After spending forty years in Europe, Henry Miller felt a deep nostalgia for America, his birthplace. He discovered what he called a "haven of happiness" in the American South, choosing to stay there rather than return to Europe.

The book "The Air-Conditioned Nightmare" speaks with disdain about the ugliness of America in 1940, yet contrasts this with the pure beauty Miller found in the South. The text serves as a comparison between the North and South, favoring the latter.

Throughout the book, Miller takes us on a journey across America with his friend, painter Abe Ratner, providing a detailed account of their travels. The "nightmare" in the title refers to American life, which Miller saw as dominated by industry, consumption, and the tyranny of machines, aiming for rapid social ascension at any cost.

During their journey, Miller finds hope in meeting people who fiercely resist the ugly Northern onslaught. These individuals, whom he considered live models of resistance to conformity, include Dr. Souchon, musician Varèse, and painter Max Halberstadt. The portraits of these characters, celebrating their "true Americanness," are deemed the most beautiful parts of the book, making the text a journey of an author who sees his country from both within and without.