Sexus The Rosy Crucifixion, book one [Paperback]

Henry. Miller (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Grove Press; First Edition edition (1965)
• ASIN: B000KIRJ0G
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,129,673 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

84 of 87 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An astonishing work, June 23, 2000

By 

C. S. Junker "soul_survivor" (Burien, WA USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Sexus: The Rosy Crucifixion I (Paperback)

In 40 years of reading, no book has had as much influence on me as Sexus, part one of Henry Miller's ribald, rambling autobiographical trilogy, based on his relationship with his wife June (here called Mara, then Mona). The events of the book center around his original meeting with Mara/Mona and from there spiral outwards in many directions, gathering in a wide variety of bizarre and loveable characters, and showcasing Miller's unparalleled ear for language and gift for description.

Yes, there is plenty of sex in Sexus, more so in fact than in any other Miller work. Yes, much of it can be dismissed as misogynistic chest-beating. The sexual passages are not sensuous or romantic or even erotic; they are satirical and in most cases hysterically funny. While some readers will of course be put off by graphic sex of any kind, those with flexible tastes are in for some good laughs, as well as virtuoso displays of first rate writing talent.

"Dirty parts" aside, this vast ocean of a book tells a powerful story that is compulsively readable throughout. It is more accessible than the "Tropics" pieces, which are more surrealist and abstract; here Miller employs a much more straightforward narrative.

This is probably one of the four or five most important works in English to be published in the 20th century (and is in many respects a repudiation of 19th century literature). Highly recommended for anyone with a halfway-open mind.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Miller's Zenith, January 27, 2001

By 

Jeremy C. Barnett (Boston, Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sexus: The Rosy Crucifixion I (Paperback)

Sexus is the captivating first chapter of Henry Miller's masterpiece, The Rosy Crucifiction. The first novel opens Miller's three-part personal expose` by sharing with the reader the turbulent foundation of his literary career. Set in Manhattan in the roaring twenties, we are lead through the turbulent adventures of an embittered husband, father, bread-winner and employee. As Sexus details the writer's turbulent love affairs, riotous friendships and shady encounters, it introduces the reader to Miller's then-germinating process of discovering what he came to call his "true self."

Those who have read Tropic of Cancer will recognize in Sexus his unbridled rawness and violence, and those who have read Tropic of Capricorn will recognize his fluid (though torrid) poetry and unabashed hedonism. What makes the Rosy Crucifiction his masterpiece is that he is not controlled by the impulses that dominated his earlier works; in fact, he accomplishes what few of even the greatest writers achieve: he is undeniably the master of the language, bending it to his will instead of being bound by it.

One may not like Miller. One may even find him wholy dispicable, and with good reason: he did not lead a life that most would want to emulate. But the point is not what he did, but how he expresses it. Fran Liebowitz once said, "your life story would not make an interesting novel; don't try it." What saves Sexus from being a presumptuous piece of egoism is that Miller does not try to make his life a story. An avid water-colorist, Miller's writing feels as though he is painting pictures in words rather than telling a coherent story. The result is that his prose is poetry of a quality rarely attained. The words leap off the page, away from your eyes and mind, and you are left only with the events that Miller so colorfully relate. The event becomes a part of you, not something read but something felt, something experienced, something shared. There are few other writers who transform the art of writing into so powerful a means of personal expression, and it is.

30 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars not for everyone, February 10, 2000

By 

Scott A. Herbst (Reno, Nevada United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sexus: The Rosy Crucifixion I (Paperback)

Sexus was a great book - one of my favorites - but not for everyone. If you are secure, settled, and happy with your life, find a different classic to read. There are plenty out there and plenty more suited to your sensibilities. However, if you feel something weighing on you - something you can hardly express - read this book. Henry Miller will give word to all the fears you've ever had and - one by one - demonstrate how to overcome them. This book (this entire trilogy) is for those who feel misunderstood - for those who need reassurance that they're not alone. If you're not of this sort, don't bother. If you are, purchase this book now. I think you shall find a friend.