The Poor Fish: Adam Vol 14, No 7, 1970

[Pogue Mahone]

I'll admit that I've found some of Bukowski's horse track stories boring -- especially when he got too detailed about his systems. But I really like this story. No, it's not perfect, but I think it demonstrates that Martin, Howard Sounes and other "critics" were wrong when they said his writing suffered when he wrote for the dirty magazines.

 

[mjp]

Martin, Howard Sounes and other "critics" were wrong when they said his writing suffered when he wrote for the dirty magazines.

That's an excerpt from Post Office though, so it probably wasn't written specifically as a short for this magazine.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Wow, I totally blanked on that for some reason (alcohol, drugs?) Well, at least we can check the editing. Feel free to move the post.

 

[mjp]

Well, I didn't know it was Post Office at first, I just knew I'd read it somewhere. ;)

It's still good to see.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I finally had a chance to compare this to the pages in Post Office. This is mostly Chapter IV, 1-6. It is pretty heavily edited for grammar and style the whole way through -- except for 6, which is surprising considering the subject.

Four or five paragraphs about his betting system are also removed, and a few paragraphs are added for a scene with his superintendent (which makes it fit in with the novel).

I don't think the edits are nearly as bad as Women, but they're there...