Finished Women last night...

[zenguru]

Wow, and I thought Factotum was racy. Women made Factotum look like Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm!

Seriously, for every passage where Chinaski described mounting a woman, there was another passage of absolute poetry. Every chapter was like ugliness and beauty fighting over a cupcake.

Loved it. Now I'm reading The Most Beautiful Woman in Town.

 

[roni]

I'm happy for your experience and that you got it right! (obviously you did!)
Welcome to a new world!

Didn't really follow your readings of Buk so far, but if you haven't read 'HAM ON RYE' by now:
THIS is something that might KILL you!

 

[magroo]

women

you are so right-women is a bit more saucy!

 

[zenguru]

Didn't really follow your readings of Buk so far, but if you haven't read 'HAM ON RYE' by now:
THIS is something that might KILL you!

Think I'm gonna hold off novels for a while. Too many in a row might put me outta my misery. I'll finish "Most Beautiful Woman..." and then crack open one of the poetry books I just ordered.

 

[Purple Stickpin]

I highly recommend your tactic. The novels are great, but too few. Save a couple for the months and years to come. The poem is where Buk felt most at home, and there are enough to last for years of new reading.

The poem also sheds some light on some of the more obscure turns that occassionally show up in the novels. But, by all means, get South of No North. It's a must-have; despite the book-ranking.

 

[slimedog]

Well, I think you just finished his best novel & are moving onto his best work, period. This is only my opinion.

 

[zenguru]

Slimedog, having started with his poetry years ago, I'm more comfortable with that. Though his novels are good, each poem of his is like a gif that plays over and over in my head. They're like youtube on paper.

And don't worry, Purple. I do have South of No North in stock. But I think I'll get to that after some poetry first. Tactics, y'know.:cool:

 

[Bukfan]

Though his novels are good, each poem of his is like a gif that plays over and over in my head. They're like youtube on paper.

Youtube on paper? - That's funny! :D

 

[slimedog]

Slimedog, having started with his poetry years ago, I'm more comfortable with that. Though his novels are good, each poem of his is like a gif that plays over and over in my head. They're like youtube on paper.

And don't worry, Purple. I do have South of No North in stock. But I think I'll get to that after some poetry first. Tactics, y'know.:cool:

Though I love a lot of his poems his short stories and novels are more speed-I have a little trouble with poetry, even Buk's.

 

[zenguru]

You and me are just wired a little differently, slime. No shame in that.:cool:

 

[Gerard K H Love]

Sometimes I think slimedog is wired differently than anyone.;)

I am starting Women for the 2nd time. I just read through the women chapter in Locked in the Arms of a Crazy Life. I recommend that biography.

 

[zenguru]

Just how different is Sounes' bio from Barry Miles'? I mean how is it worth getting? I'm curious, since a lot of people here seem to like it.

 

[roni]

it simply was the first bio based on serious research. (which doesn't mean, there aren't new things known by now that weren't in it then. It isn't really 'up-to-date' by now! Some people here could do a Very Much better bio right now!)

But:
All bios after that (so far!) didn't really do source-research but based their writing on others, mostly this one.

To give you an idea of the importance:
We don't like Howard Sounes around here much, because he gave this forum some so-called-copyright-fuckyou-problems in the past. (the matter was nothing, really!) - and STILL most here recommend this bio.

 

[mjp]

Both of Sounes' Bukowski books are worth buying. But as Roni says, the Barry Miles book is pretty much useless if you have Sounes (and to a lesser extent Cherkovski's Hank).

Man, I read another one recently - I was going to post about it here - but it was nothing but quotes and excerpts from other books. It got me wondering how you get a publishing deal for a book like that. Something so utterly unnecessary and redundant. Amazing. I'll have to find out who that was...

 

[Bukfan]

To give you an idea of the importance:
We don't like Howard Sounes around here much, because he gave this forum some so-called-copyright-fuckyou-problems in the past. (the matter was nothing, really!) - and STILL most here recommend this bio.

Absolutely! It's still the best Buk bio out there. If you have'nt read any Buk bio, you should start with this one.
And Sounes'"Bukowski in pictures", is a nice addition to his Buk bio.
I'm too fond of Miles'Buk bio. In my view it's inferior to Sounes', but Cherkovski's Buk bio has some interesting parts.

 

[ESO9]

Man, I read another one recently - I was going to post about it here - but it was nothing but quotes and excerpts from other books. It got me wondering how you get a publishing deal for a book like that. Something so utterly unnecessary and redundant. Amazing. I'll have to find out who that was...

You're right about getting such rubbish published. But what was the book in case I go crazy on Amazon, I don't want to waste my money?

Thanks!

 

[mjp]

Charles Bukowski (Great Writers), Michael Gray Baughan. Avoid at all costs.

 

[zenguru]

So does Sounes "get" Bukowski better than Miles and others? Miles' bio seemed pretty comprehensive. But him not being American, I wonder what pieces of Buk's life may be missing. So I'm assuming then, that Sounes just did better research on Buk's life and times.

 

[Bukfan]

Absolutely! Sounes did a better bio than Miles, and it's better researched too, I think, It's also a much more interesting bio to read than Miles'.

 

[David]

Sounes is the best so far, but there has yet to be a real literary biography. Miles quotes miles of stuff from my interview book Sunlight Here I Am with no commentary and very little original research and with miles and miles of baseless conjecture. I have Miles' William Burroughs biography and it's pretty much the same story. He's a Sixties Guy, but not a literary guy.

 

[Bukfan]

There sure was a lot of, "since Bukowski wrote about it, it must have happened", stuff.

 

[zenguru]

Well, I have a lot of Buk books to catch up on in the meantime. Perhaps I'll pick up Sounes' bio when I have some open space or if I see it at a good price. I did enjoy Miles' bio. But now that I've read that, it might be fun to see how it compares with Sounes.

 

[Gerard K H Love]

Hey Zen, I'm over halfway through H S's bio and it is easy reading. It does help to read Women first.

 

[zenguru]

Then I guess I must be well-prepared!

 

[HiddenFormula]

Hey I just started Women yesterday. I'm enjoying it so far but it's quite different to the previous novels, not that that's a bad thing. Just an observation.

So far it seems more autobiographical then the other works.

 

[Bruno Dante]

I guess people on here would recommend Locked in the Arms of a Crazy Life then? I've always sort of steered clear of biographies because I like his novels and short stories so much and thought any biographies would be a big disappointment in comparison.

 

[Gerard K H Love]

I would, like most around here, recommend Howard Sounes biography Locked in the Arms of a Crazy Life. He spent a lot of time and money interviewing and researching Bukowski's friends and associates. It is easy to read and covers as much as you would need.

 

[Bruno Dante]

I will check it out. Thanks.

 

[zenguru]

Hey I just started Women yesterday. I'm enjoying it so far but it's quite different to the previous novels, not that that's a bad thing. Just an observation.

So far it seems more autobiographical then the other works.

At the very least, Women seems more brutally honest than Factotum. Haven't read Ham on Rye or Post Office yet. In due time.

 

[HiddenFormula]

Yeah, I guess that's what I meant by seeming more auto-biographical.

I am just at the part where he get's lost in the desert in Utah. Hilarious.