Why do you like Bukowski?

[Ambreen]

Awww....I wish he was my grandfather! haha.

For my part, I consider Buk like a spiritual father, a mentor whose books helped me to take some major decisions and to free myself from other people's opinion. He learned me not to care anymore of what people, especially my friends or my family, can think about me and the choices I do ; I now completely feel free, which was not really the case before I read him.
And thanks to him, I met a boy like I have never met before. Our huge passion for Hank rapidly made us become very close. Now all is over, I still feel very sad for having lost him but I am grateful to Buk for having allowed such an unexpected encounter.

 

[scribbler]

Well, I was never smart enough to go out with a girl because of what she read...my problem.

Fact is Buk didn't nail it everytime at all. There are plenty of stinkers in his repertoire. Plenty of passages and drivel that are just bridges between the great ones. But what is always resonating, no matter the written fodder before you, is a rendering of phrases that honestly or dishonestly affects you with an enrichening version of reality. It is not the job of the artist to please anyone...or even please himself. It is the job of the artist to build upon his efforts and move...just move. Buk did this better than anyone.

 

[All Y'all]

cause I thought I was the only one who got shithouse drunk off cheap wine, rotgut whiskey and tallboy high lifes, alone, and cranked Shostakovich, Brahms, Rachmaninoff etc. on my stereo and all of a sudden all was right with the world. Then I read Buk and it justified such antisocial behavior. The dichotomic nature of his character which, i feel, mirrors my own so much. The guy is romantic and soulful as all hell but a brash, drunken lunatic. It's nice to know that someone else dug it and loathed it the same way i do.

 

[Mark73]

I like Bukowski because as a reject of society, he wouldn't turn out as good for nothing. Unlike mentally ill wrecks, trapped in dead ends, waiting for the last day he would rather turn his lifestyle into art. Most probably he wouldn't give a f**k about judge or jury. Stepped right into the c**p and turned it into gold for him to own and us to share.

 

[Rekrab]

Because he never, ever bores me. He can type incoherent, sloppy drunk, and it's still interesting. Every letter, every story, every poem is alive. I've never wasted a second of my life reading something by Bukowski that I wished I could have not read. I don't want any of those seconds back.

 

[chronic]

i like Buowski cuz he rites gud. he rites lik i wood rite if i cud rite.

Bon't try.

 

[marina del rey]

Stepped right into the c**p and turned it into gold for him to own and us to share.

Is c**p supposed to be a censored version of 'crap'?

I think you're allowed to say that word around here...

 

[chronic]

You can even say "darn" if you're feeling especially frisky.

 

[Mark73]

Damned fucking crap.

 

[chronic]

That should be "Darned fucking crap."

 

[roni]

For my part, [...] encounter.

That was moving, Amb.

 

[homeless mind]

Why do I dig Sir Charles?

Here are my top 10:

1. He is an original; broke the mold, and stole poetry away from the ivory tower

2. Like tequila, at first he goes down harsh, then gets better with every shot

3. His writing is clean

4. His writing is dirty

5. He opened new doors of insight for me about humanity (...and lack of)

6. He's a great American poet (during my lifetime)

7. He made me laugh so hard it brought tears to my eyes

8. I dig a good anti-hero who shoves it up society's ass (and seemingly wins)

9. The volume of work he created over his lifetime

10. The titles of his books, especially, "South of No North"

Pax,

homeless mind

(Author's note: I reserve the right to change this list hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, etc. ;))

 

[Ambreen]

Well, I was never smart enough to go out with a girl because of what she read...my problem.

Buk was not the only reason of our attraction but he no doubt was an important one. We were talking about one day making together a pilgrimage at L.A. in order to see his gravestone ...what a loss.

That was moving, Amb.

I'm feeling nostalgic, roni.

7. He made me laugh so hard it brought tears to my eyes

His humour was the very first thing that seduced me, I remember l couldn't help laughing out loud while reading my first Buk book, wherever I was, even in the subway. I am very demanding in matter of humour ; it turned out that Buk's one exactly suited me.

 

[roni]

[...] I'm feeling nostalgic, roni. [...]

you sounded nostalgic. That's what was so moving.

 

[buk babe]

Chinaski is the best anti-hero of all time, better than Dostoevski's Unnamed, Joyce's Bloom, Camus' Mersault, Sartre's Roquentin...you name it. Theres no one better at aiiming low and hitting high than the BUK. That odd method of delivering pertinence, the "WHERE" that it come-from is so disagreeable to itself that it is induplicatable. And damn he's funny.

your last line nails it. i have never laughed longer or harder than i have at bukowski. his writing is full of truth and wisdom, but i think i mainly love him for the laughs.

Chinaski is the best anti-hero of all time, better than Dostoevski's Unnamed, Joyce's Bloom, Camus' Mersault, Sartre's Roquentin...you name it. Theres no one better at aiiming low and hitting high than the BUK. That odd method of delivering pertinence, the "WHERE" that it come-from is so disagreeable to itself that it is induplicatable. And damn he's funny.

scribbler's last line resonates with me. aside from all the wisdom and insanity, it is the laughs. my god, i have never laughed longer or harder than when reading bukowski. the older i get, the more important laughing gets.

 

[Mata Hari]

I like his teeth. :D They are the most rebellious and anti status quo part of him.

 

[dragon]

Buk is FREE of lies, false authorities, false values, dis honest games and of fear.
And most important : Buk always looked on naked truth with open eyes even when the thruth was ugly , unpleasant, stinky and painfull. When it was too much for him , he escaped for a while with bottle and writing. Was human , not superman.
That's why like him a lot.

 

[strangegirl]

I like Bukowski because he writes.
He writes what is inside him.
And from all that I have read he writes without trying to write like anyone else.
Lessons to learn by.
He writes and so.... he writes.
And I get the pleasure to read what he writes.

 

[ESO9]

A lot of you already covered detailed reasons why I like Bukowski. Simply put, he makes me laugh, think, and (he might hate this) I can identify with his philosophies on people and the general absurdity of life.

 

[Bruno Dante]

Just started reading 'South of no North' for the first time and I've been reminded why I love his work so much.

 

[huncke]

He shows the power and value of humor in helping us get through the vicissitudes.
Grek

 

[mjp]

No lie. Me and my homies was just lamenting the vicissitudes last night, over TV dinners and endless gallon pitchers of ice cold whole milk, that wondrous alimentary provender. O glorious sustenance! Fuel for the creative fires.

Yes, alas, vicissitudes.

 

[homeless mind]

I like my vicissitudes over easy.

 

[learner]

I like CB cause he reminds me of family.

 

[David]

O my brothers, me and my droogs were having some molokas when some vicissitudes fell through the clockwork orange...

 

[Gerard K H Love]

David is a genius.

 

[ESO9]

2. Like tequila, at first he goes down harsh, then gets better with every shot

You must be drinking the wrong kind of Tequila. . .

 

[Benvenuto]

Why do you like Bukowski? What is "the best" in his writing?
He says important things in simple way? He gives hope for people on bottom or
something else...

He gives me this comfortable feeling: "If this old fart made it, then probably I'll be OK too."

 

[mack21]

I like bukowski because he just didn't give a shit, and that fact never bothered him he just, never looked back.

 

[roni]

[...] he just, never looked back.

of course he did not.