When did you discover Bukowski? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter mjp
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HenryChinaski
Founding member
NOTES OF A DIRTY OLD MAN, read it in 1989... I haven't read it again since the late 90's, I should pick it up again. There are a bunch of cover variations, versions of this book to be collected, I think City Lights was smart, changing the covers colors, then eventually cover pictures, etc... They knew we'd be COLLECTING them one day! Still don't have the ESSEX (1st) printing of NOTES...
HenryChinaski
Founding member
man I'm way behind you guys when it comes to finding out about Buk earlier. But i've made up for it by reading damn near most of his work.
bospress.net
www.bospress.net
Hi theeffects,
Also.... Welcome to the best forum on the net... Addictive, no?
Best,
Bill
Also.... Welcome to the best forum on the net... Addictive, no?
Best,
Bill
great! just what I need, another addiction....
:)
:)
bospress.net
www.bospress.net
Hi,
This is an addiction that will not break your wallet!
Bill
This is an addiction that will not break your wallet!
Bill
Bukfan
"The law is wrong; I am right"
That is, if he does?nt take up collecting original Buk material...;)
bospress.net
www.bospress.net
too late,.....
I got lucky, my ex-girlfriend was a Buk freak and introduced us. My first read was Ham on Rye and i was hooked. my current girlfriend hadn't yet met him either so i introduced her with Tales of Ordinary Madness. and we haven't quit reading since. most recently i read Hollywood, which while living in los angeles myself i found it to be true. right now i'm reading post office for the first time and considering clerking too...yeah fuckin right
first read
I went looking for a book to take to a christmas gathering, where we all exchange books by drawing for a turn and picking the one you liked the wrapping on. I brought "Run with the Hunted". a collection of his works. I couldn't figure out why I was familiar with his name, but it looked intriuging. My grandmother ended up choosing my book. She glanced at it and was taken aback by the content. When my turn came, I could either choose a wrapped book or steal one already opened. I took mine back. Loved it and haven't stopped sense then. I hate to follow the crowd, but this seems like a crowd I could drink with, besides most folks don't know what the hell you're talking about when you bring up his writing and life anyways. It seems so easy for people to be repulsed by him. His stuff speaks to the heart of me.
I went looking for a book to take to a christmas gathering, where we all exchange books by drawing for a turn and picking the one you liked the wrapping on. I brought "Run with the Hunted". a collection of his works. I couldn't figure out why I was familiar with his name, but it looked intriuging. My grandmother ended up choosing my book. She glanced at it and was taken aback by the content. When my turn came, I could either choose a wrapped book or steal one already opened. I took mine back. Loved it and haven't stopped sense then. I hate to follow the crowd, but this seems like a crowd I could drink with, besides most folks don't know what the hell you're talking about when you bring up his writing and life anyways. It seems so easy for people to be repulsed by him. His stuff speaks to the heart of me.
jordan
lothario speedwagon
wow, i feel weird now... the first book i read was "the captain is out to lunch". it did its job, and i got hooked. i bought that one out of all the others at borders because 1-it was in hardcover, which was the coolest looking hardcover book i'd ever seen at borders, and 2-it was illustrated by crumb, who i like a lot. this was about 10 years ago... i'm 26 now. i guess that's a weird one to start with... after that, i read ham on rye, then post office, then women, and onward and upward.
i bought up what i could after that, but i only bought the books from a bookstore in chicago that carried the hardcover versions of every black sparrow edition of his work. i got 11 books from that bookstore, and i wish i had bought more, now that black sparrow is gone.
i bought up what i could after that, but i only bought the books from a bookstore in chicago that carried the hardcover versions of every black sparrow edition of his work. i got 11 books from that bookstore, and i wish i had bought more, now that black sparrow is gone.
My first book was "Women", thanks to MJP. It made me realise the crap I had been reading...well not all of it.
I ripped through the book so fast, I was sad to see it end. Kind of.
MjP also said I looked "nice"...... the same day he gave me the book. Weird.
KFS
Yes, yes I was! :D
i'm seventeen.
first bukowski i read was his "night torn mad with footsteps".
and i quote it to everyone when i feel rebellious.
but no one knows who he is.
first bukowski i read was his "night torn mad with footsteps".
and i quote it to everyone when i feel rebellious.
but no one knows who he is.
E
Eldragon
How did you find out about Bukowski?
One boring day in 1984, while in Yugoslavian Military someone left "Women" and "Tales of Ordinary Madness" on one of the cots. First pages of "Women" really shocked me, because I never had read anything honest and blunt like that before. I've been hooked ever-since.
Few years later I did move to to US, and the first books (even I couldn't speak english) I ordered from the bookstore were those two books that changed my life.
One boring day in 1984, while in Yugoslavian Military someone left "Women" and "Tales of Ordinary Madness" on one of the cots. First pages of "Women" really shocked me, because I never had read anything honest and blunt like that before. I've been hooked ever-since.
Few years later I did move to to US, and the first books (even I couldn't speak english) I ordered from the bookstore were those two books that changed my life.
I saw the film Tales of Ordinary Madness I think it's called. I don't know why, but after that I got Women and loved every line in it.
Actually, I remember a couple of things from that movie: when he follows the woman off the bus and back to her pad. And another scene when Chinaski's sleeping in a car lot and the owner and his kid find him. They really give it to him but he just walks away, no reaction. I liked that. It's like that poem when the landlady's abusing him and he finishes with "in a world that had failed us both."
Actually, I remember a couple of things from that movie: when he follows the woman off the bus and back to her pad. And another scene when Chinaski's sleeping in a car lot and the owner and his kid find him. They really give it to him but he just walks away, no reaction. I liked that. It's like that poem when the landlady's abusing him and he finishes with "in a world that had failed us both."
HenryChinaski
Founding member
One day, my friend, Ringo Suicide said, read this writer. I searched the libraries, then the internet, and finally got a few of his books. This interest sparked an obsession that doesn't show any signs of subsiding.
number6horse
okyoutwopixiesoutyougo
The poem is called "the tragedy of the leaves" and was originally published in It Cathes My Heart In It's Hands , though it was also later re-published as part of the collection Burning In Water-Drowning In Flame. An excellent poem to cite when someone claims Buk had no empathy or sensitivity towards others.
While on the N train, entering the heart of New York City, I caught a glimpse of this man. The guy was attempting to suppress his laughter. From my position the only visibility I had was of his face. On the next the stop some seats became available, and being the curios fellow I am, I sat next to him. And as I sat I noticed he had this blue, torn up book. I also remember the page number: 34. Then I read the cover, POST OFFICE: A NOVEL BY CHARLES BUKOWSKI.
And I thought, this little book could be the answer. Seeing that man enjoying his book was really something. I was heading to school that afternoon and leaving the train I looked back to the man and smiled. The first thing I did when I entered the university was head to the library. And sure enough I stumbled on a Mr. Bukowski. I then turned to page 1, my first Bukowski experience, and it read: "It began as a mistake." I chuckled and read the entire novel in one sitting.
It's been two years since, and I'm still hanging on.
And I thought, this little book could be the answer. Seeing that man enjoying his book was really something. I was heading to school that afternoon and leaving the train I looked back to the man and smiled. The first thing I did when I entered the university was head to the library. And sure enough I stumbled on a Mr. Bukowski. I then turned to page 1, my first Bukowski experience, and it read: "It began as a mistake." I chuckled and read the entire novel in one sitting.
It's been two years since, and I'm still hanging on.
Digney in Burnaby
donkeys live a long time
October, 1974 issue of Creem. Review of Dirty Old Man and Erections, etc., by Lester Bangs. Probably bought it at the magazine rack at Rexall Drugs, main street of Langley, BC, Canada because that's where I bought my first (Dec. 73) issue. One and a half horse town. Bukowski was Bangs' favourite writer at that point because, Lester's opinion, Burroughs had become boring. At that point, what did I know? I grew outside of Langley on 'hell's half acre'.
Didn't really read Bukowski until college 1976 or so. Some signed and numbered copies of Mockingbird and other books in the library. So it all took awhile to get him on the radar screen and then for me to keep him on the screen. No internet, just lots and lots of nothin' at all.
Didn't really read Bukowski until college 1976 or so. Some signed and numbered copies of Mockingbird and other books in the library. So it all took awhile to get him on the radar screen and then for me to keep him on the screen. No internet, just lots and lots of nothin' at all.
mjp
Founding member
Man, those Creem mags in the early 70's - amazing. I remember reading Jaggernaut in Creem when I was a teenager. I read and re-read those magazines a hundred times a month, just waiting for the next issue.
Digney in Burnaby
donkeys live a long time
Yeah, I've still got all the ones I bought. Used to go down to Gastown in Vancouver, where the Georgia Straight had their offices, and buy back issues of Creem and Rolling Stone. Even bought a back issue in some shop in Paris back in 1975. Managed to get it back to Canada in good shape.
Creem right back to the beginning is available on microfilm at a local university. And somewhere on the net the Creem website used to have old articles like the Of Pop and Pies story Lester did on The Stooges way way back.
That Jaggernaut article was a great introduction for me to Bukowski and his writing. And reminds me that a local Vancouver newspaper during the mid 1970s had some interesting writers who were interested in Bangs and Bukowski. My avatar comes from a 1976 Vancouver Sun Leisure section cover story on Bukowski reading here. Looks almost good inspite of it being a print from microfilm, cropped and reduced....
Creem right back to the beginning is available on microfilm at a local university. And somewhere on the net the Creem website used to have old articles like the Of Pop and Pies story Lester did on The Stooges way way back.
That Jaggernaut article was a great introduction for me to Bukowski and his writing. And reminds me that a local Vancouver newspaper during the mid 1970s had some interesting writers who were interested in Bangs and Bukowski. My avatar comes from a 1976 Vancouver Sun Leisure section cover story on Bukowski reading here. Looks almost good inspite of it being a print from microfilm, cropped and reduced....
A singer/songwriter I knew mentioned the name Charles Bukowski but I didn't think too much about it. About a year later I'm in the library and come across a book called Run With The Hunted. The name rang a bell. I took it home and started reading it. It blew me away. I never read anything written with such clarity and honesty.It grabbed me by the throat and held me there.
Yes Charles, I'm sure the walls of the L.A. public library trembled that day you took down John Fante's book Ask The Dust, but they also trembled that day I took down Run With The Hunted from the Toronto public library.
Yes Charles, I'm sure the walls of the L.A. public library trembled that day you took down John Fante's book Ask The Dust, but they also trembled that day I took down Run With The Hunted from the Toronto public library.
I can't really remember but I probably read about him in Creem since I was a devoted reader from 72 on, I think. What a great magazine and great writer Lester Bangs was.
I do recall seeing Bukowski on PBS in the early 70's reading his poems on a stage with a refrigerator of beer nearby. That might've been my first introduction though I wasn't intrigued being a marijuana person then.
I know in the early 80's when I decided to check out poetry he was the first one I picked, liked him and never really found another poet that I liked.
I do recall seeing Bukowski on PBS in the early 70's reading his poems on a stage with a refrigerator of beer nearby. That might've been my first introduction though I wasn't intrigued being a marijuana person then.
I know in the early 80's when I decided to check out poetry he was the first one I picked, liked him and never really found another poet that I liked.
How did you find-out about Bukowski?
For me the first poem i found of Bukowski's was The Poetry Reading which is still one of my favorites. I believe i heard of his as a writer off of a friends website and did some searching on google for some poetry. After reading The Poetry Reading I went to a local bookstore and bough one of his books; Love Is A Dog From Hell.
I love it all. Novels, Short Stores, Poetry, everything!
For me the first poem i found of Bukowski's was The Poetry Reading which is still one of my favorites. I believe i heard of his as a writer off of a friends website and did some searching on google for some poetry. After reading The Poetry Reading I went to a local bookstore and bough one of his books; Love Is A Dog From Hell.
I love it all. Novels, Short Stores, Poetry, everything!
HenryChinaski
Founding member
hahahahah, welcome to the club.
