Henry Miller's Book of Friends: A Tribute to Friends of Long Ago

by Henry Miller, Jim Lazarus (Photographer)

Illustrations by Miller. Photographs by Jim Lazarus. Miller's tribute to the friends of his childhood and youth. Contains inserted errata slip.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, American, 20th Century

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1976

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

[Shauny Free Palestine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book of Friends was published when Henry Miller was 85 years old. It seems he was as sharp, observant and funny until the very end. Dare I say, his writing comes across as youthful when describing some of the acquaintances he made over the years.

Some of the moments he recounts are revelatory, particularly when focusing on the gangs he mingled with, his Germanic upbringing, and the opposite sex.

This is the first book that would become part of the “Friends” trilogy. He was a prolific writer, and I’ve read many of his works. From Tropic of Cancer (1939) to The World of Lawrence (1980), Miller always manages to craft beautiful, unpretentious literature that deserves more attention. Book of Friends is worth reading for fans or newcomers alike.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Henry Miller's Book of Friends: A Tribute to Friends of Long Ago shows author Henry Miller to be a delightful raconteur. The friends he writes about date back to his youth, up to the timke covered by his novel Tropic of Capricorn.

[Tõnis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Veider lugu ja huvitav kahtlemata mitte kellelegi peale minu. Tellisin selle raamatu, sest olin seda kümmekond aastat tagasi mingis Berliini suves lugenud ja mul olid sellest helged mälestused. Aga nüüd lugedes oli paras rämps. Lõtv ja hõre, vahepeal hakkas Milleri suurustlev ja sihitu jauramine meenutama Donald Trumpi. Imestasin kuidas mu hinnang võis niiviisi muutuda. Henry Miller on mu jaoks üldse üks kõige elamuslikumaid autoreid, kas on võimalik, et ta ei meeldi mulle enam... Kui kahju sellest oleks.

Tuvastasin nüüd ka ühe võimaliku põhjuse. Esimene kord olin lugenud 138 leheküljelist väljaannet pealkirjaga "Book of Friends", nüüd poole paksemat "Complete Book of Friendsi". Ma ei tea miks sellest raamatust õhem ja paksem versioon on, aga loetav (ja kui õigesti mäletan, siis väga tore) neist kahest on kindlasti ainult õhukesem.

[Juan Martínez-Miguel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tan anecdótico como siempre pero de un modo un poco más lento. Agradan, sin embargo, los retratos de sus amigos, aunque siempre parecen más un pretexto para hablar de sí mismo.

[Jonathan Keren-Klaris · Rating 3 out of 5]

If Sexus/Nexus/Plexus is Miller's great biblical tale - an urban, dirty, and psychedelic Book of Job, then Book of Friends is a rather pleasant Psalm from the hands of an old Miller, as one can easily imagine him on a pleasant Sunday morning, too pleasant to check whether he’s quoting Socrates or Aristotle, wearing only a cardigan and an undershirt - although now without an constant and explosive erection.

Not recommended as a first Miller read, as it often reflects on and incorporates characters and narratives from other books - consider it a requiem, a cherry on top of his autobiographical tales.

Surely, the solipsist that he is, the tales of his dear friends surround the narrative of Miller's life itself. But that's pretty much his style, so hey, what's to expect?

[Mellon Collie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Llegando al final cuesta un poco distinguir sobre cuál de sus amigos esta hablando, todos son bastante parecidos (no solo entre ellos, también con el autor).

Creo que son las primeras las mas interesantes porque habla de su infancia, su familia y el barrio en el que nació, el resto viene siendo mas de lo mismo.

[Stephen Heckert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started this one as a lighter read between other books and wasn’t very fond of it until realizing it’s essentially a series of journal entries. Frankly it’s something anybody could write about their own life, but I like Miller so I read it.

[Oscar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bueno para conocer antecedentes de sus otras novelas, casi todas autobiográficas. Al parecer Miller siempre fue el mismo desde joven.

[Phoenix Diedre Rjazanov · Rating 1 out of 5]

Autor ist nicht in der Lage auch nur einmal respektvoll von Frauen zu reden.

Author is not once capable of writing about women in respect.

[Joakim Paz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always nice to read Henry Miller. This time to get an accurate idea of the people he knew while living in America.

[Ametista · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gli amici sono pietre preziose, alcune brillano intensamente altre meno, ma ognuna nel bene o nel male, lascia un segno.
Questo libro è il ringraziamento di Henry Miller ai suoi più cari amici.

[Kero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super...wer Miller vorher mochte, mag ihn danach noch mehr. Wer Ihn davor nicht mochte, wird Ihn danach noch weniger mögen ;-).

[Brendan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful little book of Miller’s reminiscences of old friends. It also manages to flesh out a lot of little details covered in some of his more famous works. Worth tracking down.