Anaïs Nin (February 21, 1903 - January 14, 1977) was a French author who became famous for her self-published diaries.
Born in Neuilly, France, after her parents separated, her mother moved to New York City with her and her two brothers. While still a teenager, Nin abandoned formal schooling and began working as a model. In 1923, she married Hugh Parker Guiler and the following year they moved to Paris, France where Guiler pursued his banking career and Nin began to pursue her interest in writing, working with people such as D.H. Lawrence.
She is also appreciated for her erotica. She was the first woman to really explore the realm. Before her, erotica written by women was virtually (vide, e.g. Kate Chopin) unheard of.
She was a friend of many leading literary figures, including Henry Miller, Edmund Wilson, James Agee, and Lawrence Durrell.
She died of cancer in Los Angeles, California on January 14, 1977, her body cremated and her ashes scattered over Santa Monica Bay.
