The First Few Pages

The book opens with Miller describing his life in Villa Borghese in Paris, France. It is his second year in Paris. He is broke, without a job and with no hopes. He consideres himself an artist. Henry claims the book is not a book, but a song. "To sing you must first open your mouth. You must have a pair of lungs, and a little knowledge of music. It is not necessary to have an accordion, or a guitar. The essential thing is to want to sing. This then is a song. I am singing. It is to you, Tania, that I am singing." (page 10). What I have learnt about Tania so far is, that she is Henry's friend's wife. She is Henry's lover. His loveliest Jew of all. He compares her to other ladies that he met before. Their relationship is mainly physical, but Henry seems to be in love. Tania's husband, Sylvester, is a famous author. Henry does not think he is a good one though, just like the other authors that he mentions. "Moldorf is word drunk. He is a portable trunk." (page 12). He lives with one of them, Boris. Henry enjoys eating, but Boris never takes him to eat out with him. 

A la Durrel, Henry Miller

So far, the book is just opinnions and memories. I am sorry, a song. What I like about the song is the style. There is philosophy combined with sarcasm, and irony. He loves prostitutes. I was shocked by the way he describes Tania's sexual organs and their sexual relationship.

'A momentous event in the history of modern writing' Samuel Beckett