Staff Reviews

Anais Nin was one of the first women known to explore fully the realm of erotic writing, and certainly the first prominent woman in the modern West known to write erotica. She is not only a erotic writer but she published and printed her own books and shared with the world her journal collections with such vulnerability.
This was the first of her works that I read as of four years ago this month. I was traveling through the redwoods living in my Subaru when I walked into a tiny little bookstore and came across this book. Tattered and old with ink writing in the margins; it looked loved. I was so excited to read something of hers. I craved to release myself from the chains our society put on me from the time I was born. I had been in a relationship recently where I couldn't be free to express, and explore myself. I wanted to come out of the shadow of men, but to be quite honest though I had no idea what that looked like or how to express myself really. Anais Nin had also experienced these difficulties and had ideas and feelings and she unapologetically wrote about the suffering of women and even men. At that time these were revolutionary and she didn’t stop when people denied her she chose creative expression over the simple comforts of staying on the path more traveled. I was so inspired by her dedication to herself. She is shameless and unapologetically herself.
She is a dreamer, poet, and a voice in women activism, even today. This book in my eyes is an excellent introduction to her works.
– Claire