Henry Miller - Quodid

About

Picture of Henry Miller

Henry Valentine Miller (December 26, 1891 – June 7, 1980) was an American novelist, short story writer and essayist. He broke with existing literary forms and developed a new type of semi-autobiographical novel that blends character study, social criticism, philosophical reflection, stream of consciousness, explicit language, sex, surrealist free association, and mysticism. His most characteristic works of this kind are Tropic of Cancer, Black Spring, Tropic of Capricorn, and the trilogy The Rosy Crucifixion, which are based on his experiences in New York City and Paris, and all of which were banned in the United States until 1961. He also wrote travel memoirs and literary criticism and painted watercolors.

Quotes from Henry Miller

Life moves on, whether we act as cowards or as heroes. Life has no other discipline to impose, if we would but realize it, than to accept life unquestioningly. Everything we shut our eyes to, everything we run away from, everything we deny, denigrate or despise, serves to defeat us in the end. What seems nasty, painful, evil, can become a source of beauty, joy and strength, if faced with an open mind. Every moment is a golden one for him who has the vision to recognize it as such.

—Henry Miller in The World of Sex

empathy love non-judgement acceptance clear-seeing beauty open-mindedness

Youth has to do with spirit, not age. Men of seventy or sixty are often more youthful than the young. Theirs is the real youth.

—Henry Miller

The one thing we can never get enough of is love. And the one thing we never give enough is love.

—Henry Miller

love giving taking

I know what the cure is: it is to give up, to relinquish, to surrender, so that our little hearts may beat in unison with the great heart of the world.

—Henry Miller

commonality surrender

What have we achieved in mowing down mountain ranges, harnessing the energy of mighty rivers, or moving whole populations about like chess pieces, if we ourselves remain the same restless, miserable, frustrated creatures we were before? To call such activity progress is utter delusion.

—Henry Miller

delusion progress destruction environmentalism environment restlessness

Instead of bucking your head against a stone wall… sit quietly with hands folded and wait for the wall to crumble. If you're willing to wait an eternity, it may happen in the twinkling of an eye. For walls often give way quicker than the proud spirit which rules us. Don't sit and pray that it will happen! Just sit and watch it happen.

—Henry Miller

patience pride eternity waiting

Life, as we all know, is conflict, and man, being part of life, is himself an expression of conflict. If he recognizes the fact and accepts it, he is apt, despite the conflict, to know peace and to enjoy it.

—Henry Miller

life acceptance peace enjoyment conflict

Music is a beautiful opiate, if you don't take it too seriously.

—Henry Miller

music pain seriousness

I didn't have to think up so much as a comma or a semicolon; it was all given, straight from the celestial recording room. Weary, I would beg for a break, an intermission, time enough, let's say, to go to the toilet or take a breath of fresh air on the balcony. Nothing doing!

—Henry Miller

inspiration time writing

A man who looks for security, even in the mind, is like a man who would chop off his limbs in order to have artificial ones which will give him no pain or trouble.

—Henry Miller

trouble pain security

You can travel fifty thousand miles in America without once tasting a piece of good bread.

—Henry Miller

The imperfections of a man, his frailties, his faults, are just as important as his virtues. You can't separate them. They're wedded.

—Henry Miller

The waking mind is the least serviceable in the arts.

—Henry Miller

Develop interest in life as you see it; in people, things, literature, music—the world is so rich, simply throbbing with rich treasures, beautiful souls and interesting people. Forget yourself.

—Henry Miller

Our own physical body possesses a wisdom which we who inhabit the body lack.

—Henry Miller

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Books

Henry Miller has the following books quoted on Quodid:

The World of Sex