Henry Miller: The Paris Years [Paperback]

Brassai (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 18, 1996

His years in Paris (1930-39) were the making of Henry Miller. He arrived with no money, no fixed address, and no prospects. He left as the renowned if notorious author of Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn.

Miller didn't just live in Paris, he devoured it, especially the lurid back alleys and shabby-chic dens of iniquity. It was a world he shared with Brassa*, whose work, first collected in Paris by Night, established him as one of the greatest photographers of the twentieth century and the most exquisite and

perceptive chronicler of Parisian vice.

In Miller, Brassa* found his most compelling subject. Using unpublished letters, recollected conversations, and references to Miller's work-and featuring sixteen unforgettable examples of Brassa*'s photography-Henry Miller: The Paris Years is an intimate account of a writer's self-discovery, seen through the unblinking eye of a master photographer. Brassa* delves into Miller's relationships with Ana*s Nin and Lawrence Durrell, as well as his

hopelessly tangled though wildly inspiring marriage to June. Most of all, Brassa* evokes their shared passion for the street life of the City of Light, captured in a dazzling moment of illumination.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Originally published in France in 1975, famed photographer Brassai's exuberant account of Henry Miller's years in Paris (1930-1939) and of his friendship with the expatriate American writer comprises a delightful, sparkling memoir that seems to define the essence of Miller, both the man and the mystique. Bohemian, interwar Paris had a liberating effect on the Francophile, penurious exile from New York, who wrote Tropic of Cancer, Black Spring and Tropic of Capricorn during those heady years. Brassai paints Miler as a manic-depressive with a fierce appetite for life, driven by feelings of being a pathetic failure, a great storyteller whose egocentric philosophy blinded him to social and political realities. Brassai provides an intermittently illuminating analysis of the triangle involving Miller, Anais Nin and Miller's estranged wife, June, who burst onto the Paris scene in 1932. There are piquant observations of Miller's friendships with novelists Lawrence Durrell, Blaise Cendrars, Raymond Queneau and Alfred Perles, as he moved from nihilism to a mystical phase. Sixteen of Brassai's photographs of Paris and of Miller perfectly complement the text.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Miller spent 1930-39 in Paris, years that were crucial to the formation of his autobiographical novels Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn. In this memoir (originally published in France in 1975), the photographer Brassai (who also photographed and wrote on Picasso) recounts events that later appear, often in exaggerated or distorted form, in Miller's work. Miller's experiences and relationships were all fodder for his fiction, and it is fascinating to see these incidents and characters observed with another eye, especially one as practiced as Brassai's. He also presents a nonjudgmental interpretation of Miller's pornographic (and to some, misogynistic) moments. Brassai was clearly fond of Miller, and this is not a critical work, but there is something intriguing about one artist commenting on the life of another. Appropriately illustrated with 16 of Brassai's exceptional Paris photographs; recommended for literary collections.
--Janice Braun, Mills Coll., Oakland, Cal.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Arcade Publishing (November 18, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1559703474
• ISBN-13: 978-1559703475
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,883,964 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Henry Miller as few knew him..., January 8, 2000

By 

Alan Ross (Paris, Kentucky United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Henry Miller: The Paris Years (Paperback)

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.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Getting to Know Henry, October 12, 2000

By 

Lee Crase "~Lee" (Atlanta, Georgia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Henry Miller: The Paris Years (Paperback)

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.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning insight into the mysterious Henry Miller, May 8, 2008

By 

zelmer wilson (Haleyville, Alabama) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Henry Miller: The Paris Years (Hardcover)

Through this amazing memior, the reader gets a rare insight into the true nature of the mysterious Henry Miller. While most of his books are autobiographical, it's hard to separate fact from fiction. Henry Miller is a much more interesting and complex person than he portrays himself in his books. I highly recommend this book to any fans of Henry Miller as well as anyone who wants to better understand the infamous author of Tropic of Cancer.