The Diary of Anaïs Nin, Vol. 2: 1934-1939 by anaïs nin

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 14,2025

New York and Paris. These are two iconic cities that have always held a special allure.

Gonzalo, the hunky Spaniard, is a multi-faceted character. He is a guitarist, a revolutionary, and a gigolo. His life takes an interesting turn when he and his awful crippled wife move in with Anais on the houseboat in the Seine.

The Spanish Civil War looms large in the background, adding a sense of turmoil and uncertainty. Meanwhile, the relationship between Anais and Henry comes to an end.

Enter Laurence Durrell, outrageously young and dizzily intelligent. His arrival brings a new dynamic to the story.

The visit to Fez and the publication of House of Incest are significant events. As the years pass, the Diaries become even more captivating.

Now that I've heard of Brassai, Artaud, and James Laughlin the publisher, and have read Proust, the Diaries seem to get richer with time. They offer a fascinating glimpse into a bygone era and the lives of these remarkable individuals.

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BigTimeTalks

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 14,2025

Rather than simply discussing what I have learned,

I feel compelled to issue a warning to people.

Before purchasing these books, it is essential to check whether they are the "censored" or "unexpurgated" version.

Regrettably, I was unaware of this distinction and ended up buying 3 "censored" volumes.

This was due to the fact that the individuals she mentioned were still alive at the time of publication, which led to the censored version being released initially.

However, the republishing was the full version.

These books are still highly worthwhile reading if you are able to locate the uncensored ones.

They offer valuable insights and perspectives that might otherwise be missed in the censored editions.

So, be sure to do your research and make an informed decision when it comes to buying these particular books.

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enix18

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 14,2025

Sentimental, airy, and at times mystical and symbolic, Nin's writing style is truly a challenge to penetrate. I often find myself checking the page numbers just to ensure that I'm making some headway. However, within the pages, there are indeed valuable ideas scattered throughout.

This volume commences in New York City, where Nin served as an intern under the psychoanalyst Otto Rank. It alternates between observations, introspections, and notes about the personal life she led outside the office. As time progresses, one can witness the shift in her attitudes towards those around her. Initially, she seems entranced by Rank, but later proclaims that it was a relief to be away from him and that she doesn't miss him. This is quite natural, and a journal serves as the perfect medium to observe these evolving feelings over time.

When Nin returns to Louveciennes, she remarks on the difference in energy compared to New York. She misses its jazz, noise, speed, and newness. Nevertheless, she is energized by her acquaintance with Henry Miller, Gonzalo, and Helba. They inspire each other creatively and offer financial and professional support for several years. Once again, the feelings change - you see Nin being drawn further into Gonzalo's orbit as she describes him from a closer vantage point. Nin remains the constant, while everything around her changes gradually. Later, you notice more critical descriptions of Gonzalo and Helba. Even though she is still close to them and cares for them deeply, it appears that her patience with their disorderly lifestyle is wearing thin.

Nin writes about other people later in the book. By the end, I'm still uncertain about their relationship to her. The political world begins to encroach upon their lives with the conclusion of the Spanish Civil War and the resulting refugees, and finally, the onset of WWII. All her friends and lovers disperse, everything falls apart, and I'm eagerly anticipating the next volume of Nin's diary.

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ChickenSpoon

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 14,2025

People often criticize Nin for her self-absorption, among other things. However, I believe that in any diary, whether literary or not, the central character is inevitably the diarist. Maybe I am also self-centered, but I am the main character in my life and journal as well.

What makes Nin's diary truly meaningful to me is not so much the meanderings of a 1930s woman's self-exploration. Instead, it is the incredible time and place she documents. The Paris she describes was alive with creativity and forward thinking (avant garde) before World War II.

This volume specifically documents the final days of that remarkable period. As the Nazis were about to march in, writers, artists, and thinkers who were able to do so left Paris one by one.

It is truly worthwhile to read this book. Through it, one can be introduced to Brassai, Hilaire Hiler, Jean Carteret, Lawrence Durrell, Waldo Frank, Sir Richard Burton, Carlos Suares, and dozens of other fascinating people that Nin mentions or meets. It provides a unique window into a bygone era and a diverse group of individuals who contributed to the rich tapestry of that time.

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xjoules

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 14,2025

This piece truly ought to be read in the fall. Picture yourself sitting on a bench in Thompkins Square Park, which is located in the vibrant East Village. As you do so, you're sipping on a delicious Americano from 9th Street Espresso. The aroma of the coffee fills the air, mingling with the scent of the fallen leaves.

Preferably, you'll have your feet resting on a skateboard. There's something about that combination that just feels right. It gives a sense of relaxation and a touch of urban cool.

But perhaps that's just my personal preference. Maybe for you, it could be a different beverage or a different way of resting your feet. Nevertheless, the essence of reading this in the fall, in that particular park, with that specific coffee, is something that can bring a unique kind of enjoyment and a moment of tranquility in the midst of the bustling city.

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Aria34

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 14,2025

Originally, Anais Nin published 7 diaries that began in 1931 and ended in 1974.

The second volume covers the period between November 1934, when Anais is in New York analyzing and working with the psychoanalyst Otto Rank, and September 1939, when the writer has to leave France.

Nin reflects on human psychology; the human and infantile need for a father or a mother, or a god, which is actually immaturity (why not look for that within ourselves?); the moment when people discover that they are not victims of others but of themselves and cry when they realize that they are responsible for their own sufferings; how puritanism numbs the senses; how we are victims of obsessive patterns and repeating themes, and more.

The diary is mainly a reflection on the unconscious, the connections between people, dreams, the repetition of patterns, and more.

Anais spends these years in Paris surrounded by intellectuals such as the writer Henry Miller, who was her lover and is present throughout the book; Gonzalo More, a Peruvian Marxist poet; Antonin Artaud, a French writer; Rene Allendy, a French psychoanalyst and homeopath who treated Anais and was also her lover; Lawrence Durrell, who in 1937 travels to Villa Seurat and there meets Henry Miller and Anais.

As a good Pisces, she feels an emotional connection with humanity, which is obviously difficult to put into words; she has an ascendant in Libra (the diaries are considered erotic literature), Venus in Pisces square Uranus and Pluto, which obviously brings a lot of sexual intensity.

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foscor70

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 14,2025

I particularly enjoyed Anaïs’ reflections on the value of being a quiet observer in this one. She delved deep into how that role comes not only with the beauty of seeing things others might miss but also with the burdens of loneliness and a painful inability to connect with others.

Some people have made the claim that Anaïs name drops and is constantly describing being praised. However, I find this a rather bizarre observation. She is dedicated to the craft of writing, and as such, she chronicles both the praise and criticisms of her work from other writers. In her diary, it is only natural that she would capture those moments when people have connected with her work. Moreover, when men over-praise her to the point of mythologizing her, she takes an amused and self-aware view, not simply lapping it up blindly.

The diary did get repetitive at times, especially the way she constantly compared Henry and Rango. But then again, repetitiveness is perhaps the very nature of a diary.

It was truly fascinating and also quite sad to read her observations in the months leading up to France entering World War 2. One could see how quickly a vibrant life could turn to devastation, anxiety, and sadness, affecting not only her but all those around her. It served as a reminder of the sudden switch in mood that occurred once we entered the Covid lockdowns and it became clear just how serious the pandemic was.

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Sookie

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 14,2025

Anaïs Nin, she is the awakening, the illumination, the cosmic magic. Reading her journals is like finding a bright lighthouse in the dark night.

Her words are true remedies, like a credo to be read again and again. They have the power to heal and inspire.

"One cannot save people. One can only love them." This simple yet profound statement encapsulates her philosophy. Love is the key, not saving or fixing others.

"I am one of those rare people who can say today: I have loved each day as if the beloved were going to die. As if I were going to die tomorrow. I have loved and lived fully." Her passion for life and love shines through in these words. She lived each moment to the fullest, without regret.

"For me, I am transformed into a sponge, absorbing all the tears of the world, accumulating the pains, unable to erase anything." Her empathy and compassion are palpable. She feels the suffering of others deeply and is unable to turn away.

Anais Nin, thank you. To be read indefinitely. In intervals. To live in intervals.

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The Diary of Anaïs Nin #2

The Diary of Anaïs Nin, Vol. 2: 1934-1939

anaïs nin gunther stuhlman

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