Which one first?

D

drb89

My library currently only has Pulp, Hollywood, and Post Office in. I have not read anything by Bukowski yet, but plan to read all of his novels. I'm going to the beach for the weekend so I want to check one out before I go. Out of those three which one would be the best to start with? Thanks for your advice!
 
Rekrab

Rekrab

Usually wrong.
Definitely start with Post Office. Pulp and Hollywood I would save for much later, after you've read Post Office and other early novels and story collections. I think you need some perspective to appreciate Hollywood and especially Pulp.
 
growing beard

growing beard

drb89 said:
... I have not read anything by Bukowski yet, but plan to read all of his novels...
Click to expand...

That's funny, I've never paddled a canoe, but am planning to sail around Cape Horn.

Just kidding, I have paddled a canoe. The point is that reading Bukowski is no piece of cake. Sure, he's a master of his style but Bukowski is a heavy hitter, a 'you gonna do something about it?' kind of guy, and not to be taken lightly. I've seen people collapse in a pile of epiphanies three pages in. Whatever books you read, be sure to do some warm-up and cool-down stretching exercises. And no eating for one hour beforehand. And definitely do not handle any firearms or attempt to operate a motor vehicle while contemplating the meaning of this or that stick of dynomite, and by 'stick of dynomite' I mean 'illusion-wrecking, mind-opening, existentially-insightful turn of phrase and paragraph.'

Anybody who spells dynomite with an 'a' needs to brush up on the sitcom 'Good Times.' Either that or Noah Webster and his dictionary dictators got you by the short hairs.

Back to your question drb89, confucious say that determining the next steps towards where you're going depends on knowing where you're coming from. What have you been reading lately?
 
5:28am

5:28am

Post Office.
The point is that reading Bukowski is no piece of cake. Sure, he's a master of his style but Bukowski is a heavy hitter, a 'you gonna do something about it?' kind of guy, and not to be taken lightly. I've seen people collapse in a pile of epiphanies three pages in. Whatever books you read, be sure to do some warm-up and cool-down stretching exercises. And no eating for one hour beforehand. And definitely do not handle any firearms or attempt to operate a motor vehicle while contemplating the meaning of this or that stick of dynomite, and by 'stick of dynomite' I mean 'illusion-wrecking, mind-opening, existentially-insightful turn of phrase and paragraph.'
Click to expand...
... :confused:
 
skiroomalum

skiroomalum

Hollywood was my first novel and I think is his most underappreciated. Great book. I keep a beat to shit copy
of Erections in my beat to shit mini van and it's my favorite book of stories. There is no bad place to start with
Buk.
 
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