"Henry Miller is the nearest thing to Céline America has produced.... He aims not at the ears, brains, or consciences, but at the viscera and solar plexus."—The New Leader.
In 1939, after ten years as an expatriate, Henry Miller returned to the United States with a keen desire to see what his native land was really like—to get to the roots of the American nature and experience. He set out on a journey that was to last three years, visiting many sections of the country and making friends of all descriptions. The Air-Conditioned Nightmare is the result of that odyssey.
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Nonfiction account of Henry Miller's travels through the United States, published in 1945. Miller undertook these travels in 1940 and 1941 after returning from a lengthy stay in Europe. Miller comments, mostly negatively, on America's physical landscape as well as on the mood and spirit of the American people. Among other things, he contrasts the ideals of the original founders with contemporary Americans' love of making money. Miller commented further on these themes in the sequel Remember to Remember (1947). -- The Merriam-Webster Encylopedia of Literature
About the Author
Henry Miller (1891—1980) was one of the most controversial American novelists during his lifetime. His book, The Tropic of Cancer, was banned in the some U.S. states before being overruled by the Supreme Court. New Directions publishes several of his books.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
29 of 30 people found the following review helpful
By B. Morse
Format:Paperback
In reading Henry Miller's surprisingly contemporary 'The Air-Conditioned Nightmare <surprising since it was written 60+ years ago> I experienced the same kind of desire to 'see' America as I did when reading Kerouac's 'On the Road', but for very different reasons.
While Kerouac's narrative was that of his experiences with people he encountered along his way while traversing the country, Miller seems most at ease in dozens of miles of empty desert highway, alone with his thoughts.
Miller, returning from many years of living abroad, decided to write about his experiences traveling across America, and what his native people were really like; what the country had become, since the ideas and ideals put forth by the founding fathers.
His scathing, relentless narrative berates the 'American Dream' and 'Way of Life'...and the pursuit of such. Americans are painted as greedy, self-indulgent, ignorant of history, bereft of morals, and devoid of honor and dignity.
But Miller also finds along the way things that he loves. A greater understanding of the workings of an automobile, a love of the land itself that he never had while living in America, and much more.
Juxtapositioned with his disdain for American culture and standards, it illustrates how Miller himself learned to separate the people from the place, and love America itself for it's most basic beauty and qualities; while bemoaning those who inhabited its soil.
An excellent read by a gifted narrator, The Air-Conditioned Nightmare is not a book for the very patriotic. While it might give such people cause to re-think their love of life here in the states, it also has the potential to offend.
Highly recommended, but only to like-minded readers.
While Kerouac's narrative was that of his experiences with people he encountered along his way while traversing the country, Miller seems most at ease in dozens of miles of empty desert highway, alone with his thoughts.
Miller, returning from many years of living abroad, decided to write about his experiences traveling across America, and what his native people were really like; what the country had become, since the ideas and ideals put forth by the founding fathers.
His scathing, relentless narrative berates the 'American Dream' and 'Way of Life'...and the pursuit of such. Americans are painted as greedy, self-indulgent, ignorant of history, bereft of morals, and devoid of honor and dignity.
But Miller also finds along the way things that he loves. A greater understanding of the workings of an automobile, a love of the land itself that he never had while living in America, and much more.
Juxtapositioned with his disdain for American culture and standards, it illustrates how Miller himself learned to separate the people from the place, and love America itself for it's most basic beauty and qualities; while bemoaning those who inhabited its soil.
An excellent read by a gifted narrator, The Air-Conditioned Nightmare is not a book for the very patriotic. While it might give such people cause to re-think their love of life here in the states, it also has the potential to offend.
Highly recommended, but only to like-minded readers.
29 of 31 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
In "The Air-Conditioned Nightmare", Henry Miller writes about an automobile trip he made through the United States in the 1950's. His encounters with colorful characters, and his hilarious and insightful descriptions of the towns he passes through make this a "must read" for Miller fans. His criticisms of the banality and shallowness of American life he observed then still hit the mark. His favorite region was the South, which, as a Southener, I appreciate, and so this part of the book was especially interesting to me. Compared with Jack Kerouac's "On the Road", which was written at about the same time, this is a more cynical and negative view of America, but is saved from being merely depressing by Miller's wonderfully savage sense of humor and his ultimately forgiving human heart
20 of 22 people found the following review helpful
By Buffalo Head
Format:Paperback
Miller's observations of the USA are still true 60 years later. The contrast is between the man-made horrors and some of the wonderful artists Miller found in out of the way places. My favorite chapter is the story about Weeks Hall's mansion "Shadows" at Bayou Teche, Louisiana -- it inspired me to visit the place, which was still as mysterioso as Miller had described it.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
henry miller was such a grumpy old guy
Hard to imagine he and Anais Nin getting it on - he is so stodgy and whiney. But his writing is fantastic - worth it to weed through his dire proclamations about america as I am... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Judi
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing
"It was a vast jumbled waste created by sub-human or pre-human monsters in a delirium of greed." This quote from the opening of the book has rung through my ears for the 25 years... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Pretzelcuatl
5.0 out of 5 stars
Author-on-Author
I am just amazed how many Americans have not even heard about this book...but then again, many didn't hear about Depleted Uranium Weapons either.
Published 5 months ago by F.J. Nanic, Author of STREET WALTZING
3.0 out of 5 stars
Three-star triangulation cop-out... or is it an honest appraisal?
Henry Miller had just returned from Paris, living there as an expatriate throughout the 1930's, when he decided to become reacquainted with his native land by undertaking a... Read more
Published 15 months ago by John P. Jones III
5.0 out of 5 stars
Finding Hope In A Desert Of Mediocrity
"The Air-Conditioned Nightmare" is Henry Miller's acerbic examination of the 'state of the union' upon returning to the US after ten years of self-imposed exile in Paris on the eve... Read more
Published 19 months ago by darklordzden
5.0 out of 5 stars
Miller Grabs You by the Mental...
Miller grabs you by the mental testicles and yanks. Scathing social commentary hits the bullseye with clarity and breadth. Read more
Published on April 15, 2009 by Nate
5.0 out of 5 stars
A funky gem of a book, if you accept it on its own terms
The Air-Conditioned Nightmare was my introduction to Henry Miller, and it inspired me to read much of his other work. Read more
Published on February 10, 2009 by Travis
2.0 out of 5 stars
Dated Incoherent Ramblings
A friend of mine gave me this book and said "You ought to read this, it is very old, but his obsevations about America are dead on! Read more
Published on July 13, 2008 by Robert Bell
2.0 out of 5 stars
Sometimes illuminating, but mostly rambling, dull and pretentious
This book was sort of a sprinter. It started off interesting with pretty solid essays on post-WWII America. But towards the end I found it pretty hard to get through. Read more
Published on October 25, 2007 by Craven Rock
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fragments of Brilliance
In some ways, Air Conditioned Nightmare is one of Henry Miller's most accessible books. It can be consumed, processed, and enjoyed by readers who are not, per say, Miller fans, as... Read more
Published on March 26, 2002 by Elisabeth W. Movius
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