Bukowski, A Life: The Centennial Edition (1 Viewer)

[Chrisw]

Coming in July...

Bukowski, A Life: The Centennial Edition by Neeli Cherkovski

via @amazon

 

[roni]

The German edition will come out at Maro.
I wonder if Neeli made all the necessary corrections to FACT that appeared in public since his initial shot some 30 years ago.
If so, it musta been a hell of work.

 

[zobraks]

I ordered it from Book Depository two days ago.

 

[d gray]

don't worry roni - i heard john martin offered to proof read it and make any necessary "edits"...

 

[Chrisw]

I never read a biography of Buk... Not sure I want to. I mean, you can know too much, can't ya? Why shatter this nice image I have of him in my mind even if I know it's a fiction? It's not like I'm a scholar trying to get at the "real" Bukowski or something. I'm just a guy who likes how he puts down the lines... Am I missing something good if I don't read this? Curious to hear views...

 

[Andreas]

If you want to know some basics and look at some pictures there is Howard Sounes‘ Locked In The Arms Of A Crazy Life.
But if you‘re just happy with his writing, why bother?

 

[d gray]

i think it's worth reading/knowing about an artists life history cause there's always a connection with
how they grew up and lived and what their art is about.

that's assuming what you're reading is reality, of course...

 

[roni]

Am I missing something good if I don't read this?

Don't know if YOU'd be missing anything, I certainly would.
I've made the experience that in enhances my appreciation of an artist, writer, etc. and his/her work, to know a bit about their background and live and views. I personally feel enriched like that.

 

[roni]

Since publication date has been scheduled to July 28, I guess no one here has had a peek so far, right? Or does anyone have a reviewer's copy by now?

I'd be interested if the content has changed much, like corrections on the many flaws and inaccuracies, or has he just added his new preface?
Anyone in touch with Neeli?

 

[d gray]

i'd bet money he's a lurker here...

 

[roni]

Maybe. And meanwhile I got some information. Here it comes:

It has - as anounced - a new preface; then a new afterword. About 40 pages are new. Known errors have been corrected. Some changes in the writing (style) are there but minor.

 

[Aficionado37]

I never read a biography of Buk... Not sure I want to. I mean, you can know too much, can't ya? Why shatter this nice image I have of him in my mind even if I know it's a fiction? It's not like I'm a scholar trying to get at the "real" Bukowski or something. I'm just a guy who likes how he puts down the lines... Am I missing something good if I don't read this? Curious to hear views...

I personally always try to separate the art from the artist. That being said, if I like the art, I'm probably going to be investigating at least a little about the artist. Sometimes the life of the artist even transcends the art they make for me, for example Dalí, Burroughs and Lemmy. Sometimes the art is much more interesting than the artist, like in the case of most movie directors. Sometimes both are heavily interesting like with Bukowski.

For me it’s sometimes important to research about an artist for the same reason you mentioned you don’t want to know more about them. People usually tend to form this idealized image of an artist in their heads, and I think it's sometimes important to shatter it so as to realize they are humans after all, not some mythical figure we should all be bowing down to. They have values and they have flaws, but in the end, in terms of the art, the work speaks for itself.

 

[zobraks]

Good news from Book Depository:

Updated on 21st of July:

 

[zobraks]

Look what I got today:

Yipeeeeeeeeeee!

 

[Hannah]

I didn't look at the publisher's information before. Interesting that it came out under the "new" Black Sparrow and not from Random House, the original publisher.

 

[zobraks]

Yeah, I was surprised to see the sparrow logo too.
Also the paper is very much "sparrowish" (not "eccoish").

And the book smells fine (yes, I'm one of those incorrigible book-sniffers

).

 

[Dirtydoh]

Glad someone mentioned this, I am reading it currently. Having not previously read the other version...I am enjoying it but taking things with a pinch of salt as I often do with just about everything. Damn....I don't even trust my own memories. It is a nice version...very nicely put together.

 

[Bukfan]

Let us know if the new pages are interesting enough for one to buy the book once again.

 

[mikestro1]

Was there really any difference than the original release?

 

[Rekrab]

I read somewhere that the retitled bio had been revised from the original book that was titled Hank.