A Devil in Paradise
Henry Miller

review by: Chelan David
Date: 4/14/03

Waiting for a fellow apartment dweller to clean out the dryer, I browsed through a collection of well-worn paperbacks that residents have donated over the years and sandwiched in between two faded romance novels I chanced upon a gem. The drudgery of laundry actually turned into a pleasant experience upon my discovery of A Devil in Paradise by Henry Miller.

After reading the first couple of pages I quickly realized that this was a far different read from Miller's best known book: Tropic of Cancer, a work distinguished by its frenetic prose. Easy to follow with compelling characters I quickly became intrigued by the new find.

The basic premise of the story is: Miller invites Conrad Moricand, a destitute old friend, to stay with him for awhile and then can't get rid of him. Moricand is a deliciously pitiful Swiss born, French expatriate who demands the finest things in life. As Miller puts it, "An incurable dandy living the life of a beggar."

Initially, Miller is happy to help out a friend in need and expects Moricand to spend an idyllic existence at his home in Big Sur. As Moricand's demands grow however, so does Miller's antagonism towards his guest. Interestingly, Miller's friends amusement at the situation propagates as well. Some of his pals simply scold him for getting in such a predicament, others soak up the Frenchman's cultivated intellect and help monetarily by purchasing his erotic drawings, while yet others hatch elaborate plans to jettison the ingrate back to Paris.

Of course like any effective over-ripe houseguest, Moricand always foils any attempts to drive him away. If you have ever had a slacker friend crash on your couch for weeks on end while waiting to be discovered, or in-laws who don't seem to understand the term hotel, then you can probably relate to Miller's anguish. Although this book was written in 1956, the subject matter is still relevant and will be as long as there are empty couches to crash on.

The beauty of this book is Miller takes a simple premise – the dreaded houseguest – and by developing intriguing caricatures and deconstructing the complexities of the relationship creates a narrative both hilarious and moving. This book is a quick read and well worth the effort.