Henry and June- the Erotic Journal of Anais Nin

'He sleeps in my arms, we are welded, his penis still in me.'

Don't waste your time with the 50 shades series, Anais is the real deal. Born in 1903,her first book of poetry was entitled House of Incest - I have not read it but how the heck did she get it published in 1936?

Henry and June is her diary, written up later as a book. Anais is in Paris, it is 1931, she is married to Hugo. She meets the author Henry Miller, his woman June, yes - with her too,and with Henry's friend Fred and with her cousin's friend Eduardo. In addition to this there is a visit to a brothel where Anais asks the ladies to do lesbian scenes for her and visits to her Freudian analyst. We have moved on a long way in today's National Health. I am sure if I was to visit my consultant psychiatrist and show her my breasts she would view it as a sign of mental health relapse, Anais' analyst comments on her need to feel confident in her body and says she has pretty ones. It is now March the following year, I am only halfway into the book and Anais is wild! On fire, dripping wet, each month her journal lengthens with fresh adventures..

It's well written too, not simply the nuts and bolts of pegs into holes;she gives us moods, feelings, city life, country getaways, personalities, food, drink, la vie boheme. Her love and excitement of sex spreads outwards into an experiential wild and free love of everything around her. Openness, love of life, unflinching honesty. Wonderful.