Customer Reviews

A Devil in Paradise (New Directions Bibelot)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Very slim book. A quick read. In just a few pages Miller successfully presents the comprehensive problem of dealing with something that outsiders perceive as being so easy--just get rid of that guest of yours.

Well, Miller had made an obligation, and knew what it mean to be needy. So, how does one simply say, "GET OUT!"? But more exciting is Miller's ability to give a sober, fair representation of the rude guest. It would have been so easy & bratty to present the guy as thoroughly rotten; but Miller gains credibility as an artist by delineating the complexity of a condition.

So, I disagree with a previous reviewer who took this book as a rant. No, no. Miller makes a huge effort to be fair to his nemesis. Rants are one-sided and uninteresting.

This book, unlike Miller's "Tropic of Cancer" or "Tropic of Capricorn", follows a pretty standard form. By this i mean that unlike some of Miller's other work, there is a definite plot to this book; a definite beginning, middle and end. In addition, it lacks the surreal atmosphere of these other works. However, Miller makes up for for this with a superb demonstration of his story-telling abilities. Rather than writing fragmented adventures, Miller here writes a book that flows from beginning to end. In this way, he is able to chronical the relationship that he has with the novel's antagonist, as well as with his wife and daughter. Although the decriptions are not as elaborate as in some of Miller's other works, the imagery is still superior to most other writers. Overall, this is a more toned-down Miller than in his early years as a writer, but for it lacks in youthful lust, "A Devil in Paradise" makes up with crafty story-telling, crisp imagery, and a more focused energy.

I love this book! Miller is one of my favorite authors and this work stands out as a favorite. I recommend this book especially to people who have written off Miller as "smut" (or worse). He's a comic genius. And if you've ever had a houseguest from Hell -- this book will show you that you it wasn't *that* bad!!

Henry Miller is the writer who asks most clearly the question of relationship between art and real life. In his case, art and life are so strongly linked that it is impossible to distinguish one from the other. He is a kind of character quite impossible to ape : as he said in this book, he has made all the possible mistakes, what made him wiser and richer. His appetite for life makes him a pre-socratic writer : in this meaning he is as pure as a child, and as perverse as Sade, and all human contradictions are within him. In this boook he speaks about one of his incredibly funny, absurd parts of life. He was a man who didn't know shame, or ridiculous feelings; despite he has a strong critic spirit. What he said about astrology is very interesting : it shows that rationality is just one way, and maybe not each time the best, to understand human reality.

From page one of this book Henry Miller exacts his revenge on his unwelcome houseguest. This book is a superb rant, filled with some of Henry Miller's most brilliant and amusing caricatures. Henry Miller deftly swings between sweet admiration and praise for the object of his troubles, and outright disgust. Set in Big Sur, later in his life, it's a short, easy read, and doesn't contain the profanities that cause some people shy away from in Henry Miller's books. Highly Recommended for those who want to laugh out loud at Henry Miller's audacity and want to better understand HM's genius.

What this book is one of the shortest that I can recall Miller writing but one of his funniest. People that take Miller as just an erotic writer dealing with baudy sex and escapades may be disappointed with this read. But for those that truly realize that Miller had a great sense of humor will laugh out loud with this book. It is a story about an old acquaintence named Conrad Moricand that and needs a place to stay. Miller sets him up in an attic/loft at the Big Sur residence and gives Moricand the utmost hospitality at his disposal. Over the course of time, Moricand offends every member of the household to the point where miller regrets ever letting him into his house. To read how Miller lets the reader see exactly what moricand is like and the descriptive language he uses is priceless and any student of writing should study this book for hints.

We get a glimpse into Henry's life along the California coast, with old friends, his relationship with his wife and daughter, and his neighbors. The imagery is unforgettable and seem more real than reality. His ability to detail relationships are superb. It's a fine book, but not as tumultuous in plot as his earlier ones.

Fantastic book

Other than the fact that the author had a good vocabulary and knew a lot of people whom he made reference to, this book was a waste of time. First of all, the author is descriptive and listing to the point of being utterly redundant about pointless subjects ex). " the past and the future converged with such great clarity and precision that not only friends and books but creatures, objects, dreams, historical events, monuments, streets, names of places, walks, encounters, conversations, reveries, half-thoughts, all came sharply into focus, broke into angles, chasms, waves, shadows, revealing to me in one harmonious, understandable pattern their essence and significance." Meaning, everything became clear to me as I saw an intricate but precise pattern and reason to all that is (through astrology). It would have saved me some time. Another ex) "The wealthy were as active as bees or ants, redistributing their funds and assets, their mansions, their yachts, their gilt-edged bonds, their mine holdings, their jewels, their art treasures." It would have made sense to be thoroughly descriptive at some points, but for throughout the novel it becomes unenjoyable and monotonous. Another problem with the book is that it leads to no true climax, it was like slowly been lead down a mildly sloping hill the entire time. And after reading the book I was expecting the ending to give some new bit of information that really tied things up and made the book work. There was no such thing, only a restatement of work was already known. The characters, for the most part just Moricand and Miller, were indistinguishable, except for Miller's friend Leon who had some personality vulgar, rude and aggressive, typically American. Eighty percent of book was Miller telling you what he thought about whatever, there was little action in the story so you had take his word for it , making the book very one sided, boring and predictable. There is absolutely no twists, surprises or anything, just a bunch of the authors tangents that are strung loosely together. I'd give this book a 3 out of ten. Unless your looking to improve your vocabulary or learn the names of a bunch of people you've never heard of before I wouldn't bother reading it.