Henry Miller

Date of Birth: December 26, 1891

Zodiac Sign: Capricorn

Date of Death: June 7, 1980

Biography

Henry Valentine Miller was an American writer best known for his controversial and often banned novels. Born in New York City, Miller’s works are characterized by a mix of autobiography, social criticism, and philosophical reflection. He is most famous for his novels “Tropic of Cancer,” “Tropic of Capricorn,” and “Black Spring.” These works, which often depicted explicit sexual content, were initially banned in the United States. However, they later played a significant role in the sexual revolution and the loosening of censorship laws in the 20th century. Miller’s style is often described as a blend of surrealism, modernism, and memoir. Miller spent several years in Paris, where he wrote many of his most famous works. His relationships with other writers and artists during this time significantly influenced his writing. Apart from his novels, Miller also wrote essays, travel memoirs, and literary criticism, contributing extensively to the literary world until his death in 1980.

5 Interesting Facts about Henry Miller

1. Henry Miller’s novel “Tropic of Cancer” was banned in the United States for nearly 30 years due to its explicit content.

2. Miller lived in Paris during the 1930s, where he became part of the expatriate community of writers and artists, including Anaïs Nin, who became his lover and lifelong friend.

3. He didn’t achieve commercial success until later in life; it wasn’t until the 1960s that his works were widely published in the United States.

4. Miller was also an accomplished watercolor painter, and his art can be found in various galleries and private collections.

5. He wrote over 30 books in his lifetime, spanning genres from fiction to travel memoirs and personal essays.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Henry Miller

1. “The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware.”

2. “One’s destination is never a place, but rather a new way of looking at things.”

3. “The only thing we never get enough of is love; and the only thing we never give enough of is love.”

4. “In this age, which believes that there is a short cut to everything, the greatest lesson to be learned is that the most difficult way is, in the long run, the easiest.”

5. “We do not talk—we bludgeon one another with facts and theories gleaned from cursory readings of newspapers, magazines, and digests.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

At the height of his career, Henry Miller’s net worth was estimated to be around $1 million. Given the time period, this was a significant amount for a writer whose works were initially banned and only gained widespread acceptance later.

Children

Henry Miller had three children. His first child, a daughter named Barbara, was born from his first marriage to Beatrice Sylvas Wickens. He also had two children, Tony and Val, from his second marriage to June Edith Smith.