6 ms·

Can I just say that I love Charles Bukowski? If you've never read him go buy his books now. There's so much humanity in there. Some will think he's a downer

by tankbot 13y ago

Can I just say that I love Charles Bukowski? If you've never read him go buy his books now. There's so much humanity in there. Some will think he's a downer or depressing, but I think he's genius. His life reminds me of this quote by Hokusai: When I was 50 I had published a universe of designs. But all I have done before the the age of 70 is not worth bothering with. At 75 I'll have learned something of the pattern of nature, of animals, of plants, of trees, birds, fish and insects. When I am 80 you will see real progress. At 90 I shall have cut my way deeply into the mystery of life itself. At 100, I shall be a marvelous artist. At 110, everything I create; a dot, a line, will jump to life as never before. Never stop learning, folks.

vineel 13y ago
Are there any specific books you recommend?
- byproxy 13y ago
  Ham on Rye
- tankbot 13y ago
  Run With the Hunted and Love is a Dog from Hell spring to mind, but for me half the fun of reading him is just jumping in randomly. His life was chaos so it's fitting. If you read enough about "Hank" a picture of who he was will start to materialize. Since he's dead and not able to spend your book sales money on booze and horses, he'd probably be ok with you just reading his stuff online for free[0]. He is also great to listen to, there are a lot of recordings of his readings that you can find in the usual places. The poems are filled with a kind of beautiful carnage which contrasts the even tone of his delivery. Like, "Yeah, that crazy shit happened but so what?" One of my favorites as a teaser to start with: Rain a symphony orchestra. there is a thunderstorm, they are playing a Wagner overture and the people leave their seats under the trees and run inside to the pavilion the women giggling, the men pretending calm, wet cigarettes being thrown away, Wagner plays on, and then they are all under the pavilion. the birds even come in from the trees and enter the pavilion and then it is the Hungarian Rhapsody #2 by Lizst, and it still rains, but look, one man sits alone in the rain listening. the audience notices him. they turn and look. the orchestra goes about its business. the man sits in the night in the rain, listening. there is something wrong with him, isn't there? he came to hear the music. [0] http://www.poemhunter.com/charles-bukowski/poems/ http://www.poemhunter.com/charles-bukowski/poems/ p.s. I can't speak for the quality of that site, you may have better luck elsewhere. When I looked up Rain all I got was the first line, so it's possible that other poems have errors.
  - jacquesm 13y ago
    Very pretty, thank you.
- eshvk 13y ago
  Women was an excellent book. A complicated book that works on many subtle levels. On one level, it is in essence, the T.V. series Californication. On another level, it is the story of a man finding himself through his partners. Ham on Rye was also another excellent story of Bukowski's origins. All of his books were part memoirs, now. Post Office, tracks his early years working in the Post Office. Day in, day out. Checking in, his life being eaten away. The prose isn't great. However, it is rather amusing to read it today. Especially in a city where you hear people working 90 hour weeks; 90 hour weeks in tiny red-bull fueled offices. For what, for someone's glory.
bobbyi_settv 13y ago
I'd also like to recommend Bukowski Tavern in Inman Square, Cambridge, MA. They have Bukowski's writings all of the walls and are generally a good place to get a beer. There's a second location in Boston, but I haven't been to that one: http://bukowskitavern.net/ http://bukowskitavern.net/
deleted 13y ago
[deleted]
rhdoenges 13y ago
I can't stomach the guy. He was an abusive drunk who thought it was funny to kick women. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8KJiay6EI0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8KJiay6EI0
- eshvk 13y ago
  What is it that you find offensive? The part that he was a drunk? The part that he kicked another human being? The part that he kicked a woman? Would you have been OK if he was sober but kicked women? Would you have been OK if he was sober but kicked a man? Side opinion: If you consume content only by people who are perfect (which really means follow your ethical system, your values), your content sources are going to be incredibly narrow. Also, because I have to make it crystal clear. I am not advocating kicking anyone. I just think that him committing something that I disagree with doesn't necessarily mean that his ideas aren't worth thinking about.
  - stdbrouw 13y ago
    > What is it that you find offensive? The part that he was a drunk? The part that he kicked another human being? The part that he kicked a woman? Would you have been OK if he was sober but kicked women? Would you have been OK if he was sober but kicked a man? Are your questions anything other than pointlessly flippant?
    - ionwake 13y ago
      I dont think I like you
- sspiff 13y ago
  I'm not saying what he's doing is OK, but do we know the context of this?
- mkrecny 13y ago
  I watched that. Here's my take: Fiance: I am and will continue to sleep with other men. Bukowski: You fing w*re [kicks]. Relationships are hard. While I don't agree with physical or verbal abuse, I think in this case Fiance probably hurt Bukowski more with her words than he did with his kick. It certainly didn't seem like he was kicking her because he "thought it was funny to kick women".
snori74 13y ago
I've only read one, but it was quite unlike anything I'd read before - old guy, depressing grind of a job, alcohol and rough women - but a rawness and authenticity that you don't often get. At the time I was very interested to learn that he was effectively writing of the life he'd lead. There's a whole stack of comment below on judging him-as-a-person - but if you read widely you'll be well aware that many books are worth reading despite the character flaws of their authors.

by tankbot 13y ago

vineel 13y ago

Are there any specific books you recommend?

byproxy 13y ago
Ham on Rye
tankbot 13y ago
Run With the Hunted and Love is a Dog from Hell spring to mind, but for me half the fun of reading him is just jumping in randomly. His life was chaos so it's fitting. If you read enough about "Hank" a picture of who he was will start to materialize. Since he's dead and not able to spend your book sales money on booze and horses, he'd probably be ok with you just reading his stuff online for free[0]. He is also great to listen to, there are a lot of recordings of his readings that you can find in the usual places. The poems are filled with a kind of beautiful carnage which contrasts the even tone of his delivery. Like, "Yeah, that crazy shit happened but so what?" One of my favorites as a teaser to start with: Rain a symphony orchestra. there is a thunderstorm, they are playing a Wagner overture and the people leave their seats under the trees and run inside to the pavilion the women giggling, the men pretending calm, wet cigarettes being thrown away, Wagner plays on, and then they are all under the pavilion. the birds even come in from the trees and enter the pavilion and then it is the Hungarian Rhapsody #2 by Lizst, and it still rains, but look, one man sits alone in the rain listening. the audience notices him. they turn and look. the orchestra goes about its business. the man sits in the night in the rain, listening. there is something wrong with him, isn't there? he came to hear the music. [0] http://www.poemhunter.com/charles-bukowski/poems/ http://www.poemhunter.com/charles-bukowski/poems/ p.s. I can't speak for the quality of that site, you may have better luck elsewhere. When I looked up Rain all I got was the first line, so it's possible that other poems have errors.
- jacquesm 13y ago
  Very pretty, thank you.
eshvk 13y ago
Women was an excellent book. A complicated book that works on many subtle levels. On one level, it is in essence, the T.V. series Californication. On another level, it is the story of a man finding himself through his partners. Ham on Rye was also another excellent story of Bukowski's origins. All of his books were part memoirs, now. Post Office, tracks his early years working in the Post Office. Day in, day out. Checking in, his life being eaten away. The prose isn't great. However, it is rather amusing to read it today. Especially in a city where you hear people working 90 hour weeks; 90 hour weeks in tiny red-bull fueled offices. For what, for someone's glory.

bobbyi_settv 13y ago

I'd also like to recommend Bukowski Tavern in Inman Square, Cambridge, MA. They have Bukowski's writings all of the walls and are generally a good place to get a beer. There's a second location in Boston, but I haven't been to that one: http://bukowskitavern.net/ http://bukowskitavern.net/

deleted 13y ago

[deleted]

rhdoenges 13y ago

I can't stomach the guy. He was an abusive drunk who thought it was funny to kick women. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8KJiay6EI0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8KJiay6EI0

eshvk 13y ago
What is it that you find offensive? The part that he was a drunk? The part that he kicked another human being? The part that he kicked a woman? Would you have been OK if he was sober but kicked women? Would you have been OK if he was sober but kicked a man? Side opinion: If you consume content only by people who are perfect (which really means follow your ethical system, your values), your content sources are going to be incredibly narrow. Also, because I have to make it crystal clear. I am not advocating kicking anyone. I just think that him committing something that I disagree with doesn't necessarily mean that his ideas aren't worth thinking about.
- stdbrouw 13y ago
  > What is it that you find offensive? The part that he was a drunk? The part that he kicked another human being? The part that he kicked a woman? Would you have been OK if he was sober but kicked women? Would you have been OK if he was sober but kicked a man? Are your questions anything other than pointlessly flippant?
  - ionwake 13y ago
    I dont think I like you
sspiff 13y ago
I'm not saying what he's doing is OK, but do we know the context of this?
mkrecny 13y ago
I watched that. Here's my take: Fiance: I am and will continue to sleep with other men. Bukowski: You fing w*re [kicks]. Relationships are hard. While I don't agree with physical or verbal abuse, I think in this case Fiance probably hurt Bukowski more with her words than he did with his kick. It certainly didn't seem like he was kicking her because he "thought it was funny to kick women".

snori74 13y ago

I've only read one, but it was quite unlike anything I'd read before - old guy, depressing grind of a job, alcohol and rough women - but a rawness and authenticity that you don't often get. At the time I was very interested to learn that he was effectively writing of the life he'd lead. There's a whole stack of comment below on judging him-as-a-person - but if you read widely you'll be well aware that many books are worth reading despite the character flaws of their authors.