Shelfari: The Site for Books & ReadersShelfari Logo

Tropic of Cancer
 

Tropic of Cancer

by Henry Miller

No punches are pulled in Henry Miller's most famous work. Still pretty rough going for even our jaded sensibilities, but Tropic of Cancer is an unforgettable novel of self-confession. Maybe the most honest book ever written, this autobiographical fiction about Miller's life as an expatriate American in Paris was deemed obscene and banned from publication in this country for years. When... (read more)

Top tags: fiction,  literature,  classic,  american literature,  paris (all tags)

Readers

Groups

  • Pageturners Discussion Group
  • Brilliant Babes (And Dudes) Who Read Selectively Discussion Group
  • 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die Discussion Group
  • The Novel Writing Experience Discussion Group
  • Chat-Perche Discussion Group
  • The Henry Miller Society of Freedom, Happiness, and Four-Letter Words Discussion Group

Other Reviews

Amazon Reviews (5)
 

Most Helpful Reviews

Liked It

sundaytatu
  • Rated 5 stars

“this book was alternately horrible & beautiful & often both at the same time... i reckon mr.miller would agree... i loved it since i am fascinated by the artistic process he describes... he is nothing if not honest about his seedy lifestyle & his directness somehow gracefully holds hands with his sweet poetic language which he cannot seem to help regardless of how terrible he tries to make his life... this is the self-imposed suffering of a true artist... his poetry pervades the muddiest...”

sundaytatu’s full review »
more reviews »
Community:
  • Rated 3.732283 stars
Amazon:
  • Rated 4 stars
  

Newest Comments

  • The Artist FKA Hoopidy Fly Pimp Mac Daddy Re-Kleiner O-19er Coming In For A Landing Boy He's A Hella Fresh Taco Bell Connoisseur

    the artist fka hoopidy fly pimp mac daddy re-kleiner o-19er coming in for a landing boy he's a hella fresh taco bell connoisseur said:

    “wow! that was truly something. great, great book.”

    posted Monday, June 16 2008
  • Marcus

    marcus said:

    “I regard Henry as a friend. he kept me company for years with witty and adult conversation.”

    posted Friday, June 6 2008
  • Quint S

    quint s said:

    “I'm throughly conflicted about Tropic of Cancer.

    It's gritty, so much so that you can feel the grime of the seedy, Parisian boulevards, cafe's and flophouses, which the protagonist (Miller) frequents. Grim which is not easily scrubbed from your mind.

    It feels genuine, as portrait of an artist who is not only struggling to create, but to survive; living meal to meal, with no home, no money and no prospects. Miller does not romanticize this life, he speaks frankly about, hunger, depression, lust, sex, disease, hope/hopelessness and his supposed friends and benefactors.

    The stream of consciousness--which does not proliferate the entire novel, but shows up quite a bit--is very hit and miss. At times I found myself mesmerized by his digressions,which can be both beautiful and beautifully disgusting. More often though, I had the feeling of being trapped in a bar, with a blabbering drunk who just wouldn't shut up. On more than one occasion I fantasized throwing both the book and Miller himself into the Seine.

    As a protagonist Miller is detestable. A lazy, chauvinistic, self-indulgent, sexaholic, alcoholic, leech. I thoroughly disliked Miller, at least the one he portrays, by the middle of the novel. I applaud his brutally honest reflection of himself, however it's difficult to spend over 300 pages with a character you hate.

    To quantify this book in stars would is impossible. So in short, I'll say.

    I loved it, I hated it. I'm glad I read it.”

    posted Wednesday, May 21 2008
  • Jennifer B

    jennifer b said:

    “I didn't like this book but I'm glad that I read it. I think Miller is a very talented writer and this book seems like it was very revolutionary for its time. But some of the content did offend me a little...”

    posted Sunday, May 4 2008
  • Len M

    len m said:

    “the ultimately irreverent scent of life”

    posted Wednesday, November 14 2007 ( | view 1 reply )
© 2008 Tastemakers, Inc. | Portions of Shelfari.com are Copyright © 1996-2008 Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy