Why We Should Still Read Charles Bukowski

“The author of this essay is the proud owner of 25 books, poetry collections, and short story anthologies written by the man widely recognized as the godfather of the literary movement known as ‘dirty realism.'”

When it comes to famous writers born in the 20th century, the class of 1920 boasts some illustrious names: Ray Bradbury, Frank Herbert, and Howard Nemerov. The American poet Charles Bukowski is one name that often stands out as being conspicuously absent, despite the fact that he occupies the hearts, minds, and bookshelves of hundreds of thousands of lost and tortured souls.

I may easily be referred to in that last sentence. The author of this essay is the proud owner of 25 books, poetry collections, and short story anthologies written by the man widely recognized as the godfather of the literary movement known as “dirty realism.”

Although Bukowski has sold millions of books and had his work translated into over a dozen languages, he is often regarded as a literary outcast. “He is not a mainstream author and he will never have a mainstream public,” said Black Sparrow Press founder John Martin, who gave Bukowski his start. This paradox is a major factor in Bukowski’s attraction and the continued interest in his writing. Although he was shunned by mainstream literary critics, he went on to have a hugely successful career spanning five decades.

For Bukowski, writing came easily: “The wine does most of my writing…I just open a bottle and turn on the radio, and it just comes pouring out.” Shut away in his cheap, dilapidated Los Angeles apartment, he would type nonstop into the early hours of the morning, cigarette ash constantly falling onto the keys of his Underwood typewriter. He would only stop for his favorite beverage, the Boilermaker, which was a tall glass of beer with a shot of bourbon poured in. He was rarely troubled by hangovers. Despite his heavy drinking, Bukowski was a prolific poet; dozens of volumes of his poetry and prose have been published. There are also six novels and more than a dozen collections of short stories.