The World of Sex; and, Max And The White Phagocytes

by Henry Miller

128 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1970

About the author

Henry Valentine Miller 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 blended 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 (all of which were banned in the United States until 1961). He also wrote travel memoirs and literary criticism, and painted watercolors.

Reviews

[Rupert Owen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Henry Miller as personal journalist, I thought Max and the White Phagocytes was a terribly proficient ode to those who fall off the radar in the rat race and never really recover. I have met so many "Max" like souls in my time that this portrait was so accurate it was kind of upsetting. I like that Miller struggles with Max as a kind of projection of himself had he gone by the wayside. Miller always feared madness and that is what seems to have drawn him to so many people who are mad.

The World of Sex is terrific, especially with the original re-write sections put in the book. I love how Miller did this, and it does give us an insight into what process he uses to progress his writing. I particularly liked this work because Henry stayed away from his "pornography versus obscenity" rants which I don't think are very well deduced and perhaps a symptom of a D.H Lawrence phase or something.

However I found load of interesting views upon which to investigate further and a lot of good perspectives on which although aligned to my own, are just nice to read from somebody else who I admire.

[Bridie · Rating 4 out of 5]

"In their loneliness, in their dream of love or lack of it, the lost are ever drifting to the water's edge. In the immense drift of night the whistling agony of the tormented is muffled by the lap-lap of even the tiniest The mind, emptied of all but the lapping of waves, grows tranquil. Rolling with the waters, the spirit that was harried folds its wings.
The waters of the earth! Levelling, sustaining, comforting. Baptismal waters! Next to light, the most mysterious element of creation.
Everything passes away in time. The waters abide." – p.125-126

This is my first time reading any Miller, and I'm now so keen to read more. I really enjoyed the dry, matter-of-fact voice, especially with the juxtaposition between beautiful philosophising and explicit subject matter.

[Ariel · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been a long while since I last experienced true ecstacy when reading a book. Highlights of my reading: "Max" (which at points reminded me of that disturbing short story "Moon-Face" by Jack London), "Glittering Pie" (an expatriate's bitter, cynical vision of the America he is returning to), and "The Universe of Death" (an essay on the works of Joyce and Proust in which Miller can't seem to make up his mind on whether to reluctantly praise or mercilessly eviscerate them).

There is a piece on Anaïs Nin which I have not read, because I unfortunately haven't read any of her works nor her diary, but I will eventually. I'm also planning on reading a lot of Miller this year.