When did you discover Bukowski?
- Thread starter mjp
- Start date
i thank the dorky and rather snooty bookstore clerk at the Tattered Cover in downtown Denver. if he hadn't reacted the way he did to Hank, i either wouldn't have discovered him, or it would be several years until i would've. i don't quite know if he rolled his eyes when i asked about this "charles bukowski" character, but he seemed more aware of Hank's notoriousness than he did his literature. doesn't matter. i read Pulp. thought it was funny. picked up Notes... a few years later. couldn't stop reading him after i picked up Women. re-read Notes..., bought Ham on Rye and several books of poetry and short stories. the man just does it for me. had real soul, real spirit. even when he was writng about dying his writing was like living. the only time he bores me is when he talks about the horses, and that's only because i still have NO fucking clue what he's talking about half the time.
so THANK YOU snooty bookstore nerd! you kind of changed my life...
so THANK YOU snooty bookstore nerd! you kind of changed my life...
Why isn't Bukowski buried at Memory Lawn? Or better yet, Resurrection Slopel?:confused:CRB
Hot Water Music. . . I was 14 then and didnt have a job, so I stole it. It has since become the one book which I have owned more times than any other. It is also the one I usually give out (I like to "share" good lit with people) as a starter. I have owned and given it away probably over a dozen times.
The other book, though a non-Bukowski one, that I have given away several times is Jeff Noon's Vurt. . . great read.
The other book, though a non-Bukowski one, that I have given away several times is Jeff Noon's Vurt. . . great read.
Lolita Twist
Rose-hustler
First Buk book I ever read was Tales of Ordinary Madness. I remember distinctly the day I got it. I walked in the Borders in Saratoga and said to Matt (one of the clerks there that knows me kinda well), "recommend me something that suits my personality." He came out with Tales and told me to start there. I now own... Hot Water Music, Ham on Rye, Post Office, Most Beautiful Woman in Town, Portions, and a few others. Always expanding the collection though.... anyone have a spare copy of Women around anywhere? Because no one around here seems to have it...
You can find one on ebay for short money; usually less than $10. If you're not on paypal or don't have a credit card, all you need is a seller who takes money orders and truck on down to the Post Office and get a postal money order. Otherwise, they're all over the place there. While you're at it, get South of No North. Given what you've read, you'll like that one. You can probably get both lightly used for less than a new copy of any of the ecco publications these days.
Lolita Twist
Rose-hustler
Why thank you, Stickpin :D. I really want South of No North, been looking for that for a while, too. Thank you.
first book, most influential
The first Bukowski I read was 'The Most Beautiful Woman in Town & Other Short Stories' about 5 years ago. I loved it from the first story, became enthralled by the second and fell in love by the end. I found it in a half price bookstore and not knowing anything about him before hand picked it up because it merely felt good in my hands. I now lend it only to those I know who will appreciate it, who I love, who I want to remember (and give it back). I have had everyone who has borrowed it from me write their name and when they read it in the front cover so I can remember everyone who meant something to me in the book that means the most to me.
The first Bukowski I read was 'The Most Beautiful Woman in Town & Other Short Stories' about 5 years ago. I loved it from the first story, became enthralled by the second and fell in love by the end. I found it in a half price bookstore and not knowing anything about him before hand picked it up because it merely felt good in my hands. I now lend it only to those I know who will appreciate it, who I love, who I want to remember (and give it back). I have had everyone who has borrowed it from me write their name and when they read it in the front cover so I can remember everyone who meant something to me in the book that means the most to me.
Gerard K H Love
Appreciate your friends
Welcome most beautiful, you are so nice you posted twice.
University of Houston 1984 or 85 (hazy years), as I sat in perfesser Barthelme's survey class, the guy next to me was reading Ham on Rye. I read over his shoulder all week, ignoring B, entranced. Bought the book for myself that weekend. Never looked back. Havent read it all yet, but I imagine I will.
ham on rye, baby.
CarversDog
RIP
I came to Bukowski via Kerouac and Burroughs. This was about ten years ago. I had previously attempted to read "Tales of Ordinary Madness" and initially recoiled, sensing a lack of discipline and disregard for what I perceived as the basic rules of writing. I set the book aside. But then, for professional reasons I was compelled to indulge Kerouac and Burroughs and something in their loose (but disciplined in its own way) verse made me think, "You know, maybe this Bukowski feller is onto something." I then picked up "Tales" again and enjoyed it immensely. Since that time I always have a Bukowski book in rotation on my bedside table but by no means do I read him fanatically -- however, when I am facing periodic episodes of "writers block" (potentially fatal when one earns a living by slinging words), I find that reading a little Buk somehow mystically raises the blinds ... somehow Charles Bukowski got right to the heart of the zen of writing.
I do the same thing.
CarversDog
RIP
I think the answer, Hoochmonkey, is that Buk makes it (writing) appear so simple; we know, of course, that the opposite is true but his unadorned prose and straightforward dialogue appear to have just burst out of him and onto the page with little difficulty and makes me say to myself, "Oh, yeah, that's what I do for a living." The therapy rarely fails and I've recommended it to many other writers.
I've long thought Buk to be the greatest writer of dialogue ever. I'm not sure he's the single greatest writer as a whole, since there are so many stylistic differences among the best writers that it makes "greatest" so very subjective. Of course, I don't have an alternate suggestion as single greatest right now, either.
I suppose one could make the same case for the dialogue issue, but the ease and naturalness with which Buk's dialogue falls on both the eyes and ears is far beyond anything I've read by any other writer.
Here I am preaching to the choir.
CarversDog
RIP
Ray Chandler was no slouch in the dialogue department, and Joan Didion's skill with conversation on paper is vastly underappreciated. One of the four or five books I am rotating right now is Didion's first major novel, "A Book of Common Prayer", and there are several elaborate set pieces in the story where she masterfully executes dialogue between multiple characters in the same room at the same time without hopelessly confusing the reader. That takes a mountain of skill.
That's mine as well. Bought it at a Books-a-Million. Until that store opened up in my town, you couldn't find a decent poetry section unless you drove to a mall an hour or two away.
Right, and it will not be possible for Buk's particular brand of "looseness"-of-approach to succeed again. His "dialect" is not regional, elitist, academic, beatnik or slang-ish. He owns that style, now, like Pollock owns the drip paintings. Everyone else is just gonna have to find their own way...even if Buk is their most powerful influence. The effortlessness of his dialogue is divine...and pure and without affectation. This is why he's one of the best reads out there...He lets you in; doesnt seem to mind of you're on his sofa, as long as you just keep your trap shut, and pay attention.
I found him on a friends blog... Then bought "you get so alone..." and "tales of ordinary madness"...Best decision ever...
Post Office...it was a cold winter's day in 2006 and i was bound to him immediately.
I saw Factom not too long ago. I enjoyed it - was kind of suprised that Matt Dillon played Hank though... I want to read that next.
nervas
more crickets than friends
Love Is A Dog From Hell!
I was 17 years old, it was 1991 and the Red Hot Chili Peppers had just released "Blood Sugar Sex Magic."
I couldn't stop listening to it, over and over on my sony cassette walkman! There is a song on the album called "Mellowship Slinky In B Major" where Anthony Keidis is listing his favorite things. He talks about the artist Robert Williams, talks about the Lakers etc.
There is a line in the song where he says:
"I'm on my porch 'cause I lost my house key
Pick up my book I read Bukowski
Can I get another kiss from you
Kiss me right here on my tattoo"
And I wondered what the hell is, or who the hell is Bukowski. Without the benefit of the internet at the time, I went into the local book store, saw a shelf of Bukowski books and picked "Love Is A Dog From Hell" and like many, many readers here, read it and then went and started to buy everything I could find and still worship the BUK till this day, 18 years later!
Also started listening to Howard Stern the same year and have never stopped!
I was 17 years old, it was 1991 and the Red Hot Chili Peppers had just released "Blood Sugar Sex Magic."
I couldn't stop listening to it, over and over on my sony cassette walkman! There is a song on the album called "Mellowship Slinky In B Major" where Anthony Keidis is listing his favorite things. He talks about the artist Robert Williams, talks about the Lakers etc.
There is a line in the song where he says:
"I'm on my porch 'cause I lost my house key
Pick up my book I read Bukowski
Can I get another kiss from you
Kiss me right here on my tattoo"
And I wondered what the hell is, or who the hell is Bukowski. Without the benefit of the internet at the time, I went into the local book store, saw a shelf of Bukowski books and picked "Love Is A Dog From Hell" and like many, many readers here, read it and then went and started to buy everything I could find and still worship the BUK till this day, 18 years later!
Also started listening to Howard Stern the same year and have never stopped!
I was 19....I was an avid fan of Kerouac, Ginsberg etc etc....I was a writer myself....(or at least tried)...
I was working in a credit card factory at the time...data entry, working on printers, moving safes, answering phones, falling asleep in front of heavy machinery that kind of thing...and living in a tiny attic room above my aunts house drinking an awful lot of alcohol...
One night a friend of mine...Paddy...(a hippy, with a battery through his ear)...was chatting to me...he told me something like i had a bit of bukowski about me (i was drunk at the time, shitting on about streetlights...as i do often...) and so i went out...looked for his first book...and post office made its way into my clammy little hands...
since then (that was summer 2008) I've read Factotum (which i also read drunk in that little room) and women (which i read mostly in my tiny colleges toilets while shitting)...
I was working in a credit card factory at the time...data entry, working on printers, moving safes, answering phones, falling asleep in front of heavy machinery that kind of thing...and living in a tiny attic room above my aunts house drinking an awful lot of alcohol...
One night a friend of mine...Paddy...(a hippy, with a battery through his ear)...was chatting to me...he told me something like i had a bit of bukowski about me (i was drunk at the time, shitting on about streetlights...as i do often...) and so i went out...looked for his first book...and post office made its way into my clammy little hands...
since then (that was summer 2008) I've read Factotum (which i also read drunk in that little room) and women (which i read mostly in my tiny colleges toilets while shitting)...
Welcome, but please, please, please don't ever do that again.
nervas
more crickets than friends
Howard Stern
Ok, I wasn't comparing the two. It just happened to be said in the same sentence out of coincidence.
However you guys did peak my interest with such a strong hatred for Stern. I truly worship the ground Buk walked on, live right in Los Angeles just short miles from many of the places he lived, have visited them all and taken the tours.
With that said, from this guy's opinion there is absolutely nothing wrong with mentioning Stern and Bukowski in the same sentence. Two completely different forms of artist. In my opinion it would be like someone mentioning the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Hawks in the same sentence. One has nothing to do with the other.
So I feel for you who hate Howard Stern so much and maybe Bukowski would have, or did hate him too, but both Stern and Bukowski are amazing talents in their ownn right, except Stern made about 1billion dollars more than ole' Buk could have dreamed of making. Not that it matters.
Ok, I wasn't comparing the two. It just happened to be said in the same sentence out of coincidence.
However you guys did peak my interest with such a strong hatred for Stern. I truly worship the ground Buk walked on, live right in Los Angeles just short miles from many of the places he lived, have visited them all and taken the tours.
With that said, from this guy's opinion there is absolutely nothing wrong with mentioning Stern and Bukowski in the same sentence. Two completely different forms of artist. In my opinion it would be like someone mentioning the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Hawks in the same sentence. One has nothing to do with the other.
So I feel for you who hate Howard Stern so much and maybe Bukowski would have, or did hate him too, but both Stern and Bukowski are amazing talents in their ownn right, except Stern made about 1billion dollars more than ole' Buk could have dreamed of making. Not that it matters.