Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Tropic of Cancer
Book Review: A Good Read
Summary: 4 Stars
Miller rants in a rare infectious dribbling of honesty. At times brilliant, at times a drag, but "a beau jeu beau retour," so I kept reading. We find an entertaining fill of whores and half-wits, garnished with frozen stools, the clap, and seasoned with strangely welcomed and altogether fitting mad nonsense. Writing armed with rhythm, the mind's ear can almost hear "Parlez-Moi d'Amour" spilling from a Parisian brothel gramophone. We find sex and despair, the human condition, an artist's hunger and constipation... fitting subjects spoken in appropriate voice. All in all, a decent read.Book Review: A Great Personal Novel!
Summary: 5 Stars
This book was banned for about 30 years. This is due to the questionable topics and language that Miller delves into. He uses a certain c word at least a couple hundred times. I would be very interested in a word count to see exactly. I was written some where are 34' and finally printed, in America, in 1961. Now the book really doesn't have a story in the modern sense. It is far ahead of its time. It resembles the writing of the Beats and the Psychodelics of the 50's and 60's. The style is very stream of consciousness. There is no plot to speak of. It is all about Miller trying to survive in Paris, with no money.
Written in first person the language is straight out of the gutter. There are parts that are written in French. I could only pick out a few words and usually didn't even bother to try. It is usually in the dialogue. The characters are mostly Americans trapped in Paris during the 30's. Miller is haunted by his wife, Mona. She left him to return to America. She never actually is in the book, but he thinks about her often. She fits into his idea about America. They are both mythological to him. Beautiful and dangerous. He speaks of returning to America, and his wife, but it is never more then a fleeting thought. The dark reality of Paris sings to him. He is at home there as brutal as the city was.
Anyone who is well read should at least have an opinion on Miller. He is an important American author. You can see his influence on later American writers, including Kerouac, Bukowski and others. Along with Tropic of Cancer, I recommend another recent Amazon pick: The Losers' Club by Richard Perez, another personal novel obviously influenced by Miller.
Book Review: A Henry Miller Novel...
Summary: 3 Stars
This is the first book by this author that I have ever read. My feelings? Deeply mixed. While this book is excellent with its poetic prose, insightful and introspective narration, and blunt facts told straightforwardly, it's also what many people would call a "Peice of Trash."Why? Miller was, at times, a sexist, racist, idiotic buffoon who eventually would become more boring as the story progressed. Essentially, nothing really happens; the entire book is basically his run in with a bunch of prostitutes (Not told in the pornographic sense, fortunately) and supposed 'friends' that he would take advantage of.
Most of this novel is just bickerings and banterings on how much the world sucks; he talks frequently about how the human race is the 'Cancer which is eating up the mother earth' and how it is approaching its inevitable destruction. He describes, in excruciating detail, the slums of Paris and the slummy people who dwell there (him being one of 'em in a few parts). Not only does he do this happily, but he also drifts into a few parts that are simply nonsensical. However, this is only to be expected, seeing as how Mr. Miller was a surrealist in every sense of the word.
Most writers today owe lots and lots of gratitude towards Miller, for writing as truthful as possible and being as free as he possibly could. Disgusting and revolting details are not held back, and the infamous "C" word which banned this book from America for over twenty years, is used on almost every page.
Is it a good book? It's a nothing kind of book. Much like J.D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye, it possesses a lot of social commentary and important facts; and like Catcher in the Rye, it's also a whiny novel. This is not a good book; and it most certainly is not a great book. As matter of fact, I would say it's incredibly overrated. There's so much fluff in this book it's sickening. Really.
However, it's not horrible. People should read this book, especially those whom have developed a taste for controversial and shockingly disturbing books. I'm going to read "Black Spring" pretty soon, and surprisingly, I find myself looking forward to it.
If you're weak at the stomach, don't pick it up. If you have an un-read Kurt Vonnegut novel or J.G. Ballard book lying around somewhere, read those instead. If you can tolerate a bit of a monotonous work that somehow manages to entertain at the same time, read Henry Miller's "Tropic of Cancer."
Book Review: A Masterpiece
Summary: 5 Stars
"Tropic of Cancer" is, and remains, one of the seminal works of American Literature. Why? Because it has what the Spanish call "duende," what the negroes call "soul"; it rises to absorbing heights of apocalyptic poetry and sinks down into a Man's deepest intimacy; it pulses, it vibrates, it breathes. In short, it has Life. Few works of art can likewise claim this; and, because of that, they have sadly dated. "Tropic of Cancer" has not. In fact, Miller won the cultural war. That is why his memory is, now, clouded by the swarm of poseurs who give his intense, free-form style a bad name. Writers like Kerouac and Bukowski--and many, many more--simply can't draw on the cultural fund that Miller has at his command; they don't speak the languages Miller did; they didn't have the education that the poet carelessly flouted. As a result, their sad, vulgar ranting comes off like a cartoon next to Miller's impressionist painting. Boys, stick to Jack Kerouac. Men---on to Nietzsche! Hermann Hesse! And Henry Miller!Book Review: A Modern Classic
Summary: 5 Stars
If you enjoy the wandering character piece type of literature, then this is certainly a must read. Miller touches on the deepest and rawest parts of the human condition, as he traverses the state of being.
Highly recommended.