Rating: 
Summary: This is where to start
Review: For a writer as prolific as Bukowski, it might be difficult to know where to start. This is a guy who continues to write a book of poetry a year despite being dead for over a decade. If you are just being introduced to his poetry for the first time, my recommendation is Burning in Water, Drowning in Flame. It might have to do with where I was and what was going on in my life when I read it, but to me 1955 to 1973 are the best years of Bukowski. During this period, his writing focused on gambling, drinking, and prostitutes. This is clearly Bukowksi's strength. In some of the later writings he's a minor celebrity, going to poetry readings, sleeping with groupies, working on his screenplay... That's all entertaining too but not the best and certainly not the place to start.This collection of poems includes three of my favorites. "To the whore who took my poems" which includes the lines "next time take my left arm or a fifty/ but not my poems:/ I'm not Shakespeare/ but sometime simply/ there won't be any more, abstract or otherwise;/ there'll always be money and whores and drunkards..." And the poem "a 340 dollar horse and a hundred dollar whore" which I believe will resonate with anyone who has been to the track and had a long shot come in for them. And my favorite, "startled into life like fire." All the great poets are cat-lovers. A full discussion of why this is true might be beyond the scope of this review, but I stand behind the statement. This is the only Bukowski poem that makes me weep. I read this poem while sitting shiva for my beloved cat Mingus, but I used to fall apart reading this poem long before he passed on. It reads in part: "neither of us understands
cathedrals or
the man outside
watering his
lawn if I were all the man
that he is
cat-
if there were men
like this
the world could
begin" Libman's quickies on beginner Bukowski:
Beginner Bukowski for poetry, as stated above, Burning in Water Drowning in Flame. Beginner Buk for short stories would be Tales of Ordinary Madness. For a novel, start with Factotum. And enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: This is where to start
Review: For a writer as prolific as Bukowski, it might be difficult to know where to start. This is a guy who continues to write a book of poetry a year despite being dead for over a decade. If you are just being introduced to his poetry for the first time, my recommendation is Burning in Water, Drowning in Flame. It might have to do with where I was and what was going on in my life when I read it, but to me 1955 to 1973 are the best years of Bukowski. During this period, his writing focused on gambling, drinking, and prostitutes. This is clearly Bukowksi's strength. In some of the later writings he's a minor celebrity, going to poetry readings, sleeping with groupies, working on his screenplay... That's all entertaining too but not the best and certainly not the place to start. This collection of poems includes three of my favorites. "To the whore who took my poems" which includes the lines "next time take my left arm or a fifty/ but not my poems:/ I'm not Shakespeare/ but sometime simply/ there won't be any more, abstract or otherwise;/ there'll always be money and whores and drunkards..." And the poem "a 340 dollar horse and a hundred dollar whore" which I believe will resonate with anyone who has been to the track and had a long shot come in for them. And my favorite, "startled into life like fire." All the great poets are cat-lovers. A full discussion of why this is true might be beyond the scope of this review, but I stand behind the statement. This is the only Bukowski poem that makes me weep. I read this poem while sitting shiva for my beloved cat Mingus, but I used to fall apart reading this poem long before he passed on. It reads in part: "neither of us understands
cathedrals or
the man outside
watering his
lawn if I were all the man
that he is
cat-
if there were men
like this
the world could
begin" Libman's quickies on beginner Bukowski:
Beginner Bukowski for poetry, as stated above, Burning in Water Drowning in Flame. Beginner Buk for short stories would be Tales of Ordinary Madness. For a novel, start with Factotum. And enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic
Review: I love Bukowski so much....this book of him is wonderful too....
Rating: 
Summary: View Life Objectively
Review: I often feel that attempting to review poetry boarders on pretension. It is impossible to explore the infinite interpretations that accompany each poem; however, this compilation, which includes some of Bukowski's earlier works deserves some words. All too often Bukowski is forced in to a literary box by those who have only read a brief snippet of his work. They see him as a down and out drunk, with a penchant for the written word. They fail to realize the greater depth of his poetry. Yes, Bukowski lived a very hard life, however, the booze and the women and the flophouse rooms also serve as a metaphor, illustrating his far-reaching insight into the world. Through his poems, we see life through jaded eyes. So jaded, in fact, as to prove enlightening. From Bukowski's self-imposed exile from the daily grind, he is able to view the world of man objectively. He is able to gain a realization of the absurdities that all too often dull the lives of many, and in this way, Bukowski brings forth a certain level of enlightenment. Through his work, we too can view life objectively and combat the absurdities that plague us all.
Rating:
Summary: the beer bible
Review: I was attracted to this specific book because it is the only compilation of poetry written by Bukowski while he lived in New Orleans. Perfect for road trips or for delving into after a long night of dirty bars and broken people,(elements ever -so present in New Orleans), I constantly find myself anxiously anticipating how the next page of booze drenched rants will blow my mind. Never has someone so accurately illustrated the whimsical life of an observant drunk amidst chaos,and Bukoski manages to not only find inspiration in it but relay it with such simplicity and sarcastic whit that you will find yourself re-acessing your definition of the word "Hero".
He forever reminds us that beauty hides in strange places and that even if you're not drinking while reading this book you can still taste the flames as you drown in thier presence.
Rating: 
Summary: an ok collection from bukowski
Review: not the greatest of work. i felt the collection disjointed--not that the book needs ot have a theme, but i felt this work not to be as powerful as others. it contains the least amount of saved/marked poems that i will go back and re-read
Rating:
Summary: Savage Truth
Review: Oh, Bukowski. What can I say about the guy. I have been a Bukowski fan since my early teens, when I discovered his terse and seemingly emotiveless attitude towards life. His rough and ready attack of the American Dream will make you question the way you view the world, and show you beauty in the strangest of places. This collection of poems was the first Buk book I ever picked up, and in a way it serves as a point of reference whenever I go Bukowski-less for long periods of time. It ranges from vivid imagery bred by surrealist nightmares, to the simple humor found in objective human observation, to the cat-mouse game of love and hate. My favorite is "Man in the Sun", and captures many integral parts of the Bukowski schtick all on in one poem. For a man who has the words "Don't Try" engraved on his headstone, Charles wrote a hard line, and more often than not, got it right.
Rating:
Summary: Savage Truth
Review: Oh, Bukowski. What can I say about the guy. I have been a Bukowski fan since my early teens, when I discovered his terse and seemingly emotiveless attitude towards life. His rough and ready attack of the American Dream will make you question the way you view the world, and show you beauty in the strangest of places. This collection of poems was the first Buk book I ever picked up, and in a way it serves as a point of reference whenever I go Bukowski-less for long periods of time. It ranges from vivid imagery bred by surrealist nightmares, to the simple humor found in objective human observation, to the cat-mouse game of love and hate. My favorite is "Man in the Sun", and captures many integral parts of the Bukowski schtick all on in one poem. For a man who has the words "Don't Try" engraved on his headstone, Charles wrote a hard line, and more often than not, got it right.
Rating:
Summary: some of his best
Review: Some of his best stuff, ever.Now go away.
Rating:
Summary: Bukowski's work is poetry at its raw best
Review: This collection is one of Bukowski's best. His poem "Dreamlessly" is one of the best poems I have ever read. If you think poetry is only for the highbrow elite, try Bukowski you'll be pleasantly surprised. His work is honest, and often disturbing, but it is very very good. Bukowski's quote on his own work may have said it best (edited so Amazon will post it), "It's not that I'm so f'ing good...it's that everyone else is so f'ing bad." You may decide you wouldn't have liked Bukowski the man, but I'm sure you'll like Bukowski the writer.
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