"I'm standing in the middle of the desert, waiting for the train"

For a long time, Henry Miller did not want to publish Tropic of Cancer, a scandalous novel that violated almost all literary taboos. Firstly, he was afraid that he would be lynched, and secondly, he liked the role of an underground banned author. TIME magazine later included the novel in its list of the 100 best books published in English from 1923 to 2005.

We have collected 20 of the best quotes from Tropic of Cancer and other books by Henry Miller.

The world is renewed every evening: the dirty is given to dry cleaning. Worn out goes to the scrap.

Life isn't such a bad thing if you can do whatever you want, right Henry?

I have no job, no savings, no hope. I am the happiest person in the world.

An artist is always alone - if he is an artist.

I was alone, surrounded by millions of people.

We are told to live. And why, who could explain.

To be civilized means to have a lot of complex needs. And a self-sufficient person does not need anything.

Music is not Bach or Beethoven, but a can opener for opening the soul.

When I'm scared, I always laugh.

I want the classic purity to return to the world, in which shit was called shit, and an angel was an angel.

The biggest lie is to promise to love one person all your life.

I'm standing in the middle of the desert, waiting for the train.

America does not exist at all. She is not. This is the name that people have given to a completely abstract idea.

It is foolish and pointless to cling to life at any cost if you do not want it. The desire to preserve life for the sole purpose of conquering death is itself a concession to death.

I am in a hopeless dead end - and I feel cozy and comfortable in it.

Art consists in that, not to remember about decency. If you start with drums, you must end with dynamite or TNT.

A smile is worth so little - why not smile while riding in an open carriage. Smile in death rattle - it will be easier for those you leave behind. Smile, damn you! A smile that is always with you!

Do what you want, but let what you do bring joy. Do what you want, but let what you do cause ecstasy.

When the brake is stuck and you can't move forward, try backing up. It often works.

Bipedal creatures are a strange flora and fauna. From a distance they are insignificant; up close, they are often ugly and malevolent. What they need most is space, and space is even more important than time.