Little Birds (Paperback)

~ Anais Nin (Author) "Manuel and his wife were poor, and when they first looked for an apartment in Paris, they found only two dark rooms below the street..." (more)
Key Phrases: New York

Editorial Reviews

Review

PRAISE FOR LITTLE BIRDS
"[It is] so distinct an advance in the depiction of female sensuality that I felt, on reading it, enormous gratitude."-Alice Walker

Product Description

Evocative and superbly erotic, Little Birds is a powerful journey into the mysterious world of sex and sensuality. From the beach towns of Normandy to the streets of New Orleans, these thirteen vignettes introduce us to a covetous French painter, a sleepless wanderer of the night, a guitar-playing gypsy, and a host of others who yearn for and dive into the turbulent depths of romantic experience.

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Product Details Paperback: 168 pages Publisher: Harvest Books (February 2, 2004) Language: English ISBN-10: 0156029049 ISBN-13: 978-0156029049 Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #24,206 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books) Popular in this category: (What's this?) #3 in  Books > Literature & Fiction > Authors, A-Z > ( N ) > Nin, Anais

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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

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Inside This Book (learn more)

First Sentence:
Manuel and his wife were poor, and when they first looked for an apartment in Paris, they found only two dark rooms below the street level, giving onto a small stifling courtyard. Read the first page

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Citations (learn more)

This book cites 9 books:

• Henry and June: (From the Unexpurgated Diary of Anais Nin) (Penguin Modern Classics) by Anais Nin in Front Matter (1), and Front Matter (2)
• Delta of Venus by Anais Nin in Front Matter (1), and Front Matter (2)
• Winter Of Artifice by Anais Nin in Front Matter
• Ladders To Fire: V1 In Nin'S Continuous Novel (Vol I) by Anais Nin in Front Matter
• Spy In House Of Love: V4 In Nin'S Continuous Novel (Vol IV) by Anais Nin in Front Matter

See all 9 books this book cites

 

57 books cite this book:

• Anais Nin: Literary Perspectives by Suzanne Nalbantian on 13 pages
• Modeling Life: Art Models Speak About Nudity, Sexuality, And the Creative Process by Sarah R. Phillips on page 3, Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
• Food: A Taste of the Road (Travelers' Tales) by Richard Sterling on page 159, Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
• Shattered Subjects: Trauma and Testimony in Women's Life-Writing by Suzette A. Henke in Back Matter (1), Back Matter (2), and Back Matter (3)
• The Science of Good and Evil: Why People Cheat, Gossip, Care, Share, and Follow the Golden Rule by Michael Shermer on page 198, Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)

See all 57 books citing this book

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	67% buy the item featured on this page: Little Birds 4.2 out of 5 stars (31) $10.08
	16% buy Delta of Venus 4.1 out of 5 stars (76) $11.20
	7% buy The Diary of Anais Nin, Vol. 1: 1931-1934 4.8 out of 5 stars (15) $10.88
	6% buy Henry and June: From "A Journal of Love" -The Unexpurgated Diary of Anais Nin (1931-1932) 4.1 out of 5 stars (30) $9.88

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Customer Reviews

31 Reviews 5 star:  (18) 4 star:  (6) 3 star:  (4) 2 star:  (1) 1 star:  (2)           Average Customer Review 4.2 out of 5 stars (31 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 21 of 22 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars You won't want this to end!, April 18, 2002 By  Julie M Haines (Dekalb, IL USA) - See all my reviews This review is from: Little Birds (Paperback) Let me begin by saying that I had not previously read Nin before, but was recommended to it. I was familiar with the works of Pauline Reage - but this took my breath away. Where Reage is dark and desparate, and a victim to her passion(obsession?), Nin rejoices in the tastessightssmellssensations of pleasure with the soul of an artist and a gourmet. There is a wealth of emotion here - If anyone is confused about the difference between pornography and erotica, this will set them straight. Erotica is literature, and transcends the purely physical. This is as much an arousal of the mind as of the body. Men especially need to read more works of this type if they are looking for a deeper understanding of how women think and feel about sex. 20 of 21 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars My Love Affair with Anais Nin, April 23, 2005 By  Little Old Me - See all my reviews So, I feel like I'm having a love affair with Anais Nin. Its a shame really - to fall in love with a writer passed away three years before I was born. Our connection is very much abstract, but I must admit, its a very profitable two-way relationship and she's very generous. She gives me intrigue, inspiration and a close eye look at the wonders of female anatomy intertwined with history and social commentary. And I give her the attention she deserves, a very open mind to her characters and enough admiration that would keep anyone satisfied for a lifetime. But its through her erotica that our relationship really thrives and I can thank her short story collection, LITTLE BIRDS, for properly introducing us. Nin stories talk about the sexual frustrations of men and the rebellious women who realized their own sexuality in times where women were seen as modest and only the objects of desire. Her vignettes are short and precise but still give great detail of one's desires for what they cannot truly have. In a way, these stories feel like her own exhibitionism, mildly talking about a woman's enthrallment with their own bodies and their need to be pleased by more than just a husband figure. Though these ideas don't seem revolutionary by today's standards, Nin acts almost like a historian, painting the progression of women's erotic status: Nude models toy with their artists, women seduce each other in spite of the men and little girls flee from an over-eager gentleman. I In one story, "The Woman on the Dunes", a voluptuous temptress seduces a nervous man on the beach. Afterwards, she tells him about her experience witnessing a public execution, only to be raptured by a stranger standing behind her in the crowds. "A Model" is one of the most extravagant narratives in the collection. A nameless debutant finds work posing for artists, but soon discovers the expectations of the painters. Determined at first to keep her virtues, she eventually has an affair with two different painters, detailing the very mechanical nature of their love-making and yet exploring her changed attitudes towards sex and men. While neither affair turns into a committed relationship, the narrator recalls her transformation as a woman and briefly talks about the man who would become her first real love. As for the artists, they appear juvenile and beneath her. LITTLE BIRDS is incredible. All the stories are easy reads and will have you begging for more. But be forewarned, reading it may cause an unhealthy obsession with one of the greatest erotica writers of the 20th Century. 12 of 12 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars Elegantly sensual, March 31, 2000 By  Mari (Venezuela) - See all my reviews This review is from: Little Birds (Paperback) I adore this book. It's really erotic, but tasteful and refined; it also is cleverly written and sensual, so much that you'll be transported into the stories. I didn't like two of the tales at all, but if you leave them out, this is a very good book. I also reccomend Anais Nin's diary.		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 1.0 out of 5 stars fancy porn How on earth Anais Nin got to be so popular is beyond me. Her storytelling skills are poor and her style self-indulgent. Read more Published 10 months ago by Julia M. Townsend 5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful writing, fascinating scenes, truly a Nin-fan's must! I love this book for many reasons; it's a wonderful example of Nin's amazing and artistic grasp of human sexuality, and a joy to read. Read more Published 12 months ago by Natalie 3.0 out of 5 stars a little twisted but not erotically definitely not the erotica I was expecting. there's some interesting twisted stuff but if you're looking for a turn on in a traditional erotic fashion, this might not do it... Read more Published on May 26, 2007 by A. C. Fonte 4.0 out of 5 stars Classic erotica Beautifully written erotic short stories exploring a range of sexual and sensual indulgences, some explicit and some sublime. Published on January 18, 2007 by Eric Christian Berg 5.0 out of 5 stars Pure genius I cannot praise Anais enough. Her writing captures you emotionally and then sets you afire with her raw sexuality. The book is mesmerizing. Pure passion. Published on August 9, 2006 by Candy 5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful! This is a wonderful collection of erotic writing from a true master of the genre. I have my grave doubts though if men can truely appreciate this work. Published on July 29, 2006 by Book Girl 3.0 out of 5 stars Little Birds Not as good as The Delta of Venus. If you are interested in classic erotica I would try Delta of Venus instead. Published on July 29, 2005 by K. Springle 5.0 out of 5 stars Erotic Literature Little Birds, Anais Nin's classic book of sensual short stories, transports the reader to an era when women rarely revealed their ankles, much less the secret parts of her... Read more Published on January 16, 2005 by Allison Hobbs 5.0 out of 5 stars SOME OF THE BEST EROTIC WRITING FOUND This is an interesting collection of erotic stories written by a master. While the author does touch in several taboo areas, this is not a "trashy" collection by any means. Read more Published on October 31, 2004 by D. Blankenship 5.0 out of 5 stars This is my favorite Anais Nin book (so far)... I thoroughly enjoyed reading "Little Birds"... All the stories were well written... Full of poetic metaphors surrounded by hardlined reality... Read more Published on October 23, 2004 by Savannah Skye Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Paperback: 168 pages
• Publisher: Harvest Books (February 2, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0156029049
• ISBN-13: 978-0156029049
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #24,206 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #3 in

  Books > Literature & Fiction > Authors, A-Z > ( N ) > Nin, Anais

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You won't want this to end!, April 18, 2002

By	Julie M Haines (Dekalb, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Little Birds (Paperback)

Let me begin by saying that I had not previously read Nin before, but was recommended to it. I was familiar with the works of Pauline Reage - but this took my breath away. Where Reage is dark and desparate, and a victim to her passion(obsession?), Nin rejoices in the tastessightssmellssensations of pleasure with the soul of an artist and a gourmet. There is a wealth of emotion here - If anyone is confused about the difference between pornography and erotica, this will set them straight. Erotica is literature, and transcends the purely physical. This is as much an arousal of the mind as of the body. Men especially need to read more works of this type if they are looking for a deeper understanding of how women think and feel about sex.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My Love Affair with Anais Nin, April 23, 2005

By	Little Old Me - See all my reviews

So, I feel like I'm having a love affair with Anais Nin.

Its a shame really - to fall in love with a writer passed away three years before I was born. Our connection is very much abstract, but I must admit, its a very profitable two-way relationship and she's very generous. She gives me intrigue, inspiration and a close eye look at the wonders of female anatomy intertwined with history and social commentary. And I give her the attention she deserves, a very open mind to her characters and enough admiration that would keep anyone satisfied for a lifetime.
But its through her erotica that our relationship really thrives and I can thank her short story collection, LITTLE BIRDS, for properly introducing us.

Nin stories talk about the sexual frustrations of men and the rebellious women who realized their own sexuality in times where women were seen as modest and only the objects of desire. Her vignettes are short and precise but still give great detail of one's desires for what they cannot truly have. In a way, these stories feel like her own exhibitionism, mildly talking about a woman's enthrallment with their own bodies and their need to be pleased by more than just a husband figure. Though these ideas don't seem revolutionary by today's standards, Nin acts almost like a historian, painting the progression of women's erotic status: Nude models toy with their artists, women seduce each other in spite of the men and little girls flee from an over-eager gentleman. I

In one story, "The Woman on the Dunes", a voluptuous temptress seduces a nervous man on the beach. Afterwards, she tells him about her experience witnessing a public execution, only to be raptured by a stranger standing behind her in the crowds. "A Model" is one of the most extravagant narratives in the collection. A nameless debutant finds work posing for artists, but soon discovers the expectations of the painters. Determined at first to keep her virtues, she eventually has an affair with two different painters, detailing the very mechanical nature of their love-making and yet exploring her changed attitudes towards sex and men. While neither affair turns into a committed relationship, the narrator recalls her transformation as a woman and briefly talks about the man who would become her first real love. As for the artists, they appear juvenile and beneath her.

LITTLE BIRDS is incredible. All the stories are easy reads and will have you begging for more. But be forewarned, reading it may cause an unhealthy obsession with one of the greatest erotica writers of the 20th Century.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Elegantly sensual, March 31, 2000

By	Mari (Venezuela) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Little Birds (Paperback)

I adore this book. It's really erotic, but tasteful and refined; it also is cleverly written and sensual, so much that you'll be transported into the stories. I didn't like two of the tales at all, but if you leave them out, this is a very good book. I also reccomend Anais Nin's diary.