Tropic of Cancer

Tropic of Cancer
by Henry Miller
read: 2016
Time 100 Novels, Modern Library #50, Guardian 1000 Novels

Why did people think On the Road was so revolutionary? Miller was doing almost the same thing 30 years earlier. I have to be in the right mood for this sort of thing, and I wasn't here, but I did enjoy some passages:

Every time I pass the concierge's window and catch the full icy impact of her glance I have an insane desire to throttle all the birds in creation. At the bottom of every frozen heart there is a drop or two of love - just enough to feed the birds.

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
by Frank Miller
read: 2015

Throughout Dark Knight Returns, there's a running argument about whether Batman does more good or evil for society. Miller takes pains to make the characters espousing both sides of the argument look like idiots, letting them voice closed-minded or naive thoughts in the same breaths with which they render their opinions on Batman. But he also makes sure that both sides have a point. Obviously Batman stops a lot of crime and criminals, but he also inspires the Joker to come out of retirement and kill hundreds. Commissioner Gordon (and ultimately his successor) ultimately feels it best to look the other way, but it's a murky decision.

I have same complaint about Miller's Batman that I do about the Christopher Nolan movies: when he's causing destruction at a massive scale, it's ridiculous to continually point out that he doesn't kill people. He kills bunches of people.

The Crucible

     
The Crucible
by Arthur Miller
read: 2013

Rarely do I read something that actually makes me angry, but the injustices of The Crucible got my blood boiling as I was reading it. The events towards the end of the play were especially frustrating, as the individuals in charge already know (or have a good idea) that there's no witchcraft going on, but they demand a public confession and finger-pointing to validate the executions that have already happened. That's infuriating, but on the other hand I'm not sure there's much evidence it actually happened. Arthur Miller (by his own admission) plays fast-and-loose with historical truth in favor of a moral or emotional truth, but honestly I'm not sure he got there either.