Love Letters: Sartre-Beauvoir, Miller-Nin, Valéry-Pozzi, Celan-Shmueli

In artpress, J.H. presents a review essay that delves into four letters reflecting on love, sexuality, and intellectual companionship during the 20th century. Hazel Rowley's 'Tête à tête: Beauvoir et Sartre' (Grasset) outlines the agreement of sexual openness and honesty between Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre. The 'Correspondance passionnée' (Stock, 600 pages) unveils the intimate relationship between Anaïs Nin and Henry Miller, with Nin striving to "think sex totally" while Miller insisted on loyalty. 'La flamme et la cendre' (Gallimard, over 600 pages) compiles correspondence between Paul Valéry and Catherine Pozzi, revealing their secret eight-year romance. Lastly, the letters between Paul Celan and Ilana Shmueli (Seuil) document their reunion in 1965, concluding with Celan's tragic suicide in 1970.