T HE ED, BU G A R T U AND O RAGED I T ERS K S W O ER WRI BUK H T , O S T T E STRE ABOU oveOF THE CIALLY E g or l T P E S O E P -makin e H t, I v u T o o AS A l U TR them E ve or g H o n l i T k an t e u D abo TOL

lI me out se alking cessfu . With t c f u f y, s ALWAYS e o h n k c u i t t bi l i s l and

l i t, l can ki iting ful lo cessfu ach out wr out it staste th suc b b i o a a d b They e g k a , : n l s lot, alki riter ch ta om mon w d u c hey a m t y b n n o l i a a o u m : T ccessf y are l have , met u e y l s h l a living e t e e t t s m a s un and th lmo beco being unfort they a ditors human f they e I g e s n r e have, . A i a h t h t s . t s e ft iter One that great ir cra bad wr t y feel cious. s the a e i y p h h v n at the a t t a h m , r e , d e u l e that entere eat, p ey fai lso tr u c r h a r g t f t s l k e f e t r s l I s kil d r wo d it be. I due. e thei th, or em. An n may ormal a h o n e t s d a r t ugh e i o s r believ e th the ved t again e (tho it as atever s are t star as fin h d s w o o d ad. g m e b , accept l r p e a e y o or trul he t nd th iscov death, d to t hers a ater d who is e s ngs l o t i i r t a l h e e l b t t r d u u i e e p p and w starv the wr ber of d mani m n , e o u h a v t n t a d r h t y e o an hear push so f riters sed by gives d and . reat w hey is cau l fact one ma l that e a g l r c many g a u i r that t l r o e i o v a t a s f s h e i v ) h otice e l r n w e e s of h i I ( o h d s T , a s s o , i thems t . l l omic that h alents ly poe t. Wel n t t n o e s e c n o ) l e i d m a g a i t de ima refr g know, poor ry the es to loaded ing a rs car ters I e i e , a b r h s t w t t n He lik y o e a l e m and S of th stly h TV s s simp think enice le wit es, mo e beside V b v l I i a a w n t m n i r e o s wh stly comf these other Also, quite sea mo agic, ed by e r t e r t r h a o t g p y n p y e th eeli es b are su . And day, f r hous I know n the ents o i m t s r those e a v p l a mse s and un the erator they s d n a GNO IMBRO Monica JAMES AGE BY
PHOTO COLL

fr f ri r ien nds (?) nd ?) of of mi mi in n ne e, e , an nd th then wa w n at at ter at ni rc cr nig res re ess sa ght ht, , p sa an pe n nd er d dw rh wic wi ha h ich, ap ps h s a bo , fo f ol bot ll lo tt owed ow tle tl ed by gr g e of wine re eat b y tn t nes a wai e s to ne an a i il to so and l li i in d a n ng som g me le let eb e bod tt od t te dy e y so r s o o f m me ew the w ting ti her he ei e i r r g i e e. . p pe it en t d A An nu n ny ury do y one th t y an ne, ge hi h i in n ng nd n g d gett b bu ttin u ut t i n w wr g th ri it the wo ti ing g, word , wo a pu rd dow work un nc n king, g ch pre wn. n. We es ge ss. et el s. The wi tl l l, , I g w ue u iv e v ve ss it be e es s an nd the mo do d beat o on nt ats w t w wo wo or orry ot ork thers rkin r ab ing rs w abo out wi il t th ll l wo ha work at. An k th t nd h d e si th t pu p id h u de wo e nch pr n p po oe o or et p rl r t ts r re ld in rea s, e es , ss s, ha h v i in ng al g no li it not liv ty y, th th iv he ve ey ey wi e ed d in th ab a w ll b bo ou l then ut the t t, he ou , w wh en rea o hi u ut ic t ch h th e a al they l l ly y y d ha ha do av o w ve no wi it i th g ot th h hi gr ing in re ng to ea eat It I at e t is to w is al eg go an go wr ri alm it an t te mos nd e d st t im mu u i mp ch c h po os d du s ul u si l ll ibl ib lne ln ble ness e to s. o w afte af wr ter gi ri ite a givi ab bout bo ing t writ g a poet ti i in ng. tr g. I re ry r re e a ad em d me in i emb ti ti n ng m be io g ber ons er on I as s? ? One on a ke nc ce c ked th ne of e t e stud f t th he em as uden ask ents ke ked me ts, A m e e, , A Wh W ny Why do W y W Wh h que y ues do you do you s sou w o u we wr ea r ar th it te e? th ? ? ha A at t red shi An nd d I a an ns ir Bein sw swe rt rt we t? ing er ? ? ng a wri re ed, ite er r i is s da d am m ni in n g en nt t it and n it ca di can lea if i f ff f fi ic c cu eav ul lt. If yo ve you u fo for ou u ha rev Wh W eve ha hat kee av a er whi ve a ta eps yo il talle you le l ou ou ar u g go ar oi re i e sl ng g le i in ee n ep pi t th succ su ing o he ga cce ces g on a ss is m me e ni is des is ig gh h t. t no . ot st t tr ru ea e uc a c sy ti y ve; no to a to no succ an ns re r swe eje w r. Too m ject ce tio ess ss at al on is mu s g uch go ll is oo od fo i s o d r es e s th t tr ruc e so ucti an soul nd ma ive ul, bu ve. A li adm d en ut to e , ra lit tota tt tle le al re ap pi ist sts, eje ject s, sad ctio ion c adis ist too to cr ts oo mu r s ea e , ate t s cr dr d uch r h succ un u n nk cran kard ka a cce r n ds k ks es s s ss do an a n do d oe es es. wife wi fe-b -be ea ate I to te r rs oo s. Ju o ha Just av ve been mi t as i sl e d b by y the I sa h Ro saw to om o man oo many ntic ic co y m con nce nc mo ov ep vie pt of wr i s o of f the ri iting. As s me so e me tra gre gr eat Art As a yo agic ag i an t ou i is nd ut s d ve th t, and t, e ry d th i in nt n he t e wri er r re e an st nd in nd ite i e n ng inne r g wa w c ch er tr as al ha a ap p tru with a fi lwa uths sp w a ys y s pr f in i n ne ng e go gi ing oa g t atee I th to o his ton e, bla ho ough ou ht, azing t, ah. ng gu g ey ue c h. But it eye co e on s nt t in t n nu u ua is al s ll n n l y. y t so . What I mean th so. Th at a wa The he b t os w y to be, best wri ose e wh who ar it e, ter are rs I know e d do oing t dull the good wr tal lle lk ve lk er r th v ry than ry li an a goo i it i it t ti tl in l le n o e e, g g. , d w wr In r it ter. f ct, th fa r. In a cro is alway he h ere is ys s busy ow is nothi wd or ev sy (s su ubc ub in ve n co g n o ns wi w s i c th io i usl inte sly on ne o y) re ter re ot reco est the her cord te ed in spee r pe rdin p rs i g ev so on, n he ver ery ch TO P: y go h-m e ma od ak dda mn ki in ng g o h saves hi he ned thin ne or r be b e in i ng n g. He g. g is BU KO WS KI the Lif s juic He is i s ces for fe not no e of r th t he th e he e ca c P a ar ty n y t pe destro de y. He is y. wri LIFTIN G it ter oy Godi gr r. Yo ou can re d gi eedy; iven ge an ta y; al WEIGHTS lk away in eni ius u wit fa ar r. . I too am ith yo sp p y i ra ur u at r ti ti io m on o greed n, yo o ou IN HIS u ut th edy y h ou o . y. u . En On er e gy g m y will on us only tim on st s t be HOLLYWOOD be. The o ly ime e th y spread so e on t at can s nl ly jui ic ces im s m APARTp pl t th ha y a t be st c an be rengt given gt e gi en away is th h; ; it MENT, 1976. iven up, th iv i br b eaks s the tim ks do he dow wn n inbred me fo BOTTOM: THE ing mo or Lo ed ha mor ove hat v re ful re e tr t . r re ed Love ds d u s l l. e giv an a Bu B d AUTHOR AND ut v t p e es re s ej al a j ll ud u l i ot o ces. It ma th her thi s oul sh ld hing d do most of mak ngs HIS WIFE, ke s mu es the w ust t be sa wr ri it hi ti s a v ve re d ad LINDA, IN f fo i o ng whil r th ing beco the wo ile work e he om mes r . A w h is s de is youn es st wr tr rit ru ng uct te 1996. g; as er tive it r as he i ta e st s ar ak arts to fo A wr kes ke s rit i er m th h e fo ne or mu e rm ust keep p us ed m dl , l r re e ea e ad a o d f ff f th t he e fo er e re r o rm skid ro co or in r rd n d d. g g, . , hit ow w. An i ti A d there ing g the he hig re s s no wa igh gh ma way back up mark sou so k or he ul l, the pe he is do u . For ers o rso down r on af w n on n, th ter te r some yea he cr c eature cap ca a ar pa r r acity. He s e o of b f e ec c wr o om ri mes H is unem i e t s i in n u g , the s se el le he e ss to op pl loy yab ble oper advise anyb a e. He erate in e i is s a bird n a an ody od ny ot ny y to d th o be h i e er n r ec e c a o om me la e a writer, and n of ca ke eep eps s y cats r, onl you from t . I ly I y if wr d ne d m going e w it ve v e er r g in ting n ns sane. Th is s the on he en n n, nl , per ly y th thin rh ha ing ap ps g t s, it s, th h ha at s worth it Fr rom Abs t . se enc ce of f t

he He he er ro: : Un Ch har nc co rle ol les ll l le l s Bu ect c ed uko d Sto ows w sk ki or i, to i, ri ies and o be pu n Ess pu b ssa bl lis li ay ys, s he s Vo h ed by Vol l. 2: y Cit 2: 194 ty L 9 46Li igh 6 -19 hts 992 s P 92 by Pu ub u bli lish he er rs in in Apr pril l.

BY BARBET SCHR OEDER DIRECTOR OF B ARFLY PAYS TRIB BEHIND TH E MY UT E TO TH E MAN THS

THE

BU KOWSKI: THE L EGEND AND T H E MISU NDERSTAND

INGS

Misu nd erstandsense of decenc ings and opposi y and respect ng for the Other. He could often be opin io ns ab ou cruel in his bl t about people unt comments , but otherwis Charles Bukowski e, he would li ally not have hu ternever cease. In rt a fly. In my DVD The Germany he is Charles Bukowski his improvised Tapes (50 of considered one monologues film ed in 198384) there is a very of the great revealing mome nt in the segment entitled N atur w ri te rs of People are in e: our different. They t i m e, themse dont get lves in with th and his cole spider and th I got myself e fly. in . le I ct G am ed works confesse the fly, Buko RIN s. wski UGH DU A L A ha ve sold G This is the Bu NJOYIN kowski you disc JECT E mo B re U th S er e E over when you T read his most 987. FAVORI beautiful poem than those th D HIS BARFLY IN 1 s, for instance e ones from th DER AN , of an y ot he e co ll SCHROE OMOTION OF ection Love Is r From Hell (o writer. The Amer a Dog ne of his 25 bo THE PR ican East ad mi ok s Coast literary of po etry). His rers are divide esta blishm ent, d equally betw however, has ye who prefer his een those poetry and thos One common misc t to take him seriously. his prose. For e onception about many, he comple who prefer he was one of th e Beat poets. No him is that the nature of tely changed poetry in the thing could be further from th United States. e truth. Los An As for his pros geles has proe, he was cond duced very few em ned to folgreat men; Char low Heming way les Bukowski is but had a dark one of them. A er product and ch voice. One of ronicler of the the best of hi and funnier world of the work s Women, the pros ingman, he was far too shy and e complement to six novels, proud to have jo ined a bohemian Love From Hell, star ts mo he could not ha vementwhich like this: I wa Is a Dog old and hadnt ve afforded an s 50 years yway. Instead, been to bed wi he submerged hi th a woman for mself in the wo four years. In rking/drinking the next 300 pa class, all whil e reading author ges, using his newfound celebr s who had writity, he catches ten honestly ab up at a rapid, out what he, hi hilarious pace mself, was also to end up in a witnessing: Do stoyevsky, Celi durable relationship with ne, Heming way, the only wo ma Knut Hamsun, Ni n who at firs etzsche, Schope refused to slee t nhauer, etc. p with him. He cr eate d a When I think le ge nd of Bukowski, th around him ba sed on his e title of a we ek ly colu mn book by Sartre s: Ere ckeeps popti on s, Ej ac ping into my he ul at io ns, ad: Saint Exhibitions an Ge ne t, Poet & Mart d General yr. I Tales of Ordi also find myse na ry Madlf thinkness in the in g of th e L.A. Free ancient Greek Press and N ot philosopher Diog es of a enes and Dirty Old Ma n th e images of his in Op en hunCity, which were dr eds of follow based on ers who his own impro in repudiating ved realPlato and ity. This lege his id ealizati nd-m aking ons, in is not unco mm ho ld ing fast to on for an Cy niartist, especi cism, nature an ally for a d extreme writer who avoi as ce ti ci sm ded using flou rished third-person na for over 500 ye rration and ars until wrote mostly th e triu mph of Ch about hi mrist. self as a comb Us in g hi s m at ad ne ss, often antic drun ive and Bu ko ws ki wa s fore ve r k. But in Bukowskis case trying not to it hides be seen one of the most as a Wise Man, althou important gh elements of hi that im pressi s personalon ity: an extrem stayed with th often e, almost ose who fe m in in e se ns met him. A cons it iv it y, istently acco mpanie d by da rk and devastatin BUKOWSKI AT WORK, a great HOLLYWOOD, 1976. g hu mor wa s hi s ar mor (concluded on pa ge 000)

against anyone who chose to take him too seriously, and yet he was very serious and lucid about his talent. Even in his drinking there was a form of wisdom that kept his writing fresh and allowed him to continue to sidestep his own destruction. Slowing down the drinking, for example, was done in a graceful way. I saw him in East Hollywood as he was starting to come down, at the age of 58, from hard liquor to white winealbeit wine in very large quantities. During our early days working on the film Barfly, 12 empty bottles of cheap German white were often lying on the ground by three A.M. A year later, he never drank before sunset. Later still, he switched to red wine, and then, much later, drank only one bottle every other day. He went back to hard liquor on rare eveningsonce at a fancy dinner party for a music industry event at the Beverly Hills Hotel. At a table behind us sat Arnold Schwarzenegger, whom Hank tried to provoke into a fight. If youre really so tough, he said to him, come outside and show us. In a panic, Schwarzeneggers press agents were discreetly signaling Arnold not to respond. Later, Hank stole a carving knife from the kitchen and went after the rich with it, spitting on arriving Rolls-Royces. For his chemotherapy, of course, he had to stop drinking altogether, even the reduced form. First, though, the doctors checked his liver to see if it could withstand the chemo. The test revealed he had the liver of a young man. He was a force of nature. He used a short remission to finish his last novel, Pulp, and in the midst of his pain, kept on laughing until the end about the human comedy he was sharply observing in the hospital around him. New York, 11/5/2009