The Intimate Henry Miller

by Henry Miller, Lawrence Clark Powell

191 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1959

About the author

Henry Valentine Miller was an American novelist, short story writer and essayist. He broke with existing literary forms and developed a new type of semi-autobiographical novel that blended character study, social criticism, philosophical reflection, stream of consciousness, explicit language, sex, surrealist free association, and mysticism. His most characteristic works of this kind are Tropic of Cancer, Black Spring, Tropic of Capricorn, and the trilogy The Rosy Crucifixion, which are based on his experiences in New York City and Paris (all of which were banned in the United States until 1961). He also wrote travel memoirs and literary criticism, and painted watercolors.

Reviews

[Georgia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Skipped the essays on Balzac and Rider Haggard, but Obscenity and the Law of Reflection is more than worth the read. Max is one of my favorite short stories. I’m always torn with my feelings on this author; beyond the misogynistic trash, his frank style is perfect. It’s easy to understand the controversy.

[Tom Schulte · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am often reminded of an essay I read by Henry Miller in The Intimate Henry Miller here on the subject of obscenity. He pointed out that when something obscene (in any one's definition) has been created to express a point, could that same point or feeling have been expressed in any other way?

[Jay griffith]

truly intimate, you might feel as though miller is talking right to you, that he knows you, and he shows you parts of yourself you doubted were there.