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.
i know very little about h miller, but this book was a good kind of hobo travelogue, in the tradition of On the Road. It's short, and to the point. Very little mention of any intoxicating substances, but you get the feeling old henry was drunk the whole time. i liked it, but can't compare it to his other books, not having read 'em.