For more than two decades, ever since famed international film director Jean Renoir chose beautiful young actress Noreen Nash to play a coveted role in his second (and considered best) American film The Southerners, Renoir and his wife Dido Freiere were the cherished, intimate friends of Noreen and her husband, well known Hollywood “Physician to the Stars” Lee E. Siegel, M.D. In addition, the Siegels were weekly hosts at ongoing Sunday afternoon gatherings attended by a fascinating coterie of guests that, in addition to silver screen luminaries, invariably included infamous Tropic of Cancer author Henry Miller. And so the notorious Henry Miller became the Siegels’ close friend as well.
Jean Renoir, one of the foremost film directors of all time, and Henry Miller, topping the list of the most controversial figures in American literature ... both great friends of the Siegels. And yet the two men had never met. It might have been a foregone conclusion that they should become acquainted. Or should they? The two were quite different, as Noreen Nash explains. How would they get along? Would they take to one another or not? The Siegels debated the pros and cons of making the introduction, and ultimately decided affirmatively to connect the two giants.
And so, we learn in TITANS OF THE MUSES, what happened when Henry met Jean.
Due to its historical importance, characterizations, element of gossip and wealth of detail, TITANS OF THE MUSES presents readers with a fascinating, heretofore unseen portrait of two of the most noteworthy cultural figures of the 20th century.