Dear, Dear Brenda: The Love Letters to Brenda Venus [Paperback]

Henry Miller (Author), Brenda Venus (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Bedridden and in his late 80s, Miller wrote more than 1500 letters to a young actress-dancer who was the last great love of his life. The letters here selected, interspersed with commentary by Venus and each virtually complete, are remarkable for their clarity, cheerfulness and passiona passion often expressed with Milleresque uninhibitednessand interesting for their views on writers, painters, sex and spirituality (the last two considered by Miller to be inseparable). As the final blaze-up of a powerful romantic spirit, the letters make a touching love story; and as Durrell points out in his crisp preface, we should be grateful to Venus for the tact and generosity that allowed Miller to spend his last days in a "marvelous euphoria of loving attachment." 50,000 first printing; $50,000 ad/promo. January 22
Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

In his eighties (from 1976 to 1980), Miller almost daily wrote love letters to actress Brenda Venusmissives overflowing with memories and hopes, crackling with erudition, exploding with explicit sex. As friend Lawrence Durrell prefaces: "He does not exaggerate when he says she is literally keeping him alive; indeed her generosity and tact allowed him to end his days in a marvelous euphoria of loving attachment." Miller's intelligence, sensuality, humanity, and love reverberate throughout this correspondence, in spite of his then being critically ill and almost blind. These letters, written while he was dying, exhibit his remarkable creative capacities that for too long went unrecognized. Glenn O. Carey, English Dept., Eastern Kentucky Univ., Richmond
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 244 pages
• Publisher: 2 13 61; Rev Sub edition (February 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1880985314
• ISBN-13: 978-1880985311
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,738,478 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

HENRY MILLER (1891-1980) was an American writer and painter infamous for breaking with existing literary forms and developing a new sort of "novel" that is a mixture of novel, autobiography, social criticism, philosophical reflection, surrealist free association, and mysticism, one that is distinctly always about and expressive of the real-life Henry Miller and yet is also fictional. His most characteristic works of this kind are "Tropic of Cancer," "Tropic of Capricorn," and "Black Spring." His books were banned in the United States for their lewd content until 1964 when a court ruling overturned this order, acknowledging Miller's work as literature in what became one of the most celebrated victories of the sexual revolution.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-read for Henry Miller fans!, August 31, 1999

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[e-mail] (Las Vegas, Nevada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dear Dear Brenda: The Love Letters of Henry Miller to Brenda Venus (Paperback)

This collection of letters were addressed to Henry's final love, Brenda Venus. Right before I read this book, I read "Letters To Hoki". Picking up "Dear, Dear Brenda", I thought 'Here we go again, with some other chick trying to scam Henry's wallet!". How wrong I was. By the end of the book, I had a tear in my eye & thanked Brenda for the kind, gentle & caring way she assisted Henry through the final days of his life. Brenda made Henry's last days marvelous ones, even though his health was failing. This collection of letters should not be missed by any of Henry Miller's devoted fans, as it will make you much more at ease knowing his state of mind around the time of his final days. Thank you, dear, dear Brenda.