From the Four Chambered Heart: In tribute to Anais Nin

Publication Date: July 14, 2013
She was that author we hid from parental eyes. Anais Nin had been banned from libraries and school rooms as was thus irresistible. For many young authors, she opened up sensual, opulent worlds that had been forbidden and gave voice to deeply hidden hungers. From the Four Chambered Heart: In tribute to Anais Nin brings together a diverse mixture of writers, poets, and artists whose work has been inspired by the words and the life of Anais Nin. Aunia Kahn’s gorgeous front cover artwork pays tribute to both Nin’s literary and erotic beauty. Angel Uriel Perales’, “Iced Water on the Table,” explores the idea of failed intimacy that marked many of Nin’s short stories. Meghan Elison’s poem “Anaïs,” draws parallels between herself and Nin’s experiences within the nuances of sexual identity. Hattie Quinn’s “Concentrate of the Poetry,” playfully and erotically recounts what happens when ‘booth babes’ and a shared copy of Nin’s Delta of Venus combine. Deborah L. Warner’s essay, “Perspectives Across a Dinner Table,” addresses the prejudices that still exist against women writers who dare to write in genres, including erotica, that are still thought of by many to be exclusively male. Pam Ward’s poetic narrative, “Anaïs’ Husband,” describes the aftermath of Nin’s death as experienced by Nin’s first (and legal) husband, Hugo.