Dangling in the Tournefortia (Black Sparrow Press, 1981)****
War All the Time: Poems 1981–1984 (Black Sparrow Press, 1984)****
The Last Generation (Black Sparrow Press, 1982) Note : Printed as a New Year gift.
Sparks (Black Sparrow Press, 1983) Note : Printed as a New Year gift.
You Get So Alone at Times That it Just Makes Sense (Black Sparrow Press, 1986) Note : One of the large late anthologies of Bukowski’s poetry.****
The Roominghouse Madrigals: Early Selected Poems 1946–1966 (Black Sparrow Press, 1988) Note : John Martin trawled through the little literary magazines Bukowski had first published in to compile this book of very early poems.*****
In the Shadow of the Rose (Black Sparrow Press, 1991) Note : A limited edition dedicated to Bukowski’s friend, Sean Penn.
Three by Bukowski (Black Sparrow Press, 1992) Note : A limited edition.
The Last Night of the Earth Poems (Black Sparrow Press, 1992) Note: The last full-length poetry book published during Bukowski’s lifetime, and one of his best.*****
Those Marvelous Lunches (Black Sparrow Press, 1993) Note : A New Year gift to friends of the press.
Heat Wave (Black Sparrow Graphic Arts, 1995) Note: A limited edition illustrated by artist, Ken Price, and sold to collectors. It was produced in a regular edition priced $1,250 and an even more expensive de luxe edition priced $3,500. The book comes in a Perspex box together with a CD.
A New War (Black Sparrow Press, 1997) Note: A booklet of five poems published as a New Year gift to friends of the press. The poem which appears at the end of chapter sixteen is from this booklet.
Bone Palace Ballet: New Poems (Black Sparrow Press, 1997) Note : A large anthology of previously unpublished work selected and published by John Martin after Bukowski’s death. John Martin chose the title.
What Matters Most Is How Well You Walk Through the Fire: New Poems (Black Sparrow Press, 1999) Note : Another of a growing number of posthumous collections of Bukowski’s work, edited by John Martin. The following titles are of the same sort.
Open All Night: New Poems (Black Sparrow Press, 2000)
The Night Torn Mad With Footsteps: New Poems (Black Sparrow Press, 2001)
Sifting Through the Madness: New Poems (Ecco, 2003) Note : Published in the UK by Virgin as New Poems (Books 1 and 2), this is mostly very late work written at the end of Bukowski’s life, though one much earlier poem is included (‘Soft and Fat Like Summer Roses’ is from 1946). The bulk of the poems, which had not found a home during Bukowski’s lifetime, perhaps for good reason, are often slight and repetitious in subject matter. One occasionally reads a line almost identical to a line in a previous poem, from another book. For all these reasons, these posthumous anthologies are not recommended.
The Flash of Lightning Behind the Mountain: New Poems (Ecco, 2004) Note : Published in the UK as New Poems Book 3, comments as above.
Slouching Towards Nirvana: New Poems (Ecco, 2005) Note : Published in the UK as New Poems Book 4 .
Come on In!: New Poems (Ecco, 2006)
The People Look Like Flowers At Last: New Poems (Ecco, 2007)
POETRY AND PROSE IN A SINGLE VOLUME
Horsemeat (Black Sparrow Press, 1982) Note : A limited edition with photographs by Michael Montfort of Bukowski at the race track.
Septuagenarian Stew: Stories and Poems (Black Sparrow Press, 1990) Note : One of Bukowski’s great late books, published in the year of his seventieth birthday. This is widely available in paperback.*****
Betting on the Muse: Poems and Stories (Black Sparrow Press, 1996) Note : Previously unpublished work selected by John Martin and published after Bukowski’s death. Many of the poems address the subject of impending death.****
SHORT STORIES
Confessions of a Man Insane Enough to Live with Beasts (Mimeo Press, 1965) Note: This is a very early chapbook published in a small edition and no longer in print, but the story can also be found in South of No North .
All the Assholes in the World and Mine (Open Skull Press, 1966) Note : As above.
Notes of a Dirty Old Man (Essex House, 1969) Note : A collection of stories written by Bukowski as his weekly column for the underground newspaper, Open City . It was later reissued by City Lights Books and is still widely available in paperback.****
A Bukowski Sampler (Quixote Press, 1969)
Erections, Ejaculations, Exhibitions and General Tales of Ordinary Madness (City Lights Books, 1972) Note : In 1983 this very large book was reissued in two volumes, Tales of Ordinary Madness and The Most Beautiful Woman in Town , both of which are still available in paperback.
South of No North (Black Sparrow Press, 1973)*****
Bring Me Your Love (Black Sparrow Press, 1983) Note : A special edition of a single short story, illustrated by R. Crumb.
Hot Water Music (Black Sparrow Press, 1983)*****
There’s No Business (Black Sparrow Press, 1984) Note : Another special edition of a single short story, illustrated by R. Crumb.
Confession of a Coward (Black Sparrow Press, 1995) Note : This autobiographical short story concerns Bukowski’s marriage to Barbara Frye and was printed as a New Year gift for friends of Black Sparrow Press after Bukowski’s death.
Bukowski left fewer unpublished short stories than poems, though several stories that appeared in magazines didn’t make it into books during his lifetime. As of time of writing John Martin is working on a new 300-page volume of ‘uncollected stories’.
MISCELLANEOUS PUBLICATIONS
There are a large number of Bukowski curiosities that cannot be classified as poetry, novels or short stories. Many are illustrated limited editions. Book dealers commonly charge in excess of $500 for such rarities, and prices can go over $1,000 if the books are signed by Bukowski ( Note : 1998 prices). Obscure though most of these publications are, several deserve mention:
Dear Mr Bukowski (Garage Graphics, 1979) Note : A series of cartoon drawings by Bukowski, with a brief explanatory text, printed on cards and gathered within an envelope as a collector’s item. Only fifty copies were made.
The Day it Snowed in LA (Paget Press, 1986) Note : A series of cartoons by Bukowski and a brief text, ‘The Adventures of Clarence Hiram Sweetmeat’, which recounts a day when snow falls on Los Angeles and everyone goes crazy. Clarence’s father smiles for the first time in ten years.
The Wedding (Brown Buddha Books, 1986) Note : This is a very rare limited edition printed to celebrate Bukowski’s marriage to Linda Lee Beighle in August, 1985. The text is by Bukowski and there are photographs by Michael Montfort.
The Movie : Barfly (Black Sparrow Press, 1987) Note: Bukowski’s screenplay to the Barbet Schroeder film starring Mickey Rourke and Faye Dunaway. It contains photographs taken on the set.
Run with the Hunted: A Charles Bukowski Reader (HarperCollins, 1993) Note: Not to be confused with the 1962 poetry chapbook of the same name. A reader edited by John Martin, and arranged so that it tells the story of Henry Chinaski’s life in roughly chronological order.
Shakespeare Never Did This (Black Sparrow Press, 1995) Note : A travelogue describing Bukowski’s two trips to Europe in 1978, illustrated with black and white photographs by Michael Montfort. First published by City Lights Books in 1979, it was reissued in an augmented edition by Black Sparrow Press, in 1995, and contains both poetry and prose. It is widely available.
The Captain is Out to Lunch and the Sailors Have Taken Over the Ship (Black Sparrow Graphic Arts, 1997) Note : A limited edition of Bukowski’s daily journal in the last years of his life, costing $650 when first published in April, 1997. It is illustrated by R. Crumb, and has since been issued as a more affordable Black Sparrow Press paperback.****
BOOKS OF LETTERS
Bukowski was an energetic correspondent, delighting his friends with a stream of letters which are very revealing, amusing and often moving. A couple of books of letters were published during his lifetime, and more have appeared since his death
.
The Bukowski/Purdy Letters : 1964–1974 (Paget Press, 1983) Note : Selected correspondence of Bukowski and the Canadian poet, Al Purdy, whose work Bukowski greatly admired. The two men never met.
Screams from the Balcony: Selected Letters 1960–1970 (Black Sparrow Press, 1993) Note : The first of three substantial volumes of Bukowski’s general correspondence.
Living on Luck: Selected Letters 1960s–1970s, Volume 2 (Black Sparrow Press, 1995)
Reach For the Sun: Selected Letters 1978–1994, Volume 3 (Black Sparrow Press, 1999)
Beerspit Night and Cursing: The Correspondence of Charles Bukowski and Sheri Martinelli, 1960–1967 (Black Sparrow Press, 2001)
FILM/VIDEO/DVD
There have been numerous television documentaries about Bukowski and a handful of feature-length films based on his work. These are the most notable examples:
Bukowski at Bellevue (Black Sparrow Press/Visionary, no date) Note: Although not released until the 1990s, this is a video film of one of Bukowski’s earliest public readings recorded by students at Bellevue College, Washington State, in 1970. Technical quality is very poor.
Bukowski (KCET, 1973) Note : A black and white documentary directed by Taylor Hackford. It features Bukowski reading in San Francisco and includes footage of rival girlfriends, Linda King and Liza Williams. The film was made for Los Angeles public television station, KCET.
Charles Bukowski – East Hollywood (Thomas Schmitt, 1976) Note: A black and white documentary film featuring rare footage of Bukowski with his girlfriend, Cupcakes, whom he dated after splitting with Linda King.
Tales of Ordinary Madness (23 Giugno/Ginis Film Paris, 1981) Note: Directed by Marco Ferreri and starring the American actor Ben Gazzara, this European art house film is based on short stories by Bukowski. He took no part in the making of the film, and did not like it.
Crazy Love (Mainline Pictures, 1987) Note : A Belgian-made movie directed by Dominique Deruddere and based on three short stories by Bukowski who had nothing to do with its making. However, he considered it the best adaptation of his work.
The Charles Bukowski Tapes (Les Films du Losange, 1987) Note : Made by Barbet Schroeder while trying to raise money to make Barfly , this fascinating video tape documentary consists of Bukowski talking directly to camera about his life and work. It is divided into fifty-two short sequences, most filmed at Bukowski’s house in San Pedro, California, but there is also footage of Bukowski touring his old haunts in East Hollywood and revisiting the house on Longwood Avenue where he was brought up. Original copies are rare as hen’s teeth, but bootlegged versions are sometimes seen.
Barfly (Cannon, 1987) Note : The motion picture starring Mickey Rourke and Faye Dunaway, and directed by Barbet Schroeder. Bukowski wrote the screenplay and makes a non-speaking cameo appearance as a barfly in the scene when Chinaski meets Wanda.
I’m Still Here (Tag/Traum, 1990) Note : A German television documentary filmed in color by Thomas Schmitt. It includes footage of Bukowski at home in San Pedro following his bout of tuberculosis.
The Ordinary Madness of Charles Bukowski (British Broadcasting Corporation, 1995) Note : A documentary film made as part of the BBC’s Bookmark series on modern authors. It was first broadcast in the United Kingdom after Bukowski’s death.
Apporte-moi ton amour (Rascasse Productions, 2002) Note : a short French film based on a Bukowski story directed, surprisingly, by former soccer star Eric Cantona.
Born into This (Magnolia Pictures, 2003) Note : a well-made, feature-length documentary directed by John Dullaghan and including an array of Bukowski’s associates.
Factotum (Aztec International, 2005) Note : Directed by Bent Hamer, this subtle and powerful movie may be the best film adaptation of Bukowski’s work. The source book is Bukowski’s second novel, updated to the present day. Matt Dillon is convincing as Henry Chinaski, and actresses Lili Taylor and Marisa Tomei are excellent as his girlfriends (both characters based on Jane Cooney Baker).
There are plans for further film adaptations of Bukowski’s work. Taylor Hackford owns the rights to Post Office , and has talked to Sean Penn about playing Henry Chinaski. The director, Paul Verhoeven, owns film rights to Women .
AUDIO RECORDINGS
Several of Bukowski’s public readings were recorded and have been marketed on audio cassette, LP and CD. Bukowski also recorded at home and some of these sessions have been packaged for sale. Unfortunately, tapes have been re-edited and bootlegged over the years and tapes with different titles often contain the same material. As a result, I have listed only a few:
Bukowski/Poems & Insults! (City Lights Books, 1972) Note : A recording of Bukowski’s appearance at the Poet’s Theater in September, 1972.
Hostage (Rhino Records/1994) Note : This is a recording of a reading at Redondo Beach, California, in 1980. It has also been packaged and sold as Absolutely Live in Redondo Beach!
Bukowski Reads his Poetry (Black Sparrow Graphic Arts, 1995)
At Terror Street and Agony Way (King Mob, 1998) Note : This is the album Barry Miles made for Zapple, as described in Chapter 6.
King of Poets (Chinaski, 2003) Note : Poems apparently recorded in New Orleans in 1970.
Solid Citizen – Live in Hamburg (Chinaski, 2003) Note : Recorded during Bukowski’s 1978 return to Germany, as described in Chapter 12.
BOOKS ABOUT CHARLES BUKOWSKI
Several of these are memoirs published in small editions.
A Bibliography of Charles Bukowski by Sanford Dorbin (Black Sparrow Press, 1969)
Charles Bukowski: A Critical and Bibliographical Study by Hugh Fox (Abyss Publications, 1969)
Bukowski: Friendship, Fame and Bestial Myth by Jory Sherman (Blue Horse Publications, 1981)
All’s Normal Here edited by Loss Pequeno Glazier (Ruddy Duck Press, 1985) Note : A collection of work about Bukowski by his friends. It also includes letters and some original work by Bukowski.
The King of San Pedro by David Barker (Richard G. Wong & Co, 1985) Note : A curious miniature book, it gives the basic facts of Bukowski’s biography.
Bukowski (Photographs 1977–1987) by Michael Montfort (Graham Mackintosh, 1987) Note : Printed for an exhibition of Michael Montfort’s photographs in Hamburg, Germany.
The Poet’s Craft edited by William Packard (Paragon House, 1987) Note : Chapter twenty-three reprints an interview Bukowski gave to the New York Quarterly about his method of writing.
Whitman’s Wild Children by Neeli Cherkovski (The Lapis Press, 1988) Note : The first chapter, ‘Notes on a Dirty Old Man’, is about Bukowski.
Sure edited by Ed Smith (published by Ed Smith, 1991–1994) Note : The ten volumes of the news letter, Sure , published by Ed Smith between 1991 and 1994, include a wealth of information.
In Search of Literary LA by Lionel Rolfe (California Classics Books, 1991) Note : This contains one chapter about Bukowski, ‘Tales of an Extraordinary Madman’, based on the evening of the première of Tales of Ordinary Madness .
Hank by Neeli Cherkovski (Random House, 1991) Note : Later re-issued by Steerforth Press.
Bukowski by Michael Montfort (Michael Montfort, 1993) Note : A limited edition of photographs.
Against the American Dream: Essays on Charles Bukowski by Russell Harrison (Black Sparrow Press, 1994) Note : A critical study of Bukowski’s work.
Blowing My Hero by Amber O’Neil (Amber O’Neil Productions, 1995) Note : Amber O’Neil is a pseudonym for one of Bukowski’s former girlfriends who self-published this memoir after reading what he wrote about her in Women . The title relates to Amber giving Bukowski oral sex. Amber was obliged to withdraw Blowing My Hero from sale after a complaint from Bukowski’s estate that she did not have permission to reprint letters from Bukowski.
Das ist Alles : Charles Bukowski Recollected edited by Joan Jobe Smith (Pearl Editions, 1995) Note : A collection of poems by friends and admirers of Bukowski published following his death. FrancEyE and Linda King are among the con
tributors.
Das war’s by Gundolf S. Freyermuth with photographs by Michael Montfort (Rasch und Röhring, 1996) Note : Published in Germany, this book contains the last interview Bukowski gave and is illustrated with photographs by Michael Montfort.
Spinning off Bukowski by Steve Richmond (Sun Dog Press, 1996) Note : An engaging memoir by Bukowski’s friend of many years, it is widely available.
Charles Bukowski: A Sure Bet by Gerald Locklin (Water Row Press, 1996)
The Charles Bukowski/Second Coming Years by A. D. Winans (The Beat Scene Press, 1996)
The Buk Book Text by Jim Christy with photos by Claude Powell (ECW Press, 1997) Note : This features photographs of Bukowski groping his former neighbor, Tina Darby.
Charles Bukowski by Gay Brewer (Twaynes United States Authors Series, 1997) Note : An excellent critical study of Bukowski’s work.
Sixty-Seven Poems for Downtrodden Saints by Jack Micheline (FMSBW, 1997) Note : An anthology of Jack Micheline’s writings over the years, it contains various pieces about Bukowski including the prose-poem, ‘Long After Midnight’.
Bukowski in the Bathtub edited by Philomene Long (Raven of Temple of Man, 1997) Note : Transcripts of conversations between Bukowski and his friend, John Thomas.
A Descriptive Bibliography of the Primary Publications of Charle s Bukowski by Aaron Krumhansl (Black Sparrow Press, 1999)
Bukowski in Pictures by Howard Sounes (Rebel Inc., 2000) Note : After I had finished my biography of Bukowski I found I had hundreds of photographs of the man, and places and people of interest in his life, mostly pictures never seen before, and so put together this photographic biography.
Bukowski for Beginners by Carlos Polimeni (Writers & Readers, 2000)
Art, Survival and So Forth by Jules Smith (Wrecking Ball Press, 2000)
Charles Bukowski Page 33
