Under a Glass Bell
by Anaïs Nin
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Although "Under a Glass Bell" is now considered one of Anais Nin's finest collections of stories, it was initially deemed unpublishable. Refusing to give up on her vision, in 1944 Nin founded her own press and brought out the first edition, illustrated with striking black-and-white engravings by her husband, Hugh Guiler. Shortly thereafter, it caught the attention of literary critic Edmund Wilson, who reviewed the collection in the "New Yorker." The first printing sold out in three weeks. show more This new Swallow Press edition includes an introduction by noted modernist scholar Elizabeth Podnieks, as well as editor Gunther Stuhlmann's erudite but controversial foreword to the 1995 edition. Together, they place the collection in its historical context and sort out the individuals and events recorded in the diary that served as its inspiration. The new Swallow Press edition also restores the thirteen stories to the order Nin specified for the first commercial edition in 1948. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
I’ve always loved Anais Nin’s writing. Although one may not understand what she’s going on about it’s assuredly sensual in every turn of phrase. Every dew drop, every sigh laden with meaning, the smell of a river, and the longing for a lover’s embrace is so atmospheric you desire to live more fully every moment. One wants to exclaim, “I’ll have what she’s having!”
Under A Glass bell is a small collection of short stories. And when I say short, I do mean short. The briefness of the stories doesn't allow for much character development. But Nin more than makes up for this with her exquisitely lavish and detailed descriptions of the settings the stories take place in. These descriptions immediately set a mood and takes the reader right into the world of the story.
There are some lovely short stories in this book, with some important messages for Humanity. I particularly enjoyed reading 'Houseboat', 'Ragtime' and 'Hejda'.
Whereas Anais Nin is a lovely descriptive writer - overly so for my taste - I do sometimes struggle with metaphors such as "The bushes were soft hairy elbows touching mine".
Whereas Anais Nin is a lovely descriptive writer - overly so for my taste - I do sometimes struggle with metaphors such as "The bushes were soft hairy elbows touching mine".
A collection of short stories written and originally between 1938 and 1944. Very poetic and hence not something I'm good at appreciating. The story with the most dialogue and action, "The Mouse," ends with a character near death, but clearly who this woman is and how she is perceived and treated by others is more important than whether she lives or dies, since we don't find out what happens. The engravings are abstract and interesting.
I've always had difficulties reading fiction written by women (perhaps I haven't read enough). If you look at my catalog in its entirety, you'll find half a dozen women writers, or there abouts.
I'm also not especially keen on prose that fancies itself poetry, and perhaps that's the other reason why I was so keen to get this one finished, once I'd started it.
I'm also not especially keen on prose that fancies itself poetry, and perhaps that's the other reason why I was so keen to get this one finished, once I'd started it.
Tried, but just couldn't get into it - abandoned!
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Literary Witches
86 works; 4 members
Author Information
239+ Works 24,788 Members
Anaïs Nin 1903-1977 Writer and diarist Anaïs Nin was born February 21, 1903 in Neuilly, France to a Catalan father and a Danish mother. She spent many of her childhood years with her Cuban relatives. Later, she became a naturalized American citizen. Nin is best known for her journals,"The Diary of Anais Nin, Vols. I-VII" and her erotic fiction. show more In fact, Nin was one of the raliest writers of erotica for women. She also wrote the book Henry and June, which was made into a movie of the same name in 1990. In 1973 Anaïs Nin received an honorary doctorate from the Philadelphia College of Art. She was elected to the United States National Institute of Arts and Letters in 1974. She died of cancer in Los Angeles, California, on January 14, 1977. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Some Editions
Series
Belongs to Publisher Series
La intrusa (7)
Work Relationships
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Under a Glass Bell
- Original publication date
- 1948 by the Poetry Society, in Great Britain [1948]; 1968 by Peter Owen with a preface by the author [1968]; 1978 by Penguin Books [1978]; 1944 originally published. It was published by Nin's own printing press, which she named Gemor Press
- First words
- The current of the crowd wanted to sweep me along with it.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)It has long eyelashes on its closed eyes, it is perfectly made, and all glistening with the waters of the womb.
- Blurbers
- Durrell, Lawrence
Classifications
- Genres
- Fiction and Literature, General Fiction
- DDC/MDS
- 818.5209 — Literature & rhetoric American literature in English American miscellaneous writings in English 20th Century 1900-1945 Biography
- LCC
- PS3527 .I865 .U6 — Language and Literature American literature American literature Individual authors 1900-1960
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 540
- Popularity
- 55,078
- Reviews
- 6
- Rating
- (3.78)
- Languages
- 7 — Catalan, Danish, English, French, German, Spanish, Turkish
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 18
- ASINs
- 12
