Gerard K H Love
Appreciate your friends
This dog's last name is Love. ;)
When did you discover Bukowski? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter mjp
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This dog's last name is Love. ;)
R
RichardWagons
I found a waterlogged copy of Women on the 50-cent rack outside of a now-defunct North Hollywood bookstore. I read it as I walked home and realized it was the funniest and most honest thing I'd ever read. That was in 1997, when I'd just turned 21, and was spending way too much time in bars and having women problems myself. I related.
You could buy a book collection cheaply through one of our daily newspapers. Among other interesting books was also 'Women' by Charles Bukowski. Having never heard of the man before I read a short description of the book on the sleeves. It immediately caught my attention and I read it several times since then. This happened two years ago and since then I've read all the books available in my language (poetry and prose) and began building my Buk collection.
A well-read friend of mine had a magazine devoted to Buk around 95-6 (don't know the title, pic of Buk on the cover) and left it on the table to impress a girl. I don't know if the girl was impressed but I was. A different friend in the same house had a copy of Roominghouse Madrigals. I loved that then got hooked. I bought Run with the Hunted and have been buying on and off ever since.
Funny how we all seem to have been hooked pretty quickly on Buk...
One day I hung around at my brother's, he handed me that strange little book by a bloke called Bukowski (actually pretty unknown in france), called Women. I went to the spirit shop and spent my night reading and drinkin beer. Kind of changed my way of life.
One day I hung around at my brother's, he handed me that strange little book by a bloke called Bukowski (actually pretty unknown in france), called Women. I went to the spirit shop and spent my night reading and drinkin beer. Kind of changed my way of life.
In high school, either junior or senior year, a friend of mine lent me Last Night of the Earth Poems. I didn't like all that much of it, but one poem really stuck out: something about 'my buddy, the valet at the racetrack.' Perfect motion in that poem, perfect cadence, exactly what I wanted to read, nothing more, nothing less.
But it still wasn't enough. Put down Bukowski for a while, went on to Baudelaire, Petrarch, Villon, Hamsun - all the delightfully somber writers of yore.
About 2 years ago (junior year at college), a friend of mine and I would often talk about topics of literary and philosophical nature. She began talking about Bukowski, reminded me that I had put him down with the expectation of picking him up again. Now, was I ready?
I then bought Tales of Ordinary Madness, and I got through maybe the first 5th of the book and put it down again. Waited. Waited.
By senior year of college, I was already well on my way to alcoholism, disillusionment, misogyny, and misanthropy. Too much schooling. Not enough fun or, as Buk calls it, moxie, dance, so on... And so for that spring break (bumming around LA without any plan, place to stay, nor too many friends) it made sense to return to Tales.... I ended up devouring it.
Since then, I find it difficult to read anything else as exclusively. Once I start a Bukowski book, I have to finish it before starting any other reading project. 2 summers ago, I spent the entire summer moving from one book to another: Women to Factotum to Ham on Rye. After I put down Bukowski, I read a bit of Fante (remember - Bukowski mentions him in Women [I believe]) (which is really like reading a more literary and Catholic Bukowski), but then after, whole months transpired when I couldn't read anything. I could just sit on Bukowski and wait until the next time I was ready to enter his quizzical, paradoxical, tragicomical world.
I've since realized at least one thing about Bukowski. I'm pretty sure he's the real-life manifestation of Fyodor Karamazov (I plan to flesh out this idea more in an essay). He can see his own buffoonery from a unique perspective - from outside and from within at the same time - which reminds me of the scene with Fyodor in Zosima's cell. And it makes me wonder if this isn't why he's so enjoyable to read. Modern life and literature are all about this dualistic self-perception...
More later.
Enjoy jacking off
But it still wasn't enough. Put down Bukowski for a while, went on to Baudelaire, Petrarch, Villon, Hamsun - all the delightfully somber writers of yore.
About 2 years ago (junior year at college), a friend of mine and I would often talk about topics of literary and philosophical nature. She began talking about Bukowski, reminded me that I had put him down with the expectation of picking him up again. Now, was I ready?
I then bought Tales of Ordinary Madness, and I got through maybe the first 5th of the book and put it down again. Waited. Waited.
By senior year of college, I was already well on my way to alcoholism, disillusionment, misogyny, and misanthropy. Too much schooling. Not enough fun or, as Buk calls it, moxie, dance, so on... And so for that spring break (bumming around LA without any plan, place to stay, nor too many friends) it made sense to return to Tales.... I ended up devouring it.
Since then, I find it difficult to read anything else as exclusively. Once I start a Bukowski book, I have to finish it before starting any other reading project. 2 summers ago, I spent the entire summer moving from one book to another: Women to Factotum to Ham on Rye. After I put down Bukowski, I read a bit of Fante (remember - Bukowski mentions him in Women [I believe]) (which is really like reading a more literary and Catholic Bukowski), but then after, whole months transpired when I couldn't read anything. I could just sit on Bukowski and wait until the next time I was ready to enter his quizzical, paradoxical, tragicomical world.
I've since realized at least one thing about Bukowski. I'm pretty sure he's the real-life manifestation of Fyodor Karamazov (I plan to flesh out this idea more in an essay). He can see his own buffoonery from a unique perspective - from outside and from within at the same time - which reminds me of the scene with Fyodor in Zosima's cell. And it makes me wonder if this isn't why he's so enjoyable to read. Modern life and literature are all about this dualistic self-perception...
More later.
Enjoy jacking off
bospress.net
www.bospress.net
Yes, I love jacking off - what self-respecting man (/woman) doesn't?
But I also like the stories and novels more than the poetry. For the most part. I have not, however, read as many poems as I have prose-pieces. I'm working on it, but lo! that takes time and dedication...
I get the sense that Bukowski was born to write prose more than poetry just like Shakespeare was born to write comedy more than tragedy (though comically enough, he is known mostly for his tragedies - as Buk, I believe, is known mostly for his poetry).
Does anyone have some suggestions for good poetry collections by Bukowski?
Keep Jackin'/Jillin' Off...
But I also like the stories and novels more than the poetry. For the most part. I have not, however, read as many poems as I have prose-pieces. I'm working on it, but lo! that takes time and dedication...
I get the sense that Bukowski was born to write prose more than poetry just like Shakespeare was born to write comedy more than tragedy (though comically enough, he is known mostly for his tragedies - as Buk, I believe, is known mostly for his poetry).
Does anyone have some suggestions for good poetry collections by Bukowski?
Keep Jackin'/Jillin' Off...
CarversDog
RIP
Apropos of nothing I add this Bukowski poem:
why is it that the pickup truck
carrying the loose refrigerator
on the freeway
is always going between
80 and 90 m.p.h.?
why is it that the pickup truck
carrying the loose refrigerator
on the freeway
is always going between
80 and 90 m.p.h.?
mjp
Founding member
I think you will find that is the minority view here. Though the prose certainly brings in more converts (it brought me in, back in the day), but his forte was poetry, no doubt about it.
Father Luke
Founding member
His collection of limericks would be an ideal place to start.
bospress.net
www.bospress.net
or his haikus....
Bill
Bill
here's one from his best known collection...
there once was a man named Buk
who said his name rhymed with puke
he went and got drunk
thought he found a lady for his spunk
but it was really a poodle called Duke.
Thanks for the suggestions. And thanks for the limerick. It's funny enough, but not very metric (probably written when drunk and/or screwing a poodle).
The friend I mentioned who turned me on to Buk in college - she always loved the 'bluebird in my soul' poem. That's a refreshing little thing, for sure.
I've read a bit of the poetry concerning his youth (mostly from Run with the Hunted), and frankly I think it is so inexpressive in comparison to the stories in Ham on Rye. That is my favorite novel of his, so far, because I have rarely ever felt so much sympathy and love for such a deadbeat. That he could evoke that strange, tottering feeling in me is impressive. But having read Ham..., I was just bored while reading poetry about his father, et.als.
Now, I've toured some through this website, and it seems that Roominghouse Madrigals might be a fun place to start for poetry.
Always making it.
The friend I mentioned who turned me on to Buk in college - she always loved the 'bluebird in my soul' poem. That's a refreshing little thing, for sure.
I've read a bit of the poetry concerning his youth (mostly from Run with the Hunted), and frankly I think it is so inexpressive in comparison to the stories in Ham on Rye. That is my favorite novel of his, so far, because I have rarely ever felt so much sympathy and love for such a deadbeat. That he could evoke that strange, tottering feeling in me is impressive. But having read Ham..., I was just bored while reading poetry about his father, et.als.
Now, I've toured some through this website, and it seems that Roominghouse Madrigals might be a fun place to start for poetry.
Always making it.
everyone's a critic.
and I wasn't drunk, but the poodle was.
roominghouse is a fine start, and I would also recommend;
that's what first pulled me in...
Discovering Bukowski
I had just moved to Kalamazoo, MI, from a town of 7,000 about 45 minutes southwest of Kalamazoo. I'd lived in the town of 7,000 after spending 4.5 years attending college in Ann Arbor (quite the culture shock). I started going to a small local bookseller's place downtown. When there, I kept seeing "Love Is A Dog From Hell." The name sounded too cliche for me, but one day, for some reason, I picked it up and took a look. The poems really struck me, in part because of their grit, in part because of their honesty, in part because of their humor, and in part because of their humility. I picked up some more of his poetry and, eventually, all of his novels. Coming from a family which included an emotionally abusive father, I easily identified with Bukowski's sense of bitterness, distrust, cynicism and alienation. I knew his experiences. At that point, I was also drinking a lot in an attempt to dull the pain. I don't drink much any more (and I don't begrudge anyone who does), but I still LOVE Bukowski.
I had just moved to Kalamazoo, MI, from a town of 7,000 about 45 minutes southwest of Kalamazoo. I'd lived in the town of 7,000 after spending 4.5 years attending college in Ann Arbor (quite the culture shock). I started going to a small local bookseller's place downtown. When there, I kept seeing "Love Is A Dog From Hell." The name sounded too cliche for me, but one day, for some reason, I picked it up and took a look. The poems really struck me, in part because of their grit, in part because of their honesty, in part because of their humor, and in part because of their humility. I picked up some more of his poetry and, eventually, all of his novels. Coming from a family which included an emotionally abusive father, I easily identified with Bukowski's sense of bitterness, distrust, cynicism and alienation. I knew his experiences. At that point, I was also drinking a lot in an attempt to dull the pain. I don't drink much any more (and I don't begrudge anyone who does), but I still LOVE Bukowski.
It's interesting that Brothers Karamazov was mentioned. I remember when I was trying to find out where, exactly, in BK the line "Who doesn't want to kill the father" occurs. I did a google search, and the first hit I got was a mention of the line cited in Ham On Rye.
hello Wanda, glad you're here.
you'll like it, i'm sure.
you'll like it, i'm sure.
The most beautiful woman in town. It made me laugh and then shocked me and then made me keep seeking more of his work to read.
When I was in college in the early 90's I used to visit a pal up in Gainesville who'd gotten kicked out of my school more or less and we went to see a friend of his who was talking about Bukowski, writing a thesis. Said he wanted to interview him but didn't think it likely because he was notorious cermudgeon or some such. I didn't give it too much thought. Some time later a friend gave me Notes of a Dirty Old Man. Loved it and I don't know when but began to read more of his stuff. The same girl later gave me The Most Beautiful Woman in Town. After that I read all the short story collections, all the novels, a lot of the poetry books. Many years later when I worked at Cornell I was able to access special collections and was able to hold (but didn't readd all of) It Catches My Heart... and Crucifix in a Death Hand. Those books are just lovely to look at. Cornell has a great collection and I got to read a lot of the small books about Buk: Spinning Off Bukowski, among others. Can't remember all the titles. Over time I read both Sounes' and Neely's biographies, Shakespeare Never Did This, some of the broadsides, the Christmas stuff. Also read a goodly portion of his letters. Read Drinking with Bukowski, Bukowski in Pictures, A Sure Bet, Friendship, Flame...., All's Normal Here. Even saw some of the recordings. Bukowski at Bellevue. At one point I didn't think much of the poems but loved the prose. I was too into the Surrealists I suppose. I guess I've read as much as can be found easily and some things a bit more obscure. Not as much as many here but more than others. These days I am a great fan of his poems though. I go hiking once a year in the Pyrenées with a pal and we often bring The Roominghouse Madrigals to read aloud. Maybe the only fools in France who cart along a fat book and whisky and bottles of wine up into the stratosphere. We get misty-eyed and always say yeah that guy's really got it all right, he sure has got it. We probably use the past tense though.
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HarryC13
RIP
Erections, Ejaculations ... was my first, and in my opinion I started out with the best. The copy I have is 7th printing, 1982, but I was reading Buk back in the 70s -- my copy of South of No North was 6th printing, 1978 -- so my guess is I lent my old copy of Erections out or lost it. Post Office was probably the first novel I read.
mjp
Founding member
And here's the actual news photograph from 1982!
Gerard K H Love
Appreciate your friends
That is a catch all picture. A broad stroke of meaning.
Good job on that.
Good job on that.
the only good poet
One retreat after another without peace.
Women was my first. a Virgin paperback. i didn't get it.
Post Office was the first Bukowski I ever read. I bought it at a yard sale, faded blue, ragged and papery, and had never heard of him at the time. I was 16. I may have seen Barfly before I read that book, but didn't know about Bukowski at that time, either. Needless to say (since I'm here) I really dug Post Office. I've really enjoyed his poetry, as well. Love is a Dog From Hell is amazing, and so is You Get So Lonely... I haven't read much of his work that I don't like.
Black Swan
Abord the Yorikke!
Great drawing !
Post Office when i was 15. I got it from one of my teachers. At the time my stories/reports were dark and fucking wierd, to the point where he asked "Have you heard of this guy named Charles Bukowski?" After reading that book I was hooked. My mentor in 12th grade liked Buk too, so he'd pretty much be the only one i'd talk to about him. Good stuff.
<3
<3
Hi all!
Im a newbie to both this forum and Buk himself, anyway here is my little story:
Ive always been interested in reading and poetry (from afar) and so I decided I should get a book on the subject to see if I like it etc, last week I went out with my mates and got very drunk, the following day I woke up (still drunk) and went into my local town on the way home, i popped in the local bookstore and decided to look for poetry books, at this time I still felt very drunk and couldnt really take much of it in, THEN i saw a book with a picture on it that looked interesting (it was Buk smoking a fag) so I typed his name or what I thought it was into my phone Charles BuWOWSKI (I was drunk) and as I did not have any money left I went home. I did some research on the net and I Ordered the book its called "Come On In!"
I also did some research on Buk himself and as he seemed such a great character ive been takin in by it all, strange that I found Buk by being very drunk as it seems he was fond of the odd beer or three! lol
The book came today and I cant wait to get home and read it!
PS
Im not always drunk ;)
Tommy80
Im a newbie to both this forum and Buk himself, anyway here is my little story:
Ive always been interested in reading and poetry (from afar) and so I decided I should get a book on the subject to see if I like it etc, last week I went out with my mates and got very drunk, the following day I woke up (still drunk) and went into my local town on the way home, i popped in the local bookstore and decided to look for poetry books, at this time I still felt very drunk and couldnt really take much of it in, THEN i saw a book with a picture on it that looked interesting (it was Buk smoking a fag) so I typed his name or what I thought it was into my phone Charles BuWOWSKI (I was drunk) and as I did not have any money left I went home. I did some research on the net and I Ordered the book its called "Come On In!"
I also did some research on Buk himself and as he seemed such a great character ive been takin in by it all, strange that I found Buk by being very drunk as it seems he was fond of the odd beer or three! lol
The book came today and I cant wait to get home and read it!
PS
Im not always drunk ;)
Tommy80
Father Luke
Founding member
When you've finished the book,
I would like to know your thoughts.
Thanks for coming by ;)
- -
Okay,
Father Luke
I would like to know your thoughts.
Thanks for coming by ;)
- -
Okay,
Father Luke
vodka
Miss Take
i found out about bukowski when i was about 15 and working at a Newberry's in Portland. i was carrying around a book of Rimbaud or something and this guy who worked at the camera counter was like psssst. have you ever read Bukowski? and i looked at him all doe eyed and was like who is Bukowski? he gave me my first copy of Love is a Dog From Hell and the rest is history.
