Bukowski mentions he loved writer/humorist, James Thurber (on his list of writers he respected) and especially Thurber's take on men's relationships with women.
I'm gonna guess Bukowski took tremendous inspiration from Thurbers following story, too (for his own life).
Thurber's short story is called "Something To Say" (published 1932) about a fictional author called "Eliot Vereker" who's this tremendous fuck-up genius alcoholic adventurer fist fighting writer, who colourfully disses the greats: "Shakespeare was a dolt", "Goethe was a wax figure stuffed with hay", "if there had been no Voltaire, it wouldnt be necessary to create one". And he goes about proclaiming things like "Achievement is the fools gold of idiots". It's loaded with "Bukowski-isms". The whole short story uncanilly reflects Bukowskis own life and self-mythologising. Anyway, thought I'd plonk this here, may have been mentioned before, if so apologies.
I'm gonna guess Bukowski took tremendous inspiration from Thurbers following story, too (for his own life).
Thurber's short story is called "Something To Say" (published 1932) about a fictional author called "Eliot Vereker" who's this tremendous fuck-up genius alcoholic adventurer fist fighting writer, who colourfully disses the greats: "Shakespeare was a dolt", "Goethe was a wax figure stuffed with hay", "if there had been no Voltaire, it wouldnt be necessary to create one". And he goes about proclaiming things like "Achievement is the fools gold of idiots". It's loaded with "Bukowski-isms". The whole short story uncanilly reflects Bukowskis own life and self-mythologising. Anyway, thought I'd plonk this here, may have been mentioned before, if so apologies.
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