Quotessence
Home / Books / Henry and June: From the Unexpurgated Diary of Anaïs Nin

Henry and June: From the Unexpurgated Diary of Anaïs Nin

Book by Anaïs Nin · 14 quotes · Love, Hate, Beauty

Filter quotes by topic

AllLoveHateBeautyLivingPainWeptAbsenceAdmirationAdulteryBalanceBeautifulCheatingChildComplexity Of LifeCrystalDesireFaithfulFantasiesFellatioGrowth

Henry and June: From the Unexpurgated Diary of Anaïs Nin Quotes

“Χθες τη νύχτα, έκλαψα. Έκλαψα γιατί ο δρόμος που ακολούθησα για να γίνω γυναίκα ήταν δύσκολος και οδυνηρός... Έκλαψα γιατί δεν μπορούσα να πιστέψω πια και μ' αρέσει να πιστεύω. Αλλά, τώρα, μπορώ ν' αγαπήσω με πάθος, χωρίς όμως πίστη, χωρίς να πιστεύω σε τίποτα. Κι αυτό σημαίνει ότι τώρα μπορώ ν' αγαπήσω ανθρώπινα. Έκλαψα γιατί από τώρα θ' αρχίσω να κλαίω λιγότερο. Έκλαψα, γιατί έχασα την οδύνη και δεν έχω ακόμα συνηθίσει να ζω χωρίς οδύνη.”

LovePain
Book:Henry and June: From the Unexpurgated Diary of Anaïs Nin
Create image

“And sometimes I believe your relentless analysis of June leaves something out, which is your feeling for her beyond knowledge, or in spite of knowledge. I often see how you sob over what you destroy, how you want to stop and just worship; and you do stop, and then a moment later you are at it again with a knife, like a surgeon. What will you do after you have revealed all there is to know about June? Truth. What ferocity in your quest of it. You destroy and you suffer. In some strange way I am not with you, I am against you. We are destined to hold two truths. I love you and I fight you. And you, the same. We will be stronger for it, each of us, stronger with our love and our hate. When you caricature and nail down and tear apart, I hate you. I want to answer you, not with weak or stupid poetry but with a wonder as strong as your reality. I want to fight your surgical knife with all the occult and magical forces of the world.”

LoveScienceHateMagic
Book:Henry and June: From the Unexpurgated Diary of Anaïs Nin
Create image

“The truth is that this is the only way I can live: in two directions. I need two lives. I am two beings. When I return to Hugo in the evening, to the peace and warmth of the house, I return with deep contentment, as if this was the only condition for me. I bring home to Hugo a whole woman, freed of all 'possessed' fevers, cured of the poison of restlessness and curiosity which used to threaten our marriage, cured through action. Our love lives, because I live. I sustain and feed it. I am loyal to it, in my own way, which cannot be his way. If he ever reads these lines, he must believe me. I am writing calmly, lucidly while waiting for him to come home, as one waits for the chosen lover, the eternal one.”

LoveDesirePassionFaithfulCheatingAdultery
Book:Henry and June: From the Unexpurgated Diary of Anaïs Nin
Create image

“Since that talk with Henry, when I admitted more than I had ever admitted to myself, my life has altered and become deformed. The restlessness which was vague and nameless has become intolerably clear. Here is where it stabs me, at the center of the most perfect, the most steadfast structure, marriage. When this shakes, then my whole life crumbles. My love for Hugo has become fraternal. I look almost with horror at this change, which is not sudden, but slow in appearing on the surface. I had closed my eyes to all the signs. Above all, I dreaded admitting that I didn't want Hugo's passion. I had counted on the ease with which I would distribute my body. But it is not true. It was never true. When I rushed towards Henry, it was all Henry. I am frightened because I have realized the full extent of my imprisonment. Hugo has sequestered me, fostered my love of solitude. I regret now all those years when he gave me nothing but his love and I turned into myself for the rest. Starved, dangerous years. I should break up my whole life, and I cannot do it. My life is not as important as Hugo's, and Henry doesn't need me because he has June. But whatever in me has grown outside and beyond Hugo will go on.”

Infidelity
Book:Henry and June: From the Unexpurgated Diary of Anaïs Nin
Create image

“I cross the street and walk into the Printemps. I go to the counter with necklaces and bracelets and earrings, which dazzle me always. I stand like a fascinated savage. Glitter. Amethyst. Turquoise. Shell pink. Irish green. I would like to be naked and cover myself in cold crystal jewelry. Jewelry and perfume.”

PerfumeJewelryCrystal
Book:Henry and June: From the Unexpurgated Diary of Anaïs Nin
Create image

“Everything with me is either worship and passion or pity and understanding. I hate rarely, though when I hate, I hate murderously. For example now, I hate the bank and everything connected with it. I also hate Dutch paintings, penis-sucking, parties, and cold rainy weather. But I am much more preoccupied with loving.”

LoveHateHatredOral SexFellatioPenis Sucking
Book:Henry and June: From the Unexpurgated Diary of Anaïs Nin
Create image