Henry Valentine Miller (1891-1980) was an American author known for breaking existing literary forms and most famous for books like Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn, both of which were once banned in the United States. The semi–autobiographical novels delved into themes of sexuality and were considered controversial. Born in New York City and raised in Brooklyn, Miller also lived in Paris, Berlin, the South of France, Greece, as well as Beverly Glen, Big Sur, and Pacific Palisades, California. His other popular books include Black Spring, The Colossus of Maroussi, Nexus, Plexus and Sexus. Henry Miller also wrote literary criticism, travel memoirs, was a successful painter and appeared as himself in several films.