Golden Calf (1 Viewer)

[henrybaum]

I've got a Bukowski-like novel if you're interested. Free download (or pay what you want):

http://anothersky.org/in-print/the-golden-calf-henry-baum/

"This pacy, tightly written novel is like 'Taxi Driver' meets Charles Bukowski's Factotum."
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[jordan]

i think the pdf download link is broken - clicking it downloads the .epub file.

from the description, the book sounds like a good read, although i get defensive with books that try to rip LA apart without at least showing some affection to the city (something bukowski always made sure of in most of his work). hopefully i'll get to take a look at it.

separately, just as a decorum matter, showing up on a bukowski forum and saying that you've written a "bukowski-like" book is generally less effective than participating in the discussions, demonstrating a common interest with the people here, and then posting about your book as its own thing.

 

[mjp]

If there is indeed a "sick obsession with celebrity" I think it exists outside of Los Angeles. I certainly don't see it here, and I haven't seen it here in the last three decades or so. Maybe I travel in the wrong circles.

 

[henrybaum]

Thx - they're working on getting that link fixed.

The book's not anti-L.A., but anti-celebrity.

mjp - you don't think America's obsessed with celebrity? Turn on the TV.

 

[mjp]

The blurb doesn't say "America," it says Los Angeles:

There is a rage building inside Ray Tompkins and Los Angeles is the fuel - the sick obsession with celebrity mixed with the vacuousness of everyday life.​

In any event, I don't see it in America as a whole either. I find that to be nothing more than an easy shorthand cop out for a lazy writer. "Hey, America is obsessed with celebrity, right? Okay, here comes the story based on that little snippet of bullshit..."

Turn on the TV.

Turn on the TV? Ha ha. That's like saying, "The world is obsessed with the Grateful Dead. If you don't believe me, go to a Grateful Dead concert!"

It would have been less lazy and more accurate to say 'America is obsessed with television.' But I suppose that doesn't fit your prefab Travis-Bickle-in-LA mold.

 

[henrybaum]

Thanks for the welcome. Seriously - what the hell? You're calling me a lazy writer from a fucking plot synopsis? A synopsis I didn't even write? But even then, doesn't matter.

I was actually being charitable after your first comment, which didn't make any sense: because my friends don't think something, it doesn't exist.

I know I'm new here but: Jesus.

 

[justin grimbol]

You dont have to turn on your tv to see how obsessed our culture is with celebritys, you can go on facebook, or look at how young people dress, or just go to a concert and see how people act, or watch the news, or just listen to people Gossip about their lives.

 

[mjp]

Thanks for the welcome. Seriously - what the hell?

Sorry, I forgot I was dealing with a sensitive writer. Do I really have to explain to you that you posted in a public forum, so you have to deal with public opinion? Need me to come over and tell you how the world works?

your first comment, which didn't make any sense: because my friends don't think something, it doesn't exist.

You play very fast and loose with interpretations, quotes and meanings. Do all of your views stem from observing only your friends? If they don't, you should probably not assume that anybody else's do either.

If you came in here to have your ass properly kissed because you think you've written a Bukowskiesqe little potboiler, I'm sorry to burst your bubble. Jordan was trying to give you a little advice, you should consider it.

On a related note, why is everyone such a pussy these days? You'd think I had posted that Henry Baum's mother swallows paste or something. Get over yourself, man.

 

[henrybaum]

I'm not being oversensitive. I just don't suffer fools very well. And nothing you've written makes any sense. Like saying celebrity hasn't been an obsession in three decades. That thing about friends was a reaction to something you said - "Maybe I don't travel in the right circles." You have to travel in the right circles to understand that fame has an impact on the culture? This isn't about my writing - I can deal with criticism fine. I just can't deal with baseless criticism.

 

[mjp]

You are a textbook example of the kind of blindered idiot who it is ultimately pointless to try to get anything across to because you interpret everything in your own unique way in order to reinforce your trite world view. It makes no sense to continue to point out your comic misinterpretations, because it all falls on deaf (and dumb) ears.

I understand that this is the Internet, and we're supposed to argue back and forth endlessly over details and trivialities, but I can't. I have steaks to grill.

You may be a very fine writer (a charitable but unlikely assumption), and I do hope you exploit the forum here to make your six dollars and then disappear forever, as we all know you will.

 

[mjp]

I see the PDF link is fixed. Thank god! Page 92 is some of your best work.

 

[henrybaum]

I thought you were a troll until someone told me you run this place. Yeah, I'll leave - because who needs your bullshit? I think most people here can understand who's making the "comic misinterpretations."

 

[mjp]

I thought you were a shilling martyr until...well, I still think so.

But you know I love you Henry. Look, I made this forum for you to sell your wonderful books. And now you don't want to be my friend. I am confused.

 

[Gerard K H Love]

I see the PDF link is fixed. Thank god! Page 92 is some of your best work.

Hahahahahaha! I wonder how that will play in the movie? I'm no literary expert nor am I a skilled reader but there were a couple of decent parts in the 20 pages I read, counting the ha ha pages. I was very distracted by the big letter 'g' and the way they were the most noticeable thing on the pages, more ink than the other letters.
If Henry is in Portland does he know Father Luke or Kevin Sampsell?

 

[mjp]

If Henry is in Portland...

Henry is in Los Angeles, which is what gives him the insight to make blanket statements about the city.

 

[roni]

[...] Page 92 is some of your best work.

Page 163 wasn't bad either.

 

[mjp]

That may have been the best page, yes.

Unfortunately, I read about half of the book. As much as I could take. It isn't poorly written, meaning he spelled all the words correctly and added punctuation in appropriate places. But it is painfully derivative and infinitely more simple minded than most television sitcoms.

It may be good for 15 year old boys though (I believe they would especially enjoy the cover art, since it looks like it came out of a junior high notebook).

Feel free to use any part of my above literary review as a cover blurb, Henry.

 

[henrybaum]

Man, I'm starting to feel bad for you now. What's sad is you think your opinion will make someone cower away. Probably better to not criticize a book using phrases like "infinitely more simple minded" and then write about high school writing. Maybe time to take a look at what the fuck's your motivation.

In before: I thought you left! And some other dismissive comment that reveals more about you.

 

[mjp]

I thought you left?

 

[hoochmonkey9]

well, that's enough pissing for one thread, methinks!

here's the link to Henry's blog: http://www.henrybaum.com/

and his free download for his novel: http://anothersky.org/in-print/the-golden-calf-henry-baum/

support the small press, without the pissing.