''Cities of the Interior'' is a novel sequence published in one volume containing the five books of

Anaïs Nin Angela Anaïs Juana Antolina Rosa Edelmira Nin y Culmell (February 11, 1903 – January 14, 1977; , ) was a French-born American diarist, essayist, novelist, and writer of short stories and erotica. Born to Cuban parents in France, Nin was the d ...

's "continuous novel": ''

Ladders to Fire A ladder is a vertical or inclined set of rungs or steps used for climbing or descending. There are two types: rigid ladders that are self-supporting or that may be leaned against a vertical surface such as a wall, and rollable ladders, such a ...

'', ''

Children of the Albatross A child ( : children) is a human being between the stages of birth and puberty, or between the developmental period of infancy and puberty. The legal definition of ''child'' generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger ...

'', ''

The Four-Chambered Heart ''The Four-Chambered Heart'' is a 1950 autobiographical novel by French-born writer Anaïs Nin, part of her ''Cities of the Interior ''Cities of the Interior'' is a novel sequence published in one volume containing the five books of Anaïs Nin' ...

'', ''

A Spy in the House of Love ''A Spy in the House of Love'' is a 1954 novel by Anaïs Nin. Alongside her other novels, ''Ladders to Fire'', ''Children of the Albatross'', ''The Four-Chambered Heart'' and ''Seduction of the Minotaur'', it was gathered into a collection known ...

'' and ''

Seduction of the Minotaur ''Seduction of the Minotaur'' is an autobiographical novel by Anaïs Nin, the last part of her ''Cities of the Interior'' sequence. It is about a woman named Lillian, and her self-psychoanalysis. The setting is taken from Anaïs' diary account o ...

''. This combined volume was first published, by the author, in 1959. Its central figures are three women resembling different aspects of the author, and in some superficial ways

June Miller June Miller (January 7 or 28, 1902 – February 1, 1979) was the second wife of novelist Henry Miller. He wrote prolifically about her and their relationship in his books, usually using the pseudonyms Mona or Mara interchangeably. She also appea ...

. In some of the books they interact with each other, with a painter resembling

Henry Miller Henry Valentine Miller (December 26, 1891 – June 7, 1980) was an American novelist. He broke with existing literary forms and developed a new type of semi-autobiographical novel that blended character study, social criticism, philosophical ref ...

and with South Americans resembling her friend, the Peruvian radical Gonzalo Moré, and his wife Helba. Most of the content is taken from her diaries, polished and thinly disguised. It was followed by her last novel, ''

Collages Collage (, from the french: coller, "to glue" or "to stick together";) is a technique of art creation, primarily used in the visual arts, but in music too, by which art results from an assemblage of different forms, thus creating a new whole. ...

.''

Gore Vidal Eugene Luther Gore Vidal (; born Eugene Louis Vidal, October 3, 1925 – July 31, 2012) was an American writer and public intellectual known for his epigrammatic wit, erudition, and patrician manner. Vidal was bisexual, and in his novels and ...

was impressed by both ''Ladders to Fire'' and ''Children of the Albatross'', and played a role in their publication.

References

Women's erotica and pornography Novel sequences 1959 books 1959 French novels Novels by Anaïs Nin Swallow Press books {{1950s-novel-stub