Big Sur and the Oranges of Hieronymus Bosch

De: Henry Miller

Narrado por: Tom Perkins

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 the California coast where he lived for 15 years. Big Sur is the portrait of a place - one of the most colorful in the United States - and of the extraordinary people Miller knew there: writers (and writers who did not write), mystics seeking truth in meditation (and the not-so-saintly looking for sex-cults or celebrity), sophisticated children, and adult innocents; geniuses, cranks, and the unclassifiable, like Conrad Moricand, the Devil in Paradise, who is one of Miller's greatest character studies.

Henry Miller writes with a buoyancy and 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 and cliches of modern life to find within himself his own kind of paradise.

©1957 New Directions Publishing Company (P)2019 Tantor

Starts strong but

I wanted to like this and the story was a lot of fun but by part 3, it was just tired. Lists upon lists upon lists to no discernible meaning. Whining about a bad houseguest. The only thing worse than a bad houseguest is hearing someone else whine about theirs.

This book is not for everyone, but I liked it a lot

This book gives us a glimpse into the life and times of one of America’s great, creative master. We get a sense of the man’s spirit, as well as his struggle with distraction and resistance, to borrow a term from Steven Pressfield. If you are not involved in a creative pursuit, you probably won’t enjoy this book, but if you have given yourself to or are possessed by a creative struggle, and all that entails, you might find this cast of characters, sympathetic, painful, recognizable, heartbreaking and hopeful. Miller’s epilogue, reminded me of my own daily struggle with correspondence, resistance, and distraction. I found his generosity, heartbreaking and moving. If you decide to read this with your ears, listen with your heart, you might find it very comforting.

One of my best books now

It’s a cool new style of writing, made me google many things about the author

I am one of the lucky few to live here in Big Sur

Being here in Big Sur, geographically, and reading (listening) this book has been one of my greatest pleasures. To live the good life, and then hear Henry Miller speak it back to me was validating, affirming, made me feel seen. Every word in this text is a truth. No matter where you may live, enjoy this as it is now my most favorite book of all time.

Good, But….

The writer, Henry Miller certainly has managed to create a simple artists’ life for himself at Big Sur and seems to be unintentionally studying the human condition through the relationships he forms with people who knock on his front door and write him fan mail letters. The personality he conveys through this book denotes a certain level of creepy sociopath combined with the possibility of recognizing this as a problem, so maybe he has a bit of healing through this writing.

Easy kickback

This is the sort of book you put on while you are doing chores or just want your mind to linger in and out with the stories and thoughts. I like it.