I love this book more than I can express in words.

I first read the entire book from beginning to end in my early twenties. Recently, I have been slowly going through it again with a pencil, which is something I have never had the courage to do to a book before.

This book is not for everyone, and I can fully understand why many people do not enjoy it. I certainly do not agree with everything Anais says or does. She definitely indulges in self-pity and self-righteousness, and she is often a walking contradiction. However, it is a journal after all, and I always thought that is what journals are for.

To me, this book was and still is completely, utterly beautiful. Her flow of words, creativity, and sensuality completely captivated me. I loved reading her perspective on the world, her ideas, and her many thought-provoking questions. She had a very raw and open way of describing things that allowed me to empathize with her pain, confusion, loneliness, frustrations, desires, and ultimate growth. She put into words what I have never been able to describe before. I have yet to read a better book about what it actually feels like to be in love with more than one person and the resulting emotional conflicts.

How does one review published diaries? Should it be based on literary merit? Although Anais Nin is a beautiful and insightful writer, when discussing a section of her journal, I feel strange about simply talking about her "writing style". Instead, what I will discuss is the way that books often enter your life precisely when you need them. This happened to me once with "1984" (when I needed to clarify exactly why writing was so crucial to me), and then again with "Everything is Illuminated" (when I needed to be inspired to start writing again after a long hiatus).

I was inspired to enter a bookstore and buy "Henry and June" a week or two ago. This is because I have been conducting a lot of self-examination recently. Having heard a great deal about Anais Nin, I believed her journals would be the perfect companion for me at the beginning of my journey. Originally, I had wanted a complete volume of her journals, but everything was sold out. So, I ended up purchasing "Henry and June". Since I had never read her work before, I thought it would be a good introduction.

I am extremely grateful that this book entered my life at the right time. Before reading it, all I knew about Nin was related to the sex she had. People love to sensationalize, and thus when one hears the name Anais Nin, they automatically think of "sexual awakening", "deviance", and "erotica". What astonished me was how much we had in common beyond that - the insecurities, the way we perceive men and the world, the positive and negative aspects of a Catholic upbringing, and most importantly: the ongoing struggle between loving submission and intellectual assertiveness; how challenging it is to be a strong woman while still maintaining one's emotional vulnerability. I learned so much from her insights. And although I won't be having three or four lovers anytime soon (haha), I appreciate the spirit of adventure with which she attempted to live her life. It is something I hope to imitate in my own way.

I cried (wept) as I read the last paragraph of "Henry and June" because it miraculously captured exactly where I am in my life at this moment:

"Last night, I wept. I wept because the process by which I have become woman was painful. I wept because I was no longer a child with a child's blind faith. I wept because my eyes were opened to reality - to Henry's selfishness, June's love of power, my insatiable creativity which must concern itself with others and cannot be sufficient to itself. I wept because I could not believe anymore and I love to believe. I can still love passionately without believing. That means I love humanly. I wept because from now on I will weep less. I wept because I have lost my pain and I am not yet accustomed to its absence."

How did she know?

Anaïs Nin écrit de manière exceptionnelle.

Pour des extraits de journal, "Henry and June" est un roman qui se lit de façon délectable. On pourrait croire que c'est une histoire inventée, mais ce n'est pas le cas. En fait, l'histoire en soi était un défi pour moi. Je suis extrêmement contente de l'exactitude avec laquelle Anaïs Nin a pu rapporter ce qu'elle ressentait. Cela prouve encore une fois que le système d'hétérosexualité et de monogamie que l'on croit naturel aujourd'hui a toujours été imposé et forcé sur les gens. Après avoir lu les commentaires misogyniques de Henry Miller, même les commentaires sales internalisés des filles, c'était un véritable sport pour moi. Cependant, je comprends que c'était l'époque.

Donc, en soi, le livre est bon. Mais ai-je aimé les personnages? Non, aucun. Cependant, Anaïs Nin, c'est Anaïs Nin. Je ne sais pas si c'est normal d'écrire aussi bien ou si elle est un ange.

So, this is what was left out of her journals.

Perhaps there were moments of intense joy that she was too overwhelmed to put into words. The kind of joy that makes your heart soar and your smile stretch from ear to ear.

Maybe there were also times of deep sorrow and heartache that she couldn't bear to record. The pain that cuts like a knife and leaves you feeling empty inside.

Or perhaps there were just the ordinary, everyday moments that she thought were too unremarkable to mention. The simple pleasures of a warm cup of coffee in the morning, the sound of the birds chirping outside her window, or the feel of the sun on her face.

Whatever it was, these unwritten moments are just as much a part of her story as the ones that made it into her journals. They are the hidden pieces of her life that add depth and dimension to who she was.

When we walked together through the bustling streets,

our bodies were close together, almost touching,

arm in arm, as if we were one entity,

and our hands were firmly locked, never to let go.

In that moment, I found myself completely unable to talk.

It was as if all the words in the world had lost their meaning.

We were walking over the world,

transcending the boundaries of reality,

and delving deep into a state of pure ecstasy.

It was a feeling that words could never fully describe.

As we walked, I couldn't help but wonder,

what is this powerful magical thing that we give ourselves to,

when we are together?

It is a wonder!

A wonder that fills my heart with joy and a sense of completeness.

Every step we take together feels like a new adventure,

a journey into the unknown,

and I can't wait to see where this path leads us.

Anais Nin, through her writing and her life, delved deep into the boundaries of passion and sexuality.

She was a woman who loved and suffered immensely, taking us on a wonderful journey through a world filled with erotism, romance, sensuality, passion, drama, and fantasy.

Her words, such as "Não procures os porquês - no amor não há porquês, não há razões, nem explicações…" (Don't look for the whys - in love there are no whys, no reasons, nor explanations…), captured the essence of the complex and often mysterious nature of love and desire.

Anais Nin's work continues to inspire and intrigue readers, inviting them to explore their own emotions and experiences in the realm of passion and sexuality. Her unique perspective and fearless exploration of these themes make her a truly remarkable and influential figure in literature and the study of human nature.

Lasīju ļoti sen, bet atmiņā palikusi kā viena no tuvākajām izlasītajām grāmatām.

It was a long time ago that I read it, but it has remained in my memory as one of the closest-read books.

Noteikti kaut kad jāpārlasa :).

Certainly, it must be reread sometime :).

"Man nav pieņemams pilnīgs haoss. Vēlos, kaut spētu dzīvot kopā ar Džūnu pilnīgā neprātā, bet man gribas arī pēc tam apjēgt, saprast, ko īsti esmu piedzīvojusi."

"Total chaos is unacceptable to me. I want to be able to live with June in complete madness, but I also desire to embrace and understand what I have truly experienced afterwards." (50.lpp)

This quote from the book reflects the complex emotions and desires of the protagonist. It shows the struggle between the need for chaos and the longing for understanding and meaning. The book as a whole likely delves deeper into these themes, exploring the human psyche and the nature of relationships. It makes me eager to reread it and discover more of its hidden treasures.

TikTok girlies step aside, Anaïs Nin is the actual OG delulu.

Anaïs Nin was a remarkable figure who defied conventional norms. Her writing was filled with a sense of dreamy and often delusional qualities that set her apart. She explored the depths of human emotions and desires in a way that was both captivating and controversial.

Unlike the trends and fads that come and go on TikTok, Nin's work has stood the test of time. Her words continue to inspire and intrigue readers, even decades after they were first written. She was a pioneer in the exploration of female sexuality and the inner psyche, and her delulu nature was an essential part of her creative process.

So, while TikTok girlies may have their moment in the spotlight, Anaïs Nin will always be remembered as the original OG delulu, a true icon of literature and self-expression.

Beautiful writing indeed! My copy of this work is completely filled with underlined sentences and annotations. I don't think there's a single page where I didn't underline something. The way she writes is just so wonderfully poetic. She has an extraordinary ability to put things and feelings into words in a way that is unlike any other writer I've come across. It's highly intimate and honest. She's not afraid to embrace both the dirty and the pure, and that's what I truly love about her.

Take this passage for example: "He hurts you, but he keeps your body and soul together. He integrates you. He lashes and whips you into occasional wholeness." It's such a powerful and evocative description. It makes you think deeply about the complex nature of relationships and how pain can sometimes bring about a strange kind of unity.

And then there's this: "Last night I wept. I wept because the process by which I have become woman was painful. I wept because I was no longer a child with a child's blind faith. I wept because my eyes were opened to reality—to Henry's selfishness, June's love of power, my insatiable creativity which must concern itself with others and cannot be sufficient to itself. I wept because I could not believe anymore and I love to believe. I can still love passionately without believing. That means I love humanly. I wept because from now on I will weep less. I wept because I have lost my pain and I am not yet accustomed to its absence." This is just so raw and emotional. It really makes you feel the author's turmoil and growth.

"He hurts you, but he keeps your body and soul together. He integrates you. He lashes and whips you into occasional wholeness."


"Last night I wept. I wept because the process by which I have become woman was painful. I wept because I was no longer a child with a child's blind faith. I wept because my eyes were opened to reality—to Henry's selfishness, June's love of power, my insatiable creativity which must concern itself with others and cannot be sufficient to itself. I wept because I could not believe anymore and I love to believe. I can still love passionately without believing. That means I love humanly. I wept because from now on I will weep less. I wept because I have lost my pain and I am not yet accustomed to its absence."

I've read "Delta of Venus" and "Little Birds", both of which I really enjoyed.

However, it was not until I read this particular work that I fully realized what an incredible writer Nin is.

It was also truly fascinating to see Henry Miller through her eyes.

I have read Miller's "Tropic of Cancer", which I also liked a great deal. It is a very harsh and honest piece of writing.

But this work by Nin gives you a completely different perspective of him.

I truly believe that she is a brilliant writer. Her words have the power to transport you to another world, to make you see things in a new light.

I am really looking forward to reading more of her work and exploring the depths of her creativity.

I have a feeling that each new piece will be a new adventure, a new discovery.

Nin's writing is like a beautiful mystery, waiting to be解开.

The way this book was penned is as disorderly as Anaïs' life and state of mind.

It presented a significant challenge for me to reach its conclusion.

She discloses to us her path towards sexual awakening and how she extracts from diverse men what she failed to obtain from her father.

Her longing to possess every man in her life is noxious.

Moreover, her need to perceive herself as their savior or mentor, the one who imparts the most crucial lesson of their life and the one who transforms them, is equally concerning.

This complex web of desires and behaviors makes for a rather convoluted and at times, disturbing read.

It forces the reader to grapple with the less savory aspects of human nature and the lengths to which one might go in search of love, acceptance, and a sense of purpose.

Overall, while the book may offer some insights into Anaïs' psyche, its chaotic nature and the toxicity of her character make it a difficult one to fully embrace.

Henry and June is the kind of journal that truly captivates me, making me eager to highlight passage after passage.

Journals often contain those personal reflections that are extremely difficult to achieve in pure fiction. However, I did grow bored with it rather quickly. Perhaps it was because after the initial few occurrences of lust, jealousy, psychoanalysis, and then more of the same in different guises, it felt like a repetitive cycle of the same events and observations.

But then again, journals aren't meant to be crafted to engage the reader; they are designed for self-fulfillment. So, from a reader's perspective, it's a bit challenging to complain.

This leads me to ponder something about these writings. Nin shared her journal with several people, in fact, most of the men in her life whom she wrote about read her journal at some point, with her permission. I'm curious about how honest she really was, knowing that it could potentially be read by the very people she was writing about. It seemed honest and raw, but do we adjust things based on the eyes of those who will be reading? Just as we might be inclined to structure fiction according to a workshop we're in or the publisher we're aiming for.

Nin mentions at one point in her journal that she no longer wants to write about her husband because she can't do so truthfully, comparing it to writing about God. When you exalt someone, you create a distance between yourself and that person, not wanting to say anything negative for fear of being blasphemous. In this case, it seemed that Nin was being considerate of her husband's sensitivity and the tenderness she felt for him, even though her physical passion was directed towards Henry.

At one point in the journal, her psychiatrist told her: "You do not want weak men, but until they have become weak in your hands you are not satisfied." Although he tended to make irritating generalizations, I think he hit the nail on the head with that one. I was wondering if her intense passions towards Henry were only because she couldn't possess him completely. It seems so common, especially if we expand it to everyday greed.

Because of her greed, Nin's husband also made a perceptive comment when he said to her: "Beware of being trapped in your own imaginings. You instill sparks in others, you charge them with your illusions, and when they burst forth into illuminations, you are taken in."