May, 2005

Dear Henry,

Life goes on as you transcended it about 25 years ago. I would like to think that your spirit transcended beyond flesh. You are so much to so many, but more than anything else, you lived, experienced and interacted. We never met, but I feel that I've heard you in many ways.

When you shared the journey of your life and your passion for living in Tom Shiller's film Henry Miller Asleep and Awake, I knew there was an immense depth in you. You never stopped experiencing life. Life as it is, out there, the abundance, the poverty, sensuality, joys, disgust and suffering. You pointed out the decay of our modern world. Reading took on a new dimension then, not just titillating, but a chronicle of a complete life. This was a process that worked for you. You freed yourself.

I pay tribute to you, via the books that I collect. Yours is the largest of my collections. In 1985 I got a box of about 25 first editions from Dan Flanagan. With the encouragement of fellow collector Jon Tatomer, that seed has grown and I now have 1,000 different printings, proofs and associated items of your work. These will be part of the Henry Memorial Library in Big Sur once their archive room is completed. I also have hundreds of pieces of ephemera and books with prefaces, contributions or quotes. It continues to grow. As more of your editions come out, there is no end in sight.

In 1993, I made contact with Roger Jackson, who was working on a bibliography of your work. There was trust, with a flow of information that I felt was truly in the spirit of Miller. We wrote and interacted for two years, building on the known volumes of your work. That work continues. He was a friend before we actually met. I'm sure you had many such friends. And when we did meet, what an occasion. I understand how you cherished your friends and found much fulfillment and joy from your associations. My sense is that most of the time you worked hard at your writing. Although you talk at times of the nobility of laziness, you always corresponded and Anais thought that you worked too much.

I love your associations with Anais, Norman Mailer, Erica Jong and so many artists and writers.

I love Reflections which contains your thoughts on many subjects. I guess you never met Gurdjieff, but I also reflect on the concept that within the body are many personalities. Knowing them and becoming aware of them. You continued to learn, seek, and love until the end.

Thank you,

William Ashley