17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Fruits of Surrealism, September 16, 2002
Anais Nin did not adhere to the traditions of story-telling. Formulaic plots, character arcs, and realistic descriptions didn't interest her. She was a master of character analysis and description -- instead of watching her characters move through the story, you, as the reader, move through the characters. This was because Nin was experimenting with a new artistic movement called surrealism and she ended up being one of its brightest stars.
Because of Edmund Wilson's favorable review (and he was, of course, the king of critics) this was the collection of stories that finally brought Nin's work to the attention of public. Her writing style is simply stunning. Imagine distilling a story, as one distills a liquid, down to the final crystals. Or creating a beautiful and poetic ritual out of something mundane (such as the Geisha's tea ceremony).
I think my personal favorites in this collection are "Ragtime," an amazing description of the poverty-stricken rag-picking community in 1930s Paris, "The Mouse," about Nin's fearful maid, and "Birth," the now notorious story about Nin's abortion. Seem like ugly topics? You'd be amazed at how beautiful Nin can render them.
It takes a sensitive reader to understand Anais Nin's writing, but if you are that, I think you will find value in these stories.
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dream Words, April 3, 2000
By A Customer
In this intoxicating collection of short stories, Anais Nin delves into the lush imagery of dreams. Her stories touch on issues we carry deep within our unconscious - ideas of ephemerality, sexual identity, experiences of childhood and many others.
Her passion for "transmutation" is evident, as she blends a dream-like hyper-reality into incisive observations of the human experience. Whether exploring human suffering, the fields of memory or the awakenings of artisitc awareness, Nin's writing uncovers new layers of meaning. Her stories seem to glow with a sublime light.
This is a slim book, but it begs several re-readings. It will draw you back, both for its excellent example of one woman's contribution to the modernist literary movement, and for its pure lyricism. Nin's imagery will haunt you long after you've turned the last page.
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3.0 out of 5 stars
Anaïs Nin, December 17, 2011
I look forward to Anaïs Nin's other work this book was very deep in thought.
Short stories/poems that seem very personal and dark. She has a labyrinth of a mind that seems to hold her prisoner.
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