Anaïs Nin
When I first read Anaïs Nin I had the sure feeling that I would be hooked. When I first read about her and Henry Miller I knew that here was a captivation. To think about these two together in Paris in the 30s still makes my mind a’flutter.
The Diary of Anaïs Nin: Volume I (1931-1934) and III (1939-1944)
I bought these two in Amsterdam when my journey first began. Her keen insights into writing, Parisian life, the names which passed through the pages were thrilling. But as I read, the holes in the natural flow of time became frustrating. The holes were created upon publication to save the emotions of her husband. Anaïs Nin led an interesting life.
The Unexpurgated Diary of Anaïs Nin: Henry and June, Incest, Fire
Definitely more juicy and lively than The Diary.
A Literate Passion: Letters of Anaïs Nin and Henry Miller, 1932-1953
A collection of letters exchanged between Anaïs Nin and Henry Miller, when they met until later in life. Most give glorious descriptions of the writing-life. An enlightening bunch!
House of Incest, A Spy in the House of Love
Anaïs Nin’s fiction is strange. I prefer the Diaries. Not that her fiction doesn’t have its literary merit, but its just too flighty for me.
Delta of Venus: Erotica
It has been said that the fiction of Anaïs Nin did not shine because she held too much back. Everything was poured into the journal which was written in white heat. In this collection of erotica, that Anaïs wrote for a nameless collector in New York City, she excels. I dare say this is the best piece of fiction she wrote.
The Novel of the Future
With all that said I had enough respect for her to read this book.
Dierdre Blair, Anaïs Nin: A Biography —This biography of Anaïs Nin shocked me. It shattered my illusions that Anaïs had created through her Diaries and strange fiction. After I finished the biography I didn’t have the heart to read Anaïs Nin until years later.
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