Product Description
This Book Is In German. ... Read more

Product Description
In his great triptych "The Millennium" Bosch used oranges and other fruits to symbolize the delights of Paradise.Whence Henry Miller's title for this, one of his most appealing books; first published in 1957, it tells the story of Miller's life on the Big Sur, a section of California coast where he lived for fifteen years.

Big Sur is the portrait of a place—one of the most colorful in the U.S.—and of the extraordinary people Miller knew there: writers (& writers who didn't write), mystics seeking truth in meditation (& the not-so-saintly looking for sex-cults or celebrity), sophisticated children & adult innocents; geniuses, cranks & the unclassifiable.

Henry Miller writes with a buoyancy & brimming energy that are infectious. He has a fine touch for comedy. But this is also a serious book—the testament of a free spirit who has broken through the restraints & cliches of modern life to find within himself his own kind of paradise. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Miller Fans
For fans of Henry Miller this is a great book. For those that aren't, yet still bother to read this review: Henry Miller is conversational in all his books (early 3rd person attempts aside), what you are doing when you pick up his books is to sit and listen to him speak, his conversations are always interesting and can fly off into any direction: He wasn't precious, and that's why many of us like him.
I enjoy where he talks about being withdrawn, sullen, and bad company when he writes, yet a glowing talkative companion when painting.

a free spirit finds his paradise
In many ways, this is Henry Miller's most upbeat book - a patchwork portrayal of episodes and characters in his newly-found home on the wild Big Sur coast. The prose flows very well - generally, it is a mellow narrative, although there are plenty of instances of the wicked humor and sarcasms left over from his TROPICS days. As Miller settles into his mid-life, hermetic lifestyle in this coastal paradise, it seems that his roamin' days are pretty much over. Yet, his notoriety soon catches up with him, with so many unannounced vistors seeking out the famous author of his once-banned books.

This is an entertaining book, a mulligan stew of philosophical musings on art and living; of sketches of Miller's neighbors and wayfarers just passing through; of vignettes of the natural history of Big Sur and its pioneers; and, finally, of details of his very palpable everyday life with friends and family. It is Miller's insatiable love of life that pulls the reader into his portrait of this unique spot, the one he is immersed in as his home.

The writing itself is some of Miller's most evocative I think; and yes, it rambles and strays a bit. But this is what makes for such an engaging read. These narrations are from a Henry Miller still searching for meanings to the Big Questions; yet now, the ramblings are being done through the immensity of Big Sur's grandeur instead of the streets and cafes of Paris and New York. It is here that Miller feels he can flourish as a writer, with a fresh freedom and outlook as he stares out at the vast western horizon each day.

Hieronymus Bosch used oranges and other fruit in his painting to symbolize the delights of Paradise; Henry Miller has used his words as symbols to reveal to us what he has found in this enduring version of paradise. A most highly recommended read.

Parataxis

The Cloud Reckoner

"Extracts: A Field Guide for Iconoclasts

Henry Miller is the Best
This one is slightly different for Miller, more laid back, but as usual he is the most brilliant and intensely unique writer ever to come from America (at least to my knowledge). He's a Walt Whitman and a Mark Twain and a William Blake rolled into one genius. I say read ALL of Henry Miller you can get your hands on, and be glad!

Art is a healing process
My first glimpse into the world of Henry Miller has brought me a new highly admired author to read. Though 'Big Sur' is reputed to be one of his more 'tame works'...Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn having been banned works for years due to their highly sexual content, the mind of Miller is indeed a wonderous place to explore.

I came across this title while searching online for info about Kerouac's novel 'Big Sur', and decided to indulge in this one as well. And a happy treat awaited me.

Having only recent begun to enjoy 'biography as fiction' works, it takes a rare author to put one at peace with their words, when they are simply a recounting of thier own life and adventures. Miller wrote 'Big Sur' not so much as a 'novel', since there is not a conventional thread to follow, other than the location and himself as protagonist, but more as a memoir of the 15 years spent in this California 'paradise' of artists, bohemians, and eclectic characters. Through describing his tranquil, ambling days spent walking back and forth with supplies from town, meeting the thrice-per-week mail delivery, or simply writing, the reader gets to experience the serenity that Miller enjoyed throughout most of his time there. Being a Virgo I look for structure, order, sense, etc., in most things, especially literature. Little of that is to be found here, really, but Miller's style is so captivating that you can't help but read on.His serenity at Big Sur easily becomes your own.

But be warned, that serenity is interrupted by the arrival of an oversees acquaintance, Conrad Moricand, who turns Miller's idyllic home upside down during his stay there. Moricand, an ailing, miserable, curmudgeonly man comes to Big Sur upon Miller's request, and had the term 'houseguest from hell' been utilized in the days this novel was written, it's easy to say that Moricand would have received this title.

For anyone thinking of exploring the works of Henry Miller for the first time, perhaps avoiding his more famous works until gaining a bit of insight into something a little more 'platonic' such as this book might be well-advised.It will pave the way of interest into this fascinating author, and hopefully spark further investigation, as it has with me.

Highly recommended.

Enjoyable -- You'll dig it!
After writing The Air Conditioned Nightmare, Henry Miller had almost given up hope on America. This book, Big Sur and the Oranges of Hieronymus Bosch, recounts how he feel in love with the country all over again. Set in Northern California, Big Sur is portraitized as being no less than a paradise to this influencial writer. He was seeking to eke out some peaceful lifestyle in the mountains, and for a while he found it. But it did not take long for groupies, love children, and any other manner of lost souls to begin knocking on his door. They were looking for the "cult of anarchy and sex!" and they thought Miller, who had already published and gained notoriety with The Tropic of Cancer, would be the one to lead the way. This book has a definite buoyancy that the reader thrives off. His descriptions of writers, artists,children,and vagabongs is top notch. I would also advise anyone who is seriously interested in the subject, to pick up a copy of Hunter S. Thompson's The Proud Highway. It includes an excellent essay on his take on Miller's "sudden" fame. So pick up this book! Other quick Amazon picks would be Tropic of Cancer, The Losers' Club by Richard Perez ... Read more