. At the conclusion of my talk, a young woman sitting just to my left asked what Miller book I would suggest. I recommended The Colossus of Maroussi, Miller's account of his six month stay in Greece just before the outbreak of WWII. It was Miller's own favorite of his books, and certainly one of his most accessible.

When the program ended, and after I had chatted with some friends, I noticed this young woman leafing through the pages of The Colossus of Maroussi, which she had just purchased. Before she left, she told me she wanted to become a writer, and asked for my advice. I advised her to carry a notebook, and write in it every day about whatever caught her attention.