Who is Henry Miller and why does he have a library dedicated to him?

As Wikipedia explains:

Henry Valentine Miller (December 26, 1891 – June 7, 1980) was an American novelist and painter best known for breaking with existing literary forms and developing a new sort of 'novel' that is a mixture of story, autobiography, social criticism, philosophical reflection, surrealist free association, and mysticism, one that is distinctly always about and expressive of the real-life Henry Miller and yet is also fictional.

His most characteristic works of this kind are Tropic of Cancer, Tropic of Capricorn and Black Spring. He also wrote travel memoirs and essays of literary criticism and analysis.

In Big Sur, California, where he lived for many years, is the Henry Miller Memorial Library, which houses a collection of his works and celebrates his literary, artistic and cultural legacy by providing a public gallery as well as performance and workshop spaces for artists, musicians, students, and writers.

This story begins in the 1960s, when painter and Miller-confidant Emil White bought a piece of property in the heart of Big Sur, 35 miles south of Carmel. It was here that he built his house, which in 1981 he converted into the Henry Miller Memorial Library, a space devoted to the incalculable artistic legacy of his friend who passed away the previous year.

Emil died in 1989 and bequeathed the Library to the Big Sur Land Trust; in 1998 the Library became an independent 501 (c)3 organization. All the while, it stayed true to Emil's vision, serving as a retreat and cultural center for artists, musicians, and writers from all around the world.

And what of the space itself -- and a tiny one at that?

It contains most of Miller's in-print work, rare books, vinyl, and healthy doses of the old stand-bys: Beats, the classics, Eastern philosophy, and the occasional best-seller about the emotional lives of an animal.

The front lawn serves as a stage for live performances with a capacity of 300 (hence the Spin article that Arcade Fire played a "backyard show." Though technically, it's the front yard.)

But that's getting ahead of things. Something happened in 1993 that, over time, transformed the library from a cozy little bookstore to the beloved sanctuary that its fans come to love. That would be the ascension of Magnus Toren to role of Library Executive Director.

Magnus is from Sweden, and in addition to circumnavigating the globe in his tiny schooner, has built boats in Seattle, drove a truck out of Fresno, and as a teacher, he made his students dress up like Hells Angels. ("But," Toren says, "my favorite job of all time was to be coat-check at the Opera House in Stockholm.")

As his tenure progressed, events at the Library became more frequent and impressive in their diversity and scope. In 2004, Patti Smith played the Library's first official show. It was orchestrated by Toren with help from Jesse Goodman.

"What am I doing here?" Smith asked from the stage.

Then a few years later, something else happened. Magnus began partnering with Britt Govea, a Monterey County/ San Francisco-based promoter who goes under the guise (((folkYEAH!))) Presents.

It was then that the Library entered its first Golden Age (2005-present): Henry Rollins, DJ Spooky, Band of Horses, Al Jardine, Tallest Man on Earth, Edward Sharpe, Cat Power, Animal Collective, Pegi and Neil Young, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Chris Robinson, The XX, Arcade Fire - as well as Jesse Goodman-produced shows from Laurie Anderson, Yo La Tengo and Marianne Faithful, and the list goes on.

But the Library is far more than "big" events. It hosts writing workshops, the renowned International Big Sur Short Film Screening Series (now in its 6th year), children's art shows, the Big Big Big Sur Fashion Show, book and poetry readings, and so much more.

It also hosts one of the largest archives of Henry Miller's work in the world, and houses a handful of carefully selected interns to help digitize and manage it.

Which brings us back to the present. Thirty years on, with the help of countless selfless and talented individuals, Magnus has transformed the Henry Miller Memorial Library into one of the most dynamic and unique art spaces in the world and a great travel destination to boot.

The Library has been 'doing' a lot over the years. "Doing for the sake of beauty, literature and art, 'doing' to nurture the things that arguably makes life worth living; that's the 'doing' we understand," Miller said. "To live means to be aware, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware."

We like to think he's egging us on when doing what we do.

And with no sign of slowing down, we happily encourage all intrepid souls -- music-lovers, wandering poets, Parisians, restless spirits, aspiring writers, unfulfilled bankers, clove-cigarette smokers burning with wanderlust, Miller disciples, laid-off Silicon Valley yuppies, refugees from bourgeois society, aspiring gurus, and even over-worked lawyers from New York's Upper West Side - to come join in the celebration.

"It was sublime to play in the mist under the gigantic trees.One of the most beautiful and spiritual places in the world."

2011 Calendar of Events

• 07/07/11 - Big Sur International Short Film Series
• 07/08/11 - Author Colleen Morton Busch: Fire Monks: Zen Mind Meets Wildfire at the Gates of Tassajara
• 07/09/11 - Theatre & Music w/ Rose, Razowsky & Hunicutt
• 07/14/11 - Big Sur International Short Film Series
• 07/16/11 - Book signing w/ Andy Couturier
• 07/21/11 - Big Sur International Short Film Series
• 07/28/11 - Big Sur International Short Film Series
• 07/30/11 - Film screening: My Suicide
• 07/31/11 - Woodsist Festival
• 08/04/11 - Big Sur International Short Film Series
• 08/10/11 - MGMT
• 08/11/11 - Big Sur International Short Film Series
• 08/13/11 - An Evening with John Waters
• 08/13/11 - Big Sur International Short Film Series
• 08/25/11 - Big Sur International Short Film Series
• 08/26/11 - Big Sur International Short Film Series w/ The Dodos
• 08/31/11 - Poetry Night presented by Philip Glass
• 09/01/11 - Dradcula: Music by Philip Glass; string quartet & piano
• 09/05/11 - Explosions in the Sky
• 09/06/11 - Little Dragon
• 09/11/11 - Fleet Foxes
• 09/24/11 - Twin Shadow
• 10/10/11 - Gang Gang Dance

Remember, it's not a lending library -- it's a bookstore. The Library exists solely thanks to in-store and online book sales, income from events, and -- most importantly -- tax-deductible donations, which can be made at: henrymiller.org

Opening hours:
Every day 11 AM - 6 PM
(Closed Tuesdays)

The Henry Miller Memorial Library
Highway One
35 miles south of Carmel-by-the-Sea
Big Sur, CA 93920
831-667-2574

The 6th Myrtle Beach Int'l Film Festival is being held April 19 - 23, 2011 at the Carmike Cinema in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

The facility is the only all digital major theater chain in the US and all films will be shown in this multi-million dollar theater. The film categories featured this year include shorts, animation, features, documentaries, music videos, and an open category that boasts "Anything Goes."

A few of this year's features include:

Angel Camouflaged
dir. R. Michael Givens
Scottie Ballantyne, a rock and roll singer, inherits a run-down bar in the salt marshes of South Carolina. In order to make Kokonuts a success, she and her brother must battle against raging motorcycle clubs, gun toting gang bangers, a devilish loan shark and a deadly neighbor hell bent on sabotaging their efforts.

PEN World Voices Festival of International Literature is being held April 25 - May 1, 2011 at The Standard, New York, the 92nd Street Y and several other venues around New York City.

More than 100 writers from 40 nations convene in New York City to celebrate the power of the writer’s voice as a bold and vital element of public discourse. The program features panel discussions, one-on-one conversations, readings, performances, and much more.

With the opening premiere of The Union, director Cameron Crowe's documentary about Elton John and Leon Russell, the 10th Tribeca Film Festival kicks off. Though this 12-day event has enjoyed mixed reviews after its noble start as a response to the 9/11 World Trade Center attack's devastating effects on downtown Manhattan life, it has become an annual event in the city's spring calendar.

Initially created to regenerate interest in and bring people to Tribeca and lower Manhattan, the festival evolved into a sprawling set of contradictory ideas and goals -- was it meant to be a high-profile red-carpet, celebrity-driven media circus, or a celebration of international cinema? In any case, one thing has been certain: with the support of its founding sponsor, American Express, the festival had the secure financial bedrock from which it could be nurtured into a yearly event sustained by more than its original rationale for existence.

The backroom bar at the new Hell's Kitchen hotspot Industry was packed with the movers and shakers of Manhattan's LBGT community on January 20th at a launch party for www.TheShowt.com, an upscale website described by its founders as "the new gay lifestyle guide for New Yorkers."

The site is available free of charge to all "sophisticated urbanites" following a painless and non-intrusive registration process.

The launch event was co-hosted by GLAAD and was billed as a benefit for that national media watchdog organization. Representing GLAAD at the event was Richard Ferraro, Director of Communications.

Also on hand was TheShowt co-founder Josh Siegel, a self-described "foodie," who was accompanied by his lovely fiancée.

Taking its cue from TV and the web, the AFI Fest will once again offer free entertainment – brought to you by corporate sponsors -- when it opens for “business” November 4 to 11, 2010. The flagship Festival of the American Film Institute partly has Audi to thank for its complimentary screenings and galas (and does so prominently by mentioning the carmaker in its moniker).

Los Angeles’ oldest-running film festival will unfurl in and around a clutch of vintage venues across Hollywood. Festival headquarters are at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, with screenings and special events converging on Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, the Mann Chinese 6 theatres and the Egyptian Theatre. AFI Fest 2010 will screen 97 films, including 66 features and 31 shorts, chosen from 3,000 submissions across 31 countries. Shorts screened at the Festival are officially eligible for Oscar consideration.

When a group of music fans banded together to bring the true heroes of rock and roll back to the stage, it was called The Mystic Knights of the Mau-Mau. The Knights later founded the Ponderosa Stomp Foundation as a cultural organization to preserve and present the rich history of American roots music. As a result their primary event, The Ponderosa Stomp, was founded nine years ago.

Through festivals, special events, concerts and outreach activities featuring musical living legends, we honor influential artists and educate audiences about their massive contributions to American culture.

The Ponderosa Stomp started in New Orleans, Louisiana, a place whose overwhelming musical heritage and influence remains a focal point of the festival. The Stomp traditionally takes place between the two weekends of the city's world-famous New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival but the 9th annual Stomp takes place at the New Orleans House of Blues on September 24th and 25th, 2010.

L.A.'s only non-commercial jazz and new-music festival is a weeklong celebration at six venues, combining music, film, art, dance, poetry and food with two world premieres. The 2010 Angel City Jazz Festival's featured artists include The John Abercrombie Quartet, Nels Cline's DIRTY BABY, The Ravi Coltrane / Ralph Alessi Quintet, Henry Grimes and Friends, Wadada Leo Smith's Golden Quartet with Vijay Iyer, Myra Melford's Trio, The Sons of Champignon (Tim Berne, Jim Black and Nels Cline) and many others.

The festival is produced by Angel City Arts in association with the L.A. County Arts Commission, LACMA, CalArts,  L.A. Filmforum, Cryptogramophone Records and the Jazz Bakery.

For more information please visit angelcityjazz.com or call Rocco Somazzi at 323-573-2110.

The annual Los Angeles Times Festival of Books is being held April 24-25, 2010 at the UCLA campus in Westwood.  This event is the place where kids can watch their favorite books come alive, and readers eager to meet their favorite authors can choose from among 400 writers, along with panels, stage events, and other activities. And the panels are free!