Well, Hello...

[Salted Slug]

Greetings to you all from the Salted Slug. I am fairly new to Bukowski's works, but have quickly become a big fan. Happy to be here!

 

[growing beard]

Feel free to look around! We're no Bukowski's but once in a while you'll see some pretty good lines around here. What of his stuff have you been getting into so far?

-Mike

 

[Salted Slug]

I started with Ham on Rye, which I really enjoyed. From there, I read Post Office, and then Pulp. I thoroughly enjoyed Love is a Dog From Hell. I'm not sure which I should read next... another novel, or more poetry. Any suggestions?

 

[growing beard]

I'm all about the poetry, personally, although i know a lot of folks around here disagree. The night torn mad with footsteps has a keeper on every page practically for example. Although again a lot of people will prefer the rollicking tumult of his earlier stuff, i like the maturity and reflexiveness of his later work. Also i can recommend a book of interviews, Laughing with the gods. What were some pieces in Love is a Dog that you dug?

-Mike

 

[mjp]

a lot of people will prefer the rollicking tumult of his earlier stuff, i like the maturity and reflexiveness of his later work.

"A lot of people" prefer to read authentic Bukowski, which you get with the collections published during his lifetime. The posthumous books have been heavily edited, and in the process - a lot of people might argue - degraded. To put it mildly.

The night torn mad with footsteps is a prime example. Though most of the posthumously published collections are full of such "editing." Don't take my word for it. Compare for yourself.

 

[growing beard]

The posthumous books have been heavily edited

i figured that was true. thanks for linking the originals. "a happening" is one of my favorites and in this case "a lot of people" would be right. the original is far better even than the collected version. however, the collected version is still better than most poems a person will find anywhere else. So i think it's still worth getting the book, because even the tampered later stuff reads better to me that the untampered earlier rougher stuff. I just think he got a lot better with age. BUT, this web site is going to change your life, if you get into it, because where the published stuff is good, the originals are life-changing.

in the nuts and bolts, published version:
"he's each one of us
alone
forever
fiercely ignoring
the
pain"

original version:
"he's each one of us
alone
forever
fiercely contesting
the
agony"

 

[mjp]

the tampered later stuff reads better to me that the untampered earlier rougher stuff.

But as you can see, just because the book is "later" doesn't mean the poems are later. Look at the dates on those night torn mad manuscripts; 1975, 1977, 1982. Later books does not equal later poems.

In most cases, the only time the poems roughly coincide with when he wrote them is in the books published while he was alive. Even there it varies, but usually not as wildly.

 

[Salted Slug]

I'm all about the poetry, personally, although i know a lot of folks around here disagree. The night torn mad with footsteps has a keeper on every page practically for example. Although again a lot of people will prefer the rollicking tumult of his earlier stuff, i like the maturity and reflexiveness of his later work. Also i can recommend a book of interviews, Laughing with the gods. What were some pieces in Love is a Dog that you dug?

I really enjoyed all of them! Being a beer drinker, I liked "Beer". I also liked "The Crunch". I think what I enjoy most about his poetry, is the honesty. It's REAL, and it's refreshing.
I have only cracked the surface, and look forward to digging in!