Incest: From "A Journal of Love" -The Unexpurgated Diary of Anaïs Nin (1932-1934)

A complex, complex woman who went though two analyses to become “a woman” after a lifetime of seeking to replace or conquer her father who abandoned her in childhood. Fascinating story of herRelationship with the author Henry Miller and many major figures of her time. Her overflowing sexuality and her many, many loves make this fascinating reading. However this sensuality and her descriptions of her incestuous affair with her father make this a book I would only recommend to very open minded individuals. One wonders what writing Anais would have created if she was not pouring herself into supporting the art of men.

As a second edit of her diary, by her surviving second (bigamous) husband, this unexpurgated Journal of Love series consists mainly of the half of her like that could not be mentioned in public while she or her first husband were alive. This volume describes a period in her life dominated by her search for sexual gratification for itself and as material for her developing writing career, as well as by the diary itself. This is also a first hand account of an artistically central place and time.(Her career was interrupted by World War II and the resulting trend toward nationalism in place of individual development and her work had to wait until the cultural renaissance of the 1960s to become popular.)

The art of reading deeply requires a responsibility of the reader to bring one's skills, patience, and thus comprehension (yes, look up words or frame in time/era context, etc...) RATHER THAN expecting the writer to pour thoughts into one's head (which most artful writers are furiously --- or not --- attempting to perform, again, or not.Especially as in the case of personal notes, diaries, musings...the reader must slow down and suspend harsh judgement, as the writer IMHO is either wrestling the ego, as most of us do, or baring one's soul for introspect revelation and sharing the jewels sometimes painfully acquired often in painful mental deep psych mining.

In general I find Anais Nin's work to be self-indulgent and her subject matter (largely herself) trivial. Her portraits of others are frequently lightweight and lack perceptiveness. Her Diaries are overwrought and sometimes unintentionally funny but in general aren't worth the time it takes to read them. These previously unpublished sections of her Diaries, in which Nin describes her incestuous relationship with her father, are however the most compelling segments of her writing in the whole canon.She describes with great insight her father's character, and she sketches his physical attributes with great economy yet enables us to see the man as she saw him - frail, a hopeless narcicist and an aging dandy, yet compelling and vital despite the betrayals of his body (and his betrayals of all those who ever got close to him). Her account of her own feelings is also economical for once, and we don't have to labor through over-written descriptions of her emotional condition in order to get to the point.While the subject matter may not be to everyone's taste, I would argue that if you have any interest in Nin's work and times, this is the book above all others that you should read.

Anais certainly lived life to the fullest. This is her most interesting work in my opinion, but there are still some publications I have not read. She is more explicit in her writings of sexual encounters than any other female author I have read. This is probably wrote the most explicit diaries ever penned by a woman. She was ahead of her time, and ours.

Only put 4 stars, because I found a free audio version of the book online. The storyline is good. I couldn't quite follow the writting of it however. Due to the era in which it was written.

I have heard about this writer for years. What a disappointment. This book is not remotely erotic or even interesting. It does not even work as a journal, with no detail and little description. Just say to yourself "Henry is god; June is mean", repeat ad infinitum, and you've got the book.

I read this book years ago when it was first published. Recently I read "Reunited" the letters from Anaïs to and from her father about their incest relationship. So I decided I wanted to re-read the other version. Obviously I am a big Anaïs Nin fan. If you are too then read the books.