I have not read this book ( )

I picked up this book at City Lights bookstore in San Francisco. Although I was not headed for Big Sur on that trip, I felt like I visited it in this book. Miller lived there for many years and accurately describes the area and more importantly the people in the area in a very realistic manner. He writes with a tone that is both admiration and at times disgust which makes him seem just as realistic as the people he is describing. The book was written in 1955 and it is interesting to imagine life in a rural environment where the postman delivers the mail, supplies and gossip three times a week provided that his truck is functional. Miller describes a simpler time that many of us in this modern world yearn for. His description of the sheer ridiculousness of selling a barrel of oil for one dollar seems like a breath of fresh air in a world where oil is close to a hundred dollars a barrel. Even if you never make it to Big Sur, this book is an excellent description of human nature which transcends location. ( )

One of my favorite Henry Miller works. I would recommend it for anyone who thinks of Mr.Miller as the self indulgent author who focuses solely on his sexual exploits. This work is much more human as he describes his family, friends, and neighbors living in Big Sur. ( )

Definetly one for the Miller enthusiast. colorful recollections of his days in Big Sur, and the eclectic life he lived along with the eclectic people who came in and out of his life. As usual, Miller rambles a bit here and there, but for the most part, a must read for the Miller Fan.