Miller, Henry (1891-1980), became one of the most controversial American authors of his time. His emphasis on sex and his obscene language led to censorship trials and literary quarrels.
Miller’s first important book, Tropic of Cancer (1934), was banned from publication in the United States until 1961. It was written in Paris where Miller had exiled himself from an America he despised. As in all of Miller’s work, the plot is not as important as the message. He believed that modern civilization is diseased. People, to be healthy again, must win freedom from society and glorify the self and the senses.
Tropic of Capricorn (1939) is even more poetic and has a stronger sense of prophecy. It mixes moments of mystic joy with descriptions of what Miller saw as the U.S. cultural wasteland. His nonfiction, such as The Air-Conditioned Nightmare (1945), reflects the same concerns in its study of modern American culture. But the work includes studies of some Americans whom Miller felt lived successful lives. Miller’s basic position never changed, though his later subjects were more literary. He was born in New York City.
