Birthday Quote 26 DEC

Henry Miller, born December 26th 1891, was an American writer, expatriated in Paris at his flourishing. He was known for breaking with existing literary forms, developing a new type of semi-autobiographical novel that blended character study, social criticism, philosophical reflection, explicit language, sex, surrealist free association, and mysticism.

His most characteristic works of this kind are Tropic of Cancer, Black Spring, Tropic of Capricorn and The Rosy Crucifixion trilogy, which are based on his experiences in New York and Paris (all of which were banned in the United States until 1961).

He also wrote travel memoirs and literary criticism, and painted watercolors

Miller is considered a literary innovator in whose works actual and imagined experiences became indistinguishable from each other. His books did much to free the discussion of sexual subjects in American writing from both legal and social restrictions. He influenced many writers, including Jack Kerouac, Norman Mailer, Philip Roth, Cormac McCarthy, Paul Theroux and Erica Jong.

Miller died of circulatory complications at his home in Pacific Palisades on June 7th 1980 at the age of 88. His body was cremated and his ashes shared between his son Tony and daughter Val; Tony has stated that he intends to have his own ashes mixed with those of his father and scattered at Big Sur.

"If at eighty you're not a cripple or an invalid, if you have your health, if you still enjoy a good walk, a good meal (with all the trimmings), if you can sleep without first taking a pill, if birds and flowers, mountains and sea still inspire you, you are a most fortunate individual and you should get down on your knees morning and night and thank the good Lord for his savin' and keepin' power."

Henry Miller

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