Under a glass bell,: And other stories;

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Under a Glass Bell was self-published by Anaïs Nin in 1944, using a manual press. This collection of thirteen short stories, beautifully crafted in a style influenced by French surrealism, but uniquely Ninâ s, brought her national attention when Edmund Wilson of The New Yorker reviewed it. Considered one of Ninâ s most successful works of fiction, the tales attain psychological realism through illusory symbolism.

Among the titles are â Houseboat,â â The Mouse,â â Ragtime,â â The Labyrinth,â and â Birth.â

Under a Glass Bell is a celebration of the passionate language of Anaïs Nin.

128 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1,1944

About the author

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Writer and diarist, born in Paris to a Catalan father and a Danish mother, Anaïs Nin spent many of her early years with Cuban relatives. Later a naturalized American citizen, she lived and worked in Paris, New York and Los Angeles. Author of avant-garde novels in the French surrealistic style and collections of erotica, she is best known for her life and times in The Diary of Anaïs Nin, Volumes I-VII (1966-1980).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ana%C3%...

Community Reviews

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July 14,2025
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First Reading of the Ninth Amendments and Surely Not the Last


The first reading of the Ninth Amendments is a significant event. It marks an important step in the process of considering and potentially implementing changes or additions to the existing legal framework.


This reading allows for a detailed examination and discussion of the proposed amendments. It gives lawmakers and the public an opportunity to understand the implications and potential impacts of these changes.


However, it is important to note that this is just the beginning. There will likely be further discussions, debates, and perhaps even revisions before a final decision is made.


Surely, this first reading is not the last. It sets the stage for a more in-depth exploration of the Ninth Amendments and their potential significance for the future.


As the process continues, it will be crucial to ensure that the rights and interests of all parties are taken into account and that the final outcome is a just and fair one.

July 14,2025
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This is my very first Anais Nin book, and I have to say that I was completely blown away by its beauty!

Her short stories are like little gems of real poetry. The way she weaves words together is truly remarkable. She has a unique and almost magical command of the language that draws you in and makes you feel every emotion she is trying to convey.

I have to admit that I really wasn't expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did. But now, after reading it, I am definitely going to explore more of her works. I can't wait to see what other treasures she has in store for me. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves beautiful writing and wants to be transported to another world through the power of words.
July 14,2025
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Hoping that inspiration for criticism will strike :( I was slightly let down by some stories that seemed overly written. There were also a few repeated metaphors that became a bit tiresome. She has a love for labyrinths and somnambulists. However, neither of these really come across as particularly natural in the prose. As a result, I got a bit sick of their repetition. Maybe those are just her favorite words. I suppose they are good words in themselves.

But when used too frequently, they can lose their impact. It would have been nice to see a bit more variety in the language and a more creative use of different literary devices.

Overall, while there were some aspects of the stories that I enjoyed, the overwriting and repeated metaphors detracted from the overall experience. I'm still hopeful that I'll find something more inspiring to write about.
July 14,2025
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Writings by Anais Nin are truly an inexhaustible well of inspiration for writers like me.

Specifically, “Under a Glass Bell” is a beautiful and rare work of art. It uncovers many challenging subjects for a woman writing in that time period. What may seem like a commonplace discussion for us now, such as speaking of the issues in the plight of the female, were actually far more brave bridges to cross in Nin’s writing era.

These themes are skillfully and poisedly woven throughout her prose. Nin’s poetic prose and dreamscape writings in “Winter of Artifice” have become somewhat more sophisticated and evolved in “Under a Glass Bell.”

When penning my own works, I constantly dip into the well of Nin. I hope that her beautiful use of language, sensual atmosphere, and poetic prose will somehow overtake me. For this reason alone, in my opinion, reading Nin is a must for any aspiring writer of women’s fiction.

My very favorite work so far is “Spy in the House of Love,” but “Under a Glass Bell” is a close second. While writing my third novel, I’m planning to read all five volumes of her “continuous novel” in “Cities of the Interior,” trusting that their influences will guide me in my own work.

As Annie Dillard states in her book “The Writing Life,” “The writer studies literature, not the world. He is careful of what he reads, for that is what he will write. He is careful of what he learns, because that is what he will know.” With that being said, I’m documenting my Nin period heretofore, today, tomorrow, and more than likely for the length of my writing career.

July 14,2025
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I read this short story with the translation of Yassin Taha. It was my first encounter with Anais. The power and beauty were in the latter half of this work. It was as if she had written it in a different time and with a different spirit. I loved it and I loved the details and the cinematic texture of her stories.

Her writing has a certain charm that draws you in and makes you want to keep reading. The way she describes the characters and the settings is vivid and engaging. It's as if you can see the scenes playing out in front of your eyes.

I'm looking forward to reading more of her works and exploring the unique world she creates with her words. I believe there is much more to discover and appreciate in her writing.
July 14,2025
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**Original Article**: The importance of recycling cannot be overemphasized. It helps to conserve natural resources, reduce waste, and protect the environment. Recycling also has economic benefits as it can create jobs and save energy. We should all make an effort to recycle as much as possible.

**Expanded Article**: The importance of recycling cannot be overemphasized.

It plays a crucial role in conserving our precious natural resources. By recycling materials such as paper, plastic, and metal, we can reduce the need to extract and process new raw materials.

This not only helps to preserve the environment but also reduces waste. When we recycle, we are essentially giving these materials a new life and preventing them from ending up in landfills or incinerators.

Moreover, recycling has significant economic benefits. It can create jobs in the recycling industry, from collecting and sorting waste to processing and manufacturing new products.

Additionally, recycling can save energy as it often requires less energy to process recycled materials compared to virgin materials.

Therefore, we should all make a conscious effort to recycle as much as possible. By doing so, we can contribute to a more sustainable future for ourselves and for generations to come.

Let's start by separating our waste at home and taking it to the nearest recycling center. Every little bit counts!
July 14,2025
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I don't write in a rational way.
There was only one desire that drove me, which is that writing must become music and reach the emotions directly.

I am Yves Navarre - the diaries*.

This is what distinguishes Navarre and makes me love her and love to read her. She plays, not writes!
Her stories seem like symphonies that strike the heart directly. What she writes, the music has fallen on my soul.
The beautiful and the charming thing is that her stories are completely related to her and her life experiences, her characters and her daily life. She lived what she wrote and wrote what she lived.
Most of what is mentioned in the stories, despite the fictionalization and the attempt to add a mythical dimension to some characters, but she remembers and describes them as they are in the diaries.

I'm more crazy than the serial killers. There is only the poor Antonin Artaud who stole the details of his memories in her diaries, and others.

Thirteen stories, and a lot, a lot of the emotional and beautiful dimension.

July 14,2025
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Back in my seminary days, when I was deeply infatuated with C.G. Jung, I took the Myers-Briggs personality test not just once, but twice. These two test occasions were separated by a couple of years. On one administration, I was classified as an introvert, while on the other, I was pegged as an extravert.

Currently, I must be in an extraverted phase. Nin's work, in this, her first collection of short stories, leans more or less towards the introverted side. In any case, I had a preference for the less subjective stories. Those that made reference to objective locations, such as her reminiscences of life on a houseboat on the Seine, were more to my liking. The examples of greater subjectivity, like the labyrinth tales (which were about her diaries), although often clever, were a bit too filled with idiosyncratic images for my personal taste.

This collection was read aloud over a series of days at Chicago's Heirloom Books. It was an interesting experience to listen to these stories being brought to life in that setting. The different voices and interpretations added an extra layer of depth to the already rich collection of Nin's works.
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