How to describe Buk? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter bridget
- Start date
bospress.net
www.bospress.net
This is tough. They will not get it unless they read him and then they will probably not get it anyway. I would say to tell them that he is America's Finest Poet. That will confuse them, and they will stop asking questions. Otherwise, if it comes up in conversation a lot, maybe copy a few of your favorite poems and when they ask you about Bukowski, hand them the poems... Either they will like them or they won't...
Bill
Bill
Or just hand them a copy of "Play the Piano Drunk..." and give them a couple of hours
bospress.net
www.bospress.net
You need to hit people hard and fast. Most people will not sit down and read a whole book of poetry that someone hands them, and I'm not sure that Play The Piano Drunk would be the first book to read. If you typed googled and found the poems like "Genius of the Crowd", "Dinosauria, We" and a couple others, and printed them out, thos emay be ones that someone would read and say "wow".
Just don't let them watch Factotum (the movie) first!
BIll
Just don't let them watch Factotum (the movie) first!
BIll
If some one had handed me that book before i found his works for my self I would have been for ever grateful. Although the majority of his work is amazing, I think that this little book showcases his best.
mjp
Founding member
Now that's the funniest thing I've read in a while.
Great choices to introduce people to the man. Powerful stuff
Bridget-
Try this: If you are familiar with Hank's life, try describing him as a comparison with someone they know/knew who's life mirrored Buk's. Many of us knew people who lived like he did (sans the writing). Like; Do you remember Uncle Harry,, well, he's like Uncle Harry, except he writes"
This may help...or just add to the confusion
Try this: If you are familiar with Hank's life, try describing him as a comparison with someone they know/knew who's life mirrored Buk's. Many of us knew people who lived like he did (sans the writing). Like; Do you remember Uncle Harry,, well, he's like Uncle Harry, except he writes"
This may help...or just add to the confusion
I just say, "Oh, he's probably not your cup of cake!" I use that mismatched idiom because I heard it from a clerk at a store and loved it....he was new to America and giving it his best shot. Anyway, that's what I say when people ask about Bukowski, because, honestly, I find him hard to put into words:)
Two very valid ideas! Like 'em!
Despite the fact 'bridgie' seems to be gone since her first and only post, I'd add another one for your families+friends (recently used it):
"Imagine Jack Nicholson in the movie 'As good as it gets' - only on skidrow." - yeah, I know, this doesn't fit properly! But it gives newbies a glimpse, doesn't it?
Father Luke
Founding member
Garbage pail laureate
Black Swan
Abord the Yorikke!
Unorthodox and outrageous poet of the slumbs. A drunken closet romantic...
Montreal, April 23rd, 2008
Good day Amber,
I quick message to tell you that I find your story (well I only heard the extract you read in Born into this) very touching and that it was a good thing you could share it with people who like Bukowski. I would like to read the entire book!
You must be a very interesting and sensitive woman.
Take care
Joëlle
I know my English is not perfect:)
Good day Amber,
I quick message to tell you that I find your story (well I only heard the extract you read in Born into this) very touching and that it was a good thing you could share it with people who like Bukowski. I would like to read the entire book!
You must be a very interesting and sensitive woman.
Take care
Joëlle
I know my English is not perfect:)
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Greetings and welcome Bridget.
When I've been asked about Bukowski and what he's like, I always say the following:
"If you like drinking, smoking and screwing, you'll like Bukowski."
Those that don't like that stuff won't bother with him, no loss. Those that do, from what I've seen, always gravitate toward his writing.
When I've been asked about Bukowski and what he's like, I always say the following:
"If you like drinking, smoking and screwing, you'll like Bukowski."
Those that don't like that stuff won't bother with him, no loss. Those that do, from what I've seen, always gravitate toward his writing.
of course, that's a little onesided, if you know what i mean.
well, i guess you didn't do.
sorry. maybe i wasn't clear.
what i wanted to say is, reducing Buk to "drinking, smoking and screwing", is like saying: "a sunset is red." - of course it IS. but there's SO MUCH MORE to it!!!
a sunset is not GREAT because it's 'red'! is it? - it's GREAT because of something else, because of the WHOLE thing. because of something we have no words for.
now, take this and you know my feelings about Buk.
and thanks for listening.
Oh, ok Roni, I get what you're saying. And I agree completely. The reason I've used that line was for sheer impact to people who've never even heard his name. Hank's a hard one to describe in less words. It usually got a conversation about him started, if that piqued their interest any. Which is usually did. Then I get into what you're talking about.
Gerard K H Love
Appreciate your friends
Yes Bukfan is right great poem, and it sounds like a Bukowski poem. That poem describes Charles Bukowski. Thanx
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Black Swan
Abord the Yorikke!
He Sensationalizes the lives of the down trodden man or woman who enjoy the shit life, the people that quietly begin to love it here or the people that inherently get stuck here... he makes 'em feel a little better about the people that they are, or become... Welcome.
