What strikes me about the Rosy Crucifixion (and Nexus in particular) is that, even at its worst, it is unbelievably striking and poignant. Perhaps it is how human every aspect of this book is (down even to the flaws), it writhes and rears its head like the humanity that created it. Miller is, beyond anything, a man that is mired in the mass that constitutes this humanity and, from that vantage point, is a writer that creates pure genius.
Even though the book is loosely based around his tumultuous years with his wife (referred to as Mona in this trilogy) before leaving for Paris, the reader gets far more than that. Miller uses this concrete platform to churn out ideas on most anything else in existence. His writing is lucid, thought-provoking, and intelligent here, some of the best he has ever created.
Overall, a fantastic summation of the points articulated throughout the Rosy Crucifixion and Miller's own life. This is an absolutely amazing writer at his best, not to be missed!

It is tough describing what is that keeps me so attached to this trilogy, specially this book where Miller describes his pain and his feelings in such a straightforward way. I believe it is his honesty and his bravery to say things one would never even dare to think of. Words come and go smoothly, an so my mind when I read this man. Helps opening up.

Miller's account of how he wrote the Rosy Crucifixion touched me. The part where he smashed the cheesecake on the wall after Mona and Stasia had left him to go to Paris, then fell asleep only to wake up hungry,and having to eat that same cheesecake is one of the sections of the book which I regard as the finest narrative piece of writing I have read. A must read!

An excellent book that allows herbal medicine to be seen with clear eyes.

Ancient Herbs, Modern Medicine should be read not only by lay people who are interested in alternative methods of treatment but also by professionals in the field of medicine. It explains very clearly the theories of traditional Chineese medicine and also gives examples of how this ancient system can be succesfully used in combination with alopathic-so called "modern medicine".

Nancy Deville has a rare quality to explain very clearly even the very difficult questions. Therefore also the non-native English reader will definitely not only understand but also enjoy and profit from the book.

What a fantastic book! Extremely informative, very well written and very comprehensive on the fascinating subject of combining Chinese & Western medicine. This book has revolutionized how I take care of my body, mind and overall health. It is a MUST READ for anyone even remotely interested in health and well-being. Such an easy read that I didn't realize I was learning along the way. Ten thumbs up.

An especially important book for any aspiring writers or students of fiction or the creative mind. Henry Miller on Writing shows Miller as he struggles to learn how to write and questions and wrestles with all the insecurities and self-loathing that is endemic to writing. As important as John Gardner's books on writing, only more readable and more fun.

For anyone who hasn't read Miller, this is a great introduction. As always, Miller's work is permeated with joy and lustfull arrogance. He is truly in love with life- and as writers go, a great and unique participant. Henry Miller on Writing provides glimpses into his work and the nature and derivitive of his own inspiration. The book will thrill the adventurer and offend the weak-minded. You will love or hate Miller.

Although Miller's books are largely autobiographical, it is sometimes difficult to discern "Henry Miller" from "Henry Miller's world". In reading this book by Brassai, we learn some of the methods Miller used to construct his world-- thus providing a deeper understanding of the man. While this book is by no means exhaustive, it does provide a glimpse into the man. There are numerous descriptions of Henry Miller available, but to get an insider's view, it is essential to read this book written by a man who knew Miller as well as any person can know another.

This book is a must-read for Henry Miller devotees who want to understand the genesis of this great writer. Written by his close friend Brassai a fascinating story is told about Miller's down and out days in Paris during the 1930's and how his vision of writing developed. It is replete with personal anecdotes about Miller's views of Paris, his hatred (ambivalent as it was) of his homeland and his relations with the women in his life. It more than anything shows Miller as the writer refusing to sell-out by having the essence of his writing edited away by the censorius literary status quo of his day.

As an owner of a recently restored Model A this book is a MUST. Contained in it are all the fine points regarding the various body types and accessories. No wonder this book serves as a primer for the expert judging of Model A's.

This book is a "keeper" for anyone with an interest in the Ford Model "A". All of the various body styles from 1928 to 1931 are covered in detail. High quality photos accompany descriptions of both "standard" and "optional" features found on each body style. Kudos to the author and the photographer for a high quality book.

A writer of outstanding repute in all his endeavors (translator, novelist, critic), Keeley has temporarily left aside all that academic stuff to write one of the five most beautiful books I have read in the past twenty years. Greek and Anglo literati like Seferis, Durrell and Miller come alive for us in these pages and special features of their work are examined with new depth. There are also some minor writers who serve as attractive backround to, and greatly enrich, the larger story. In his final paragraphs, Keeley hints that he might have a first person narrative in store for us covering a subsequent generation of philhellene writers. Let's hope he makes good on this almost-promise.

An interesting book about Henry Miller/Lawrence Durrill and the "Generation of the Thirties"-Greek poets that include Seferis, and painters such as Ghikas.

The book is exactly what the NY Times calls it--a combination of literary history/critique, and cultural history. It tries to provide a deep understanding of the poetry from the decade before World War 2. It dispells the notion that Greece only has offered the world Homer & Pericles. Seferis, for example, won the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Black Spring is the antithesis of the "small talk" which defines commercial literature. And henceforth, if you should choose to be so morbid, if you acknowledge the loneliness of our age of instant communication you realize that Miller is the antithesis of our neighbors as well. In this stellar performance Miller plays friend and educator. He manages an astounding approachability for such scholarly work. You'll get the feeling early on that much like his beat cousins honesty is his game. But Miller's honesty seems to be more interested in its absorption into the common public denominator. This Book finds Miller at his best do what he does better than anyone else...Writing fine & insightful literature in a style, which accomplishes confession devoid of the triteness of ego

"I am dazzled by the glorious collapse of the world."

....some vignettes here start out pretty innocent here but once Henry Miller gets a figurative and literal bug up his-- he waxes and waxes and waxes poetically (a lot of times in alliteration) about life, death and the cosmos. He and Bukowski are my favorite derelict writers, I feel I always get something from them although their story-telling is not always linear. And I love to read them both aloud. Why, when Henry really starts these tirades, sometimes its best to have an unabridged dictionary on hand. All the previous reviewers seem to like the recounting of Henry in the pissoire. My favorite piece is the hilarious and poignant "Jabberwhorl ("But it must be in the key of C") Crondstadt" who turns out to have a refugee sanctuary and who's own illness (abated by cognac and cayenne) exposes to Henry something about madness and art and creation. It simply must be read aloud for appreciation. Henry Miller is not evvybody's glass of absinthe, but for me, he is great...like he says, "What is not in the open street is false, that is derived, that is, literature" I have not been everywhere he has, but I have been where he has been a lot and most of his writings, even those which are way too funky to decipher are fun and enjoyable to read in my opinion. Most of his writing may be just too, too real for anyone who is not willing to take up the challenge...

Black Spring is one of Miller's earlier efforts belonging to the Paris-written era of The Tropic's of Cancer and Capricorn. Whilst hilarious and enjoyable to read it suffers from too much Capricorn-esque angst-ridden soul rimming. A great book to read, but I would recommend Quiet Days In Clinchy as Miller's best French novel. It is equally humourous and has no extra pussyfooting around.

Compared to books such as "Voluntary Simplicity" by Duane Elgin and similar books, one realises that many of these ideas are nothing new when one reads Walden by Thoreau. In fact, what strikes me is that we as a Western society have not overcome many of the issues pointed out by Thoreau 150 years ago. Thoreau left Concord MA "disdainful of America's growing commercialism and industrialism", the slavish materialism of that society then. One wonders what he'll say if he would see the extend today - in the post Coca-Cola society. But then Thoreau was a man who clearly stepped to his own drum. Becuase of slavery, he refused to support the state on moral grounds. How would his views have been tolerated today?

I am not luddite, but my favourite quote from the book is this: "We are in great haste to construct a magnetic telegraph from Maine to Texas; but Maine and Texas, it may be, have nothing to communicate". Does this say something about the Internet, newsmedia and our contemporary information overload, or what?

I liked the introduction and footnotes of Meyer. Just enough to provide context and explanation, but never intrusive. This book is as relevant today as it was during Thoreau's lifetime. Highly recommended.

H.D. Thoreau is the first and most important figure in U.S. Radicalism. This collection provides the essential background for the latent radicalism inherent in American politics, especially as it was vocalized in the Civil Rights and Anti-War movements of the 1960's.

Disobedience is the shorter of the texts, but probably more important. It is an attempt to justify moral anarchism and a call to act on individual judgements about justice.

Walden can be interpreted as an important treatise against consumerism and the dangers of specialization, as well as an appreciation of the natural environment. Those interested in anti-globalization/anti-free trade movements would do well to read Walden to gain an understanding of where anti-consumerism came from and an examination of its ethical implications. However, it also pays to remember that Walden is a failed experiment and, in the end, Thoreau returns to Cambridge.

Thoreau, as political philosophy, has certain problems. Moral anarchy and denial of the social contract is difficult to replace in civil society--Thoreau makes no more than the most vague references as to what could replace it, seeming to rely on the fact that his personal sense of justice is universal.

Nevertheless, Thoreau's conscience has resonance and is as relevant today as ever. His rejection of consumerism as the basis for society and its stratification also teaches important lessons.

Thoreau represents that first step in understanding the other part of American political thought--extremely different from that of the Constitution and Federalist Papers--but with profound connections to the work of Dr. Martin Luther King.

I can only speak from experience on this one. This is one of the most remarkable books I've ever read. Thoreau influenced my views on liberty, justice, and integrity [following what is right, not merely that which is deemed law]. The inner journey Thoreau got me started on has continued throughout my life. I credit him for instilling within me the concept of "Teach me how to think, not what"--invaluable to the fledgling independent thinker and philosopher. I highly recommend Ralph Waldo Emerson, in conjunction with Thoreau.

Big fan of these two, but more of a Henry Miller fan personally. The letters bring Henry Miller out of his fiction/novels and bring him into the realm where Nin was in writing her Diaries. Good for that reason, two lovers but volatile ones. Testing sexual boundaries is a touchy thing, after all.

When two writers fall in love, they write and write and write. Their writing being the best expression of their inner natures. Here Anais and Henry write two-hundred-and fifty letters back and forth in a passionate literary romance. The friendship is passionate from the start and Anais is poised for an intellectual and physical adventure. These letters are heady intellectual exchanges as both writers realize themselves in words.

Most of the letters do seem to focus on their literary loves of the moment. D.H. Lawrence is discussed in detail because of Anais' essays and "Unprofessional Study of D.H. Lawrence," in the 1930s. Henry suggests that they thrash things out by letter and asks her to keep his letters. I'm almost certain she would never have thought to destroy them. Not in this life!

In these letters, Henry divulges his most intimate thoughts about Anais. He writes her about everything he does as if to make a literary life with her. This place they both share is ecstasy to them both. Words connect the borders of their world.

Both writers desperately hang onto their real lives while all the while wanting desperately to be together in some fantasy situation. Henry dreams of just living simply, but we know Anais needs luxury almost as much as love. She does however sacrifice a lot for Henry in many ways. The fact is, she supports him financially for years.

Perhaps she feels she owes him her life. At the start of this relationship, Anais was at the point of wanting to kill herself over her imaginary lover, John. A man who rejected her before even accepting her in many ways. It does seem that she needs a reason to live. Someone to care for as she doesn't have her own children. Perhaps in a way, Henry becomes her child although she is 28 and he is 40 when they meet. She does not seem satisfied in her marriage.

I am not sure why Hugh's love is not enough. Everything she writes about Hugh is so complimentary. Maybe it is because Hugh is not completely dedicated to writing. Henry is drunk with desire to write and to experience life to the fullest. In Anais, he finds a soul mate.

Henry is serious, silly and seductive. I was imagining Anais laughing-out-loud at some of his adorable recollections. He may have been open and frank, but his love for her was a completely beautiful expression. She makes him so happy because he can talk to her about anything. There is no need to hide feelings. They talk about the most intense emotional situations.

Anais' friendship and sympathy is everything to Henry. What I noticed was how she tells Henry all her deepest desires just like she tells her diary. Until a certain point when she seems to draw back sharply. I assume some letters where lost. This is where reading her journals will become more interesting. I have only read a few and now I am interested in reading the rest. I must know her thoughts between "some" of the letters from Henry. Otherwise, the picture will never be complete.

It is enjoyable to see how the letters start formally and then at times just go off into the most intoxicating thoughts. What amazes the mind is their intense focus on the evaluation of their own writing. Here you see how each book came to be and realize the force of the influence of small comments, advice, notes.

I'm convinced that any woman would sell her soul to receive letters with such passion. Yet, it seems Anais wanted more. We can't quite figure out what she wanted, but she wanted perhaps a carbon copy of herself? She is much better suited to living with Hugo and so she lives out her romantic dreams with Henry until writing and publishing take hold of them both and swirl them into the inevitability of their destiny.

Anais brings beauty to Henry's existence, which is often far below her standard of living. Could he have provided for her in a way that satisfied her? Was her giving him financial help beautiful because he accepted it in such a way that in return he gave her love? At the end of the book the tables turn and Henry is able to pay Anais back for all her love and attention. In this way, the book becomes beautiful despite the human frailty of both writers.

What I thought many would object to probably does not need mentioning, but you can see various attitudes of racism here and there. There is also the question of Anais Nin's common sense in regards to her father and her views on parents are hardly acceptable. I force myself to overlook various aspects because the overall content is in many ways rather incredible.

What you have in this book, is a man "in love" pouring out his very soul and a woman slowly but surely becoming estranged from him. There seems to be no way these two writers can be together and yet through the years, Anais and Henry support and encourage one another through their letters.

They also seem to occasionally have a inclination towards mentally torturing one another. As one runs about the world in one direction, the other follows. At one point Anais feels that what he is asking her to accept is beyond what a human being should have to endure. She pulls away.

Could the life they dreamed of really have brought them happiness? Was it not the constant struggle that spurned them on to write. That is my conclusion. That writers need to struggle. To feel and to die and be reborn. This is fully evident in "A Literate Passion."

When reading the letters between Henry and Anais, I am a butterfly on the wall of their world and my wings beat happily as I watch their most intimate thoughts flow by me in words.

Read after "Henry & June."

Forget Nin's works of fiction, the journals, letters, and life are truly worth experiencing over and over again for their honesty, passion, and viewing the internal turned external for our benefit. Everyone knows of Miller's and Nin's relationhip, through "Henryand June" if anything, but it is through this work that we see them less as romantic figures and more as humans capable of the idiocy, devotion, and prolongation of things we should all end and just don't for whatever reason. This is a great buy if you are a lover a letters. Reading "Fire" is a must, however.

Henry Miller paints a wonderfully enticing portrait of Greece in this well-written account of his travels there in the 1930's and 40's. I liked this book so much that it inspired a trip to Greece, to visit some of the ancient historical sites. While visiting such places as Mycenae and Delphi, it was enjoyable to re-read his own impressions of them.

The book is full of colorful observations, and is written in a far more traditional and accessible style than Miller's "Tropic" books. I only have a couple of quibbles about this very fine book. First, the title character of the book, a Greek friend of Miller's, is never developed in a way that justifies the appellation "Colossus." Second, I think Miller sometimes strains a bit to lend a literary effect to rather commonplace things or experiences.

I first read this bookin the mid-seventies when I was in my early twenties. I recently re-discovered it as a niece was going to Greece to study and wanted some backround about the culture and character of the Greek people. Reading a book some twenty years later and particularly and author like Henry Miller can tell you something about the author and the reader and how perceptions change in twenty years. Miller's crystal clear renderings of the ambience and character of the Greek landscape and the Greek character are timeless treasures to be soaked up as in the brilliance of the Greek light by anyone that loves art. Although I would not define the book as a classic work of literature (there are too many first person accounts that wax and wane depending on the mood of the author, I would say that it has some characteristics of classic art in it's timeless appeal as well as it's changing meaning to a changing reader. We can look at at great work of art, say at age 21 and it means one thing. then we can look at the same work 25 years later and it will mean something totally different, yet have more depth in some areas and less meaning in others. This is what I found in reading The Colossus of Maroussi. If you want to be transported to the timelessnes of the power and potency of the Greek mind and heart, read thhis book.

As a Greek-American reading about Greece in Miller's account written in the 1930's, I found it to be very moving. It isn't simply a travel book about Greece, it's about Greece healing someone's soul!

I absolutely love Miller's, "Tropic of Cancer," and was expecting the same style for Maroussi. However, I was mistaken. Miller doesn't include any of his notorious womanizing stories here. Instead, Miller writes about finding peace in contemplating Greece, modern and ancient. Again, his written prose is like reading poetry. There are some passages from this book that I had to "cut out" and keep for inspiration.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Henry Miller or Greece. I must also recommend Edmund Keeley's, "Inventing Paradise," which is something of a companion to Maroussi. In it, Keeley discusses Miller's Greek journey, which he took along with George Seferis, Lawrence Durrell, and other 20th century Greek poets, writers, and painters.