Charles Bukowski: The Wicked Life of America's Most Infamous Poet

[@maticbauman5957]

And when nobody wakes you in the morning, and when nobody waits for you at night, and when you can do whatever you want. What do you call it, freedom or loneliness? -Charles Bukowski

[@bronx7886]

No-one else around (even when they happen to be in your "glorious" presence) and you doing "whatever you want" is neither freedom nor loneliness. It's narcissism. Only grey-walling works with the narcissists and gives sane people freedom from the narcissist.

[@cognitiveschizo]

@@bronx7886 nah, narcissists crave sycophants

[@dianele608]

Are people looking at him as a role model or just observation?

[@notyourtypicalcomment2399]

It’s called depression

[@rezen1983]

@@dianele608 I would say a little bit of both

[@XYouVandal]

"To me, once a person enters the door, the first thing I think of is getting rid of them." I'm almost ashamed to admit how deep I felt this

[@caleb1031]

Don't be.

[@anthonydworak8127]

Don’t sweat it. Most of those people probably couldn’t wait to get the hell out of there themselves.

[@TylerRein]

Same

[@skafabafa]

I wonder what the context was, what question was asked for him to say such a thing

[@XYouVandal]

I took this as a statement on the value of solitude to certain types of introverts. My mind is in a constant state of creativity and deep thought when I am alone. I need that to survive. People don't understand that. They ask me if I am lonely, but I never feel alone when I am in solitude. They don't accept that answer though. When someone stops by, the energy changes, I can't stay in my element when someone else is around, doesn't matter who it is. I just want to find a way to get rid of them without hurting their feelings. It can't be done. This has cost me nearly everything, but it's non-negotiable.

[@ChrisDefalcoblues]

This is my writing hero, a real human with real issues. I share his feelings, this world is so lonely it breaks you every day.

[@gussetblaster6786]

Every raging alcoholic went through a phase of reading / watching/ listening to Bukowski. He used to give me hope that I too would become a famous writer. I am now on the dole.

[@joshingtonbarthsworth631]

Should've tried less.

[@justineadebisi8225]

Yup

[@alexhatfield4448]

At least you have a dole.

[@trollotomasi5111]

@@cosmicman621 Every human has a hidden story and through our life experiences it can enhance a writer's work. If God has planted the seed of you becoming a writer maybe you should give it another try. Maybe you have a story that is unique to you that only you can dream up and envision that would be uplifting to many people the world over. Perhaps if you achieved success at an earlier age that very success would have destroyed you. Perhaps now you are more mature and ready for it. Just go for it and see what happens. Good luck.

[@KTLien86]

I have to ask because I honestly don't know. What is a dole?

[@TheDemigodLover]

"You're free til you're about four years old" truer words have never been spoken

[@What_I_Think_Happened]

That's not even slightly true. Infants are completely at the mercy of their surrounding humans.

[@TheDemigodLover]

@@What_I_Think_Happened I guess, but at least *some* infants are surrounded by people love them and care for them. In schools, you're practically guaranteed to be surrounded by people who don't care about you and make you feel trapped.

[@keithgreenan638]

He is talking about what you believe

[@mevslife3080]

​@@What_I_Think_Happenedsome infants are surrounded by people who cheerfully will fulfill any of their wish

[@What_I_Think_Happened]

@@mevslife3080 Many others, perhaps most, are surrounded by people who neglect them, ignore them, or expect them to conform.

[@charliex666able1]

His poetry is so refreshing. You can only take it in small, intense doses. He exudes all the sad, gross, defeated feelings we all have as regular working folk.

[@tapatton9]

I read You Get so Alone in one sitting and almost didn't recover from it.

[@debhurd8898]

I agree. I can only take his poetry in small doses. It's just so real. Life is suffering.

[@alllifematters]

Its honest

[@carlkligerman1981]

Ha! refreshing is not the word I would use to evoke it, not a word the great man himself would care for, I think. Try methylated, perhaps. The reason most can only imbibe Bukowski in small doses is because it’s source is nothing more or less than the epic and banal tragedy of modern life itself. You don’t scull a pure spirit, you sip at it, for to chug it down would be akin to pouring acid into the stomach of your soul.

[@NovChivon]

​@@debhurd8898bukowski said "let it die" which was something a wise old buddhist monk would say...there's no doubt he had reached some enlightenment...the first of the 4 noble truths that lord Buddha taught is '"life is suffering" which basically means life is shit..even as a kid I had a distaste for it and wanted to be back in the spirit world

[@jaredcress4328]

“If you're going to try, go all the way. Otherwise, don't even start. This could mean losing girlfriends, wives, relatives and maybe even your mind. It could mean not eating for three or four days. It could mean freezing on a park bench. It could mean jail. It could mean derision. It could mean mockery--isolation. Isolation is the gift. All the others are a test of your endurance, of how much you really want to do it. And, you'll do it, despite rejection and the worst odds. And it will be better than anything else you can imagine. If you're going to try, go all the way. There is no other feeling like that. You will be alone with the gods, and the nights will flame with fire. You will ride life straight to perfect laughter. It's the only good fight there is.”

[@phaedrussmith1949]

The Laughing Heart your life is your life don’t let it be clubbed into dank submission. be on the watch. there are ways out. there is a light somewhere. it may not be much light but it beats the darkness. be on the watch. the gods will offer you chances. know them. take them. you can’t beat death but you can beat death in life, sometimes. and the more often you learn to do it, the more light there will be. your life is your life. know it while you have it. you are marvelous the gods wait to delight in you.

[@andyokus5735]

Best reply I've ever read! Mucho gusto!

[@busterbiloxi3833]

Lorenzo the Magnificent was a little bit more succinct": "Segui il tuo corso e lascia dir' la gente". Nevertheless, the Way of Bukowski has led to much salvation.

[@Slod_De_Squatchmosis]

As an only child with no siblings roaming around alone since the 1990s, it's impossible to avoid strife from fellow humans... it just seems appointed to come looking for you

[@Madasin_Paine]

A mantra for real mank kind, someplace, some time. All ways.

[@caleblarson8173]

This was excellent. You do a great job at lining up places for Charles to speak for himself instead of just talking over images of him - I really like that. Great work!

[@00st307-m]

Agreed!!!

[@greedyfirstalgorithmlast26]

Sat, Mar 30, 2013 at 11:54 a.m. Hoffman was born November 30, 1936 in Worcester, Massachusetts to John Hoffman and Florence Schamberg, both of Jewish descent. Hoffman was raised in a middle class household and had two younger siblings. As a child in the 1940s-50s, he was a member of what has been described as "the transitional generation between the beatniks and hippies". This cannot be right, WikiPeadier Wrong Again. My Friend here in San Francisco, "Diamond" Dave Whittiker [Jewish; Minnesota] was a BEAT NIK who Introduced Bob Dylans Music to Allen Ginsberg. Dave is 10 Years my Senior, I think he was even born in December! That would be 1939. Abbie Hoffman was 100% Beat Generation, he just Found His Place in the '60's Peace/ Weatherman/ Anti Capitalist Hippies. Beat Niks did NOT Protest Violently against American Hedgemoney, they merely were Bohemeins, as were found in Euroupe. He described his childhood as "idyllic" and the 40s as "a great time to grow up in". On June 3, 1954, the 17-year-old Hoffman was arrested for the first time, for driving without a license. During his school days, he became known as a troublemaker who started fights, played pranks, vandalized school property, and referred to teachers by their first names. In his sophomore year, Hoffman was expelled from Classical High School, a now-closed public high school in Worcester. He wrote a paper declaring that "God could not possibly exist, for if he did, there wouldn't be any suffering in the world." The irate teacher ripped up the paper and called him "a communist punk". Hoffman jumped on the teacher and started fighting him until he was restrained and removed from the school.[2] After his expulsion, he attended Worcester Academy, graduating in 1955. Hoffman did many of the things typical of rebellious teenagers in the 1950s such as driving motorcycles, wearing leather jackets, and sporting a ducktail haircut. He enrolled in Brandeis University, where he studied under professors such as noted psychologist Abraham Maslow, often considered the father of humanistic psychology.[3] He was also a student of the Marxist theorist Herbert Marcuse, whom Hoffman said had a profound effect on his political outlook after studying his philosophy. Hoffman would later cite Marcuse's influence during his activism and his theories on revolution. Hoffman graduated with a B.A. in psychology in 1959. That fall, he enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley, where he completed coursework toward a master's degree in psychology. Soon after, he married his pregnant girlfriend Sheila Karklin in May 1960. Early protests Prior to his days as a leading member of the Yippie movement, Hoffman was involved with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), and organized "Liberty House", which sold items to support the Civil Rights Movement in the southern United States. During the Vietnam War, Hoffman was an anti-war activist, using deliberately comical and theatrical tactics. In October 1967, David Dellinger of the National Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam asked Jerry Rubin to help mobilize and direct a March on the Pentagon.[4] The protesters gathered at the Lincoln Memorial as Dellinger and Dr. Benjamin Spock gave speeches to the mass of people.[5] From there, the group marched towards the Pentagon. As the protesters neared the Pentagon, they were met by soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division[5] who formed a human barricade blocking the Pentagon steps.[4] Not to be dissuaded, Hoffman vowed to levitate the Pentagon[5] claiming he would attempt to use psychic energy to levitate the Pentagon until it would turn orange and begin to vibrate, at which time the war in Vietnam would end.[6] Allen Ginsberg led Tibetan chants to assist Hoffman.[5] Hoffman's symbolic theatrics were successful at convincing many young people to become more active in the politics of the time.[6] Another one of Hoffman's well-known protests was on August 24, 1967, when he led members of the movement to the gallery of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). The protesters threw fistfuls of real and fake dollars down to the traders below, some of whom booed, while others began to scramble frantically to grab the money as fast as they could. [7] Accounts of the amount of money that Hoffman and the group tossed was said to be as little as $30 to $300.[8] Hoffman claimed to be pointing out that, metaphorically, that's what NYSE traders "were already doing." "We didn't call the press", wrote Hoffman, "at that time we really had no notion of anything called a media event." The press was quick to respond and by evening the event was reported around the world. Since that incident, the stock exchange has spent $20,000 to enclose the gallery with bulletproof glass.[9] In late 1966, Hoffman met with a radical community-action group called the Diggers[10] and studied their ideology. He later returned to New York and published a book with this knowledge.[10] Doing so was considered a violation by the Diggers. Diggers co-founder Peter Coyote explained: Abbie, who was a friend of mine, was always a media junky. We explained everything to those guys, and they violated everything we taught them. Abbie went back, and the first thing he did was publish a book, with his picture on it, that blew the hustle of every poor person on the Lower East Side by describing every free scam then current in New York -- which were then sucked dry by disaffected kids from Scarsdale.[11]

[@caleblarson8173]

@@greedyfirstalgorithmlast26 I appreciate a copy/paste of the Abbie Hoffman Wikipedia page as much as the next guy, but why me? Why this video?

[@justinedse3314]

@@greedyfirstalgorithmlast26 Garbage

[@ericdavidwallace]

This was by far the best documentary I have seen on Charles Bukowski. I have struggled all my life to breakthrough as a filmmaker, actor, musician, or artist of any kind really. And his story is so inspiring because he had a breakthrough in his 50s. It’s so true that today people celebrate young people and their quick and easy road to fame. It was so refreshing and inspiring to see you point out the fact that we need more mature artist in the world. You have changed my perspective on my own journey, and I am grateful that I have had many years to mature as an artist before my breakthrough comes. Thank you so much for making this video you have inspired me tremendously . You’re a great filmmaker and you are doing great work for the world. Thank you!

[@Madasin_Paine]

Top notch. He found his way and mentor. The kid has a bright future.

[@Alsatiagent]

Bukowski suffered from complex, sometimes called childhood, PTSD. The adult flinching at an accidental touch is a dead giveaway. I suspect his father had the same problem. Very few people who were not abused by their parents go on to beat their children.

[@itsjustme9354]

I was a child of beatings mental and physically from my late father. I'm 36 and now a struggling alcoholic. I have a 10 yo child and never hit her I couldn't I know what it feels like. I broke the cycle .

[@cc92103]

@@itsjustme9354 You're a good dad & I wish you all the best.

[@stevetrivago]

@@itsjustme9354 what’s a “struggling” alcoholic? anyway, get sober… don’t wait…. Don’t end up like me….. losing a 23 year old son in a car wreck because I was a struggling drunk…. You have a child or children… One life … Be wise 🙏🏼

[@eladsinger9215]

@@itsjustme9354 You have a special sort of strength and decency, and I respect you. To all of us with broken fathers....all the best!

[@oleanderthor-borre9506]

I was scared of my dad growing up. I have children and I promised myself I would never let them be scared of me. So it's not necessarily something that is handed down

[@aurisnow]

Great documentary. I am 55 years old and a long time Bukowski fan. I went to see Barfly on the theater the first day, first showing at 2:00PM totally drunk. I also drank a whole lot the day his death, is was on the news radio. I remember exactly where I was at the time. Lost and young. He was my inspiration to be a writer and famous later in life, but I still haven't done a much to pursue that life. All I did was play and get drunk and now I am finally sober and aimless at life. Really appreciate your take and the respect for older artists, maybe someday I will became one also. It was awesome to have YT algo throw this vid at me. Luck to ya.

[@Johny1]

Better Start late than never, just do it - just for the fun of it, and See where it takes ya. I wish you luck finding your purpose!

[@rumikhuwaja8708]

All will be well friend. Good luck

[@clairecordell2461]

Shudda carried on drinkin my friend! 💣

[@mindsigh4]

@aurisnow; for myself, it was a case of; it's better to quit alcohol than wait for alcohol to quit me, know what i mean? cuz there's people still drinkin, not enjoying it, & the alcohol has long ago stopped enjoying them. like in that Neil Young song, it's better to burn out than it is to rust/better to burn out than fade away...to me burning out doesnt mean lying in the deep end of an alcohol addiction, internal organs all bloated & waiting to die, that would be a big fizzle. but finding the courage to make peace with life & live in peace with yourself,without the addictions, now that would be something, wouldn't it?

[@ronfroehlich4697]

@@mindsigh4 didn't Bukowski say "find what you love and let it kill you"?

[@blushslice]

“The best thing in the world is to get away from other people”, truly 😊

[@webstercat]

Like Charles…a vile old disgusting drunk who despised life itself and others.

[@joefelice5062]

Buk’s poems are so accessible - people who wouldn’t imagine liking poetry can pick up one of his books and fall deeply in love with his writing without even realizing it.

[@debbylou5729]

You can't drink from a poisoned well and not get sick

[@HungL0W]

Which book would you recommend to a new reader?

[@cmortenson3647]

@@HungL0W poetry? his book Mockingbird wish me luck. also, "play the piano drunk, like a percussion instrument, until the fingers begin to bleed a bit" (I don't know which books are still in print anymore. I used to own nearly all of em but many years ago...) another excellent poetry book of his, Last Night Of The Earth poems. brilliant. and novels; post office, Ham on Rye, Women and his short stories, Tales of Ordinary Madness"....

[@aw2584]

That's what happened to me lol. Picked one of Bukowskis poetry mix simply because I live in UK but I'm a Polish immigrant so I chose it just because it sounded Polish. The rest is history lmao

[@seanmatthewking]

12 years ago someone lent me Women and I read it. I wasn't getting laid so it was satisfying to read the exploits of this cranky old man. Apparently his cock is purple and veiny. And some girl's vagina curved hard to the right. That's all of his I ever read.

[@snakefinger]

When I was real young between 3-5 I was walking down western just south of Carlton way right before the pussycat theatre with my mom. I started to lag a bit so my mom kept walking thinking I was beside her. Walking up the street toward Carlton way was an older man as he passed my mom he picked me up and ran about 5 steps away from my mom while he held me close. then he abruptly stopped and set me back on the concrete and kept walking while he chuckled to himself. Years later It clicked that the man who picked me up was Charles Bukowski not to mention the fact that he worked at our local post office on western just north of Beverly on the east side of the street. The post office is gone but the brick building remains. As he set me back on the sidewalk I looked at my mom and she didn’t miss a beat. She didn’t even notice and I was so much in shock at the moment that I didn’t even have a chance to react or yell. I ran up to my mom and asked her, did you see that ? No. See what ? I tried explaining but I think she didn’t want to believe what had just happened. I love you mom. I love you too Hank.

[@busterbiloxi3833]

Bullshit.

[@vnette9777]

Good Story.😘

[@Checkedoubt]

I just recommended women by Bukowski to a man I met a few months ago. Gas station cashier. Found out he was homeless, gave him a pillow n blanket n a ride to the spot he was sleeping at once. Two months later he wasn’t homeless anymore, he’s got an apartment now. He thanked me for being nice to him. I, like Bukowski, don’t like people. But only the mean ones. Started reading his words at 15, made an anon Twitter poetry acc in 2014, when that realm of Twitter was alive n thriving. My account got pretty sizable, Bukowski’s “so you want to be a writer” drove me. I love this video.

[@somethingyousaid5059]

It's one thing for me to have been a misanthrope, but it's another for me to have been one that never had any ambition.

[@MissMoxie]

I’m a lot like you.

[@bhatkat]

U R an angel. The sort we could use more of. 😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@xxxxxxxxx-j6z]

who asked

[@kewoncrayton2309]

Bukowski was one of my greatest inspirations. He wrote clean the way Baldwin emphasized, and his writing was exactly as he said it: free of pretense. The strength of the feelings behind what he wrote - both big and small - was incredible. He could depict desolation, seclusion and contempt so very well. Very comforting words to read for someone who also had all the pretense beat out of them by life very early.

[@mindsigh4]

ya, it was real to hear him say that his dads violent a-holey-ness was a powerful motivator, but i think a big chunk of his realness, boldness, anger & inability to put up with bullshit from others AND himself had something to do with surviving teenage acne that was so bad it was on level with Kafka feeling like he was a cockroach. Edit ; must have made him suicidal &/or craving for drink to point of forgetting/ blackout relief.

[@SpicyTexan64]

Inspiration? Just a miserable bitter man.

[@voidar]

@@SpicyTexan64 Keep on projecting.

[@benlotus2703]

Love is a Dog from Hell ~ Charles Bukowski

[@kelman727]

Because he couldn’t write about anything else.

[@plbeckman]

This is a fantastic documentary. 10 out of 10. Well detailed. I'm glad you pointed out how Europe loved his work from the start and how he struggled in life.

[@lindanorris2455]

ACNE VULGARIS (STAPH INFECTION) perhaps because CHarles would have a terrible infection from all those beatings and strappings. Those beatings would have built up a deep infection in side his body. He was the first author who ever wrote about what I already knew about. Charles's writing gave me hope when there was none.He brought me hope and helped me to stop pver using alcohol and brought me through a very deep depression. I will always, always be grateful for the writings of Charles Bukowski. RIP- Charles. I miss you.

[@kjweitzel4752]

SUCH a great job! By allowing Bukowski to speak for himSELF, explain himself, we saw what drove him to Poetry: the need for self-understanding, a place to put his terror(s). Your editing was superb, perfect music, and your voice-over was like a bridge. THANK YOU for such thoughtful consideration of the troubled man beneath the amazing artist. (Or the troubled artist beneath the amazing man.) Complex and brilliant!

[@repetemyname842]

Bukowski knew what it was like growing up and not being popular, stuff like that tends to leave a mark on you and shapes your perspective. My favorite writer by far.

[@michaeldeangelo7986]

Good job. I've read Buk for 42 years and seen a plethora of documentaries on him. Yours was one of the most complete and concise. The 5 books you read of his were a perfect schematic into his suffering genius. Bravo.

[@80aj21]

his writing is a study in anger, in anxiety, in the shy way that a dislike of people can shape your life. he only drank to deal with people, he only wrote to deal with his hate. he wasn't political or agenda driven and probably wouldn't like you if you read his work. he wasn't a very nice man. he was a brilliant writer.

[@bobvillanueva712]

Dogs that have been abused and can not be trained to be NICE DOGS(anger&anxiety), can not be introduced back into society are euthanized, yea? No emotional resources=NO NICE MAN, yea? VINCENT VAN GOGH... LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN and the list goes on, yea? "EVERY WISH FULFILLED" E.T.

[@mindsigh4]

the not nice part when he drank heavily, (which was a lot of the time)yeah,. but when he recites that poem,in the way he says" people aren't good to each other... etc." theres a kindness in his voice & what matters to him, his cat (s) shopping at small stores, & btw, read his poetry & look at comment section how many people were helped by his love of getting it down on paper AS IS,with as little interference from any ambition other than to NOT write like all the other gutless wusses,& maybe not have to have yet another 9-5~ edit: fucking job, ahhh !!!

[@markgrayson6771]

I mean Bukowski claims he's not political but his work reads like a nihilistic version of anti-capitalist theory without the academic jargon. We're all political in our own ways.

[@maggiemae7539]

@@markgrayson6771 he did anything his bosses told him to do

[@mickm5097]

@@markgrayson6771 He was more anti-everything, with the exception of alcohol and women. An anti-capitalist stance usually comes with some suggestion of what socio-political structure should exist in its place. Bukowski's suggestion of what he wanted was "leave me the hell alone".

[@Lila-rf5tu]

This is one of the best documentaries I ever saw. The way you edited clips, the music, reflective thoughts and clips of Bukowski, just amazing! I am impressed, great work!

[@louissardelli4046]

Great job on the BUKE BIO. Been a long time fan of buke...I may have to back to my collection of his work and reread some of his words thx again for that Great bio!!

[@MedranoHijo]

Really? You haven't searched enough.

[@choppermorgan9946]

I agree with you I really enjoy this

[@Mike-ir9fx]

I actually went through a terrible time when I was younger as I suffered severely from terrible skin infections boils, pimples,acne etc. Everyday was was like going through hell, this was in the 60s and 70s and people were a lot less caring and sympathetic in them days. So I do feel a lot of empathy towards him and I also sadly turned to alcohol, which only made things even worse. I am 66 now and reading his tragic comic books they actually helped me be better and kinder to myself . Although my father was a fantastic dad,but died when I was 11, and my so called stepfather was similar to Charles 's . Our pasts cannot change, but we can alter our futures if we want to . At the heart of his work is a good person who is destroyed by previous experiences. ♥️

[@bigtoelittlefinger6133]

😮weel said❤

[@parinikasharma317]

I'm proud of you for taking hold of your life

[@laurahale9309]

Where he is looking at his dad in the coffin and says, " got anything to say now dad? I didn't think so" Gut reality punch when I read it.

[@maryfrancesbeckerhaggerty5353]

❤Aww Michael. I love you!

[@jailynneville2023]

Dude this was great and you’ve really found your purpose, but I’m sure by now you definitely know this!! Please keep up the awesome work, you’ve got fans that really look forward to and appreciate your work!

[@404mph]

Well said. Soulr has been inspiring me personally for lil minute now

[@ryanbarton72]

perfectly said he's great at this.

[@werter9640]

Yo I'm really stoned i legit thought you were talking to bukowski and not Soulr lmao

[@r.williamcomm7693]

Impressive work.

[@GraveTender333]

Dude, it's an Awesome Sauce place to Be

[@KarmaHauntsYou]

Thank you for this. This man was a major influence in my mid 20s, his disastrous life and stories kept me from following a similar path, and I love him for that.

[@notabotiswear6980]

i get you. im in my mid 20s rn and on a tightwalk between taking the dull "safe" "good job" "good pay" marry whoever falls on my lap and call it "success" or go with something I processed and mapped out for myself. no matter how "ugly" it can get. I mean look at Chinaski, hes a fucking drunk tattered up lonely misogynist and he still got himself to the top of his own lil mountain. Bukowski is a legend for his honesty and for his commitment to doing what he truly loved and never letting anyone/anything shut his fire out.

[@johngoldsworthy7135]

You mean the path of becoming a world renowned poet the second half of his life? Yeah terrible path. What have you accomplished?

[@KarmaHauntsYou]

@@johngoldsworthy7135 Well, I have a house, two cars, two kids. I think I'm pretty set. Really? You think the end of his life was worth the suffering he endured getting there? Or even the suffering he inflicted on others? If you remember correctly he often stated that he hated the fame, and even sometimes the extravagance his new lifestyle brought. I dunno why you came at me passive aggressively, but I hope you get some help.

[@johngoldsworthy7135]

@@KarmaHauntsYou oh wow you have kids and a house! That makes you special in what way again? It’s pathetic that you find some comfort in your life after learning the hardship bukowski went thru, proceed to share that with the world, then call me passive aggressive when your post is dripping with passive aggressive horse sh*t (thanking bukowski for you taking the safe boring path in life). You have a demented, sanctimonious holier than thou opinion of yourself when all you’ve accomplished is the bare minimum. Come back when you’ve made an impact on millions of people and you have a legacy. You don’t have a molecule of talent in your body, and that’s fine. You play it safe; that’s fine. What’s not fine is pretending that you’re better than bukowski because you are anything but.

[@jas2429]

You also drank like nuts? 😁

[@writerjay]

This is an amazing documentary. He's my new hero! He downplayed how hard he worked. Slogging through the 9 to 5 grind and still able to keep going. His persistence and commitment to the writing process is very inspiring to me.

[@swagnusmcduck7566]

Oh no. Make no mistake. He did. not. try.

[@cseguin]

Great job. I found Bukowski at a very young age and ended up devouring everything he wrote with morbid glee . . . he's still one of my my all-time favourite authors.

[@smwrbd]

I remember a Hustler magazine that featured excerpts from a Bukowski book and interviewed him also. I was probably 20?

[@cseguin]

@@smwrbd Sweet . . . he was a force, that's for sure - and, because his words live on, he still is . . .

[@Dictatortot-n3d]

I love Bukowski. His writing scares off the wrong people, and attracts the right ones. I could never stand pretentious writing. That is pretty much all that is presented to you at school

[@hisworkmanship7258]

This is a great comment you sound like Holden Caulfield .🎉

[@arigoldberger1755]

It’s very raw but shows all the negativity of life he is holding within as expressed through his writing. It’s just misery really which is not the essence of life.

[@francisdec1615]

Misery IS the essence of life. Stop being an optimist living lies.

[@rando8916]

@@arigoldberger1755 Coffee’s just hot water So is tea Apple juice? Yes and even soda

[@Pluralofvinylisvinyls]

No book assigned at American schools encourages students to read for fun, and that’s wrong. I can’t remember one good book from school. The scarlet letter? 🤮. And I went to catholic school so writers like Salinger were the devil.

[@sunfl0weronthemoon]

This is a beautiful analysis of an exceptional mind. I love the music you chose throughout as well. Really great job, thank you

[@escherpainting8622]

very glad you included my favourite bukowski quote "agony sometimes changes form, but never ceases for anybody."

[@steveroodenrys-brown9768]

His poems resonated with me during a time which I felt detached with my humanity and our societies. His poems helped me see the world through different perspectives and that it was ok to be a square. His poems helped me develop my individuality and then reconnect with the world. This is a good video.

[@chaosdweller]

Interesting

[@MrUndersolo]

I found 'Ham on Rye' at the library when I was about 12 and it floored me (no idea you could write like that). And having a shitty dad and few friends also made a difference in my life, too. Bravo, Mr. B. We miss you and need you still.

[@swesttttt]

The way our libraries are being targeted by those on the right these days, I’m afraid they’ll eliminate ways for younger folks to find him. I’m not saying he belongs in the kid’s section, but goddamnit he is important and NECESSARY and it scares me to think about the direction we’re headed where no unpleasantness will be tolerated, and nothing even vaguely upsetting can be part of our shared experience.

[@alaskayoung3413]

@@swesttttt you cannot be that dull and ignorant.... the right isn't targeting libraries and great literature, they're removing literal porn from libraries. Like book teaching 8 year old's about anal or grooming them for trans ideologies. Turn off the MSN and actually read the books on the list or the actual bills.

[@dickdiamonds3410]

​@@swestttttthe right? I hope that's a joke. I'm apolitical but obviously liberals are the only people crying over words and banning books

[@johnboy6594]

Im so much more concerned about the censorship and propaganda coming from the left these days. Im sure Mr B would agree.

[@parinikasharma317]

I hope you're well now

[@denisemadigan1038]

Sometimes Incompletely relate to this guy...but not all the time. But I think I indulge in his way of thinking at times. I find myself smiling with every word he says! It hits my dopamine or something...

[@davidseabourn4093]

Great job. Thank you for your work...sir. "Find what you love and let it kill you." ~Charles Bukowski ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@ryanmillward585]

that is not his quote, it's kinky friedman's quote. It's a common misquote of Bukowski

[@barflytom3273]

David Seaburn hate to dissapoint you but iit was Kinky Friedman who said it.

[@mritzs5142]

Damm love this quote!

[@harrypages-filmmaker6003]

One of the best independent documentaries I've seen on KZbin

[@artboytidwell]

Very well done, Turning pain into beauty is the mission of art.

[@GaZonk100]

that sentence itself has poetic elements in it; the inversion, the nice cadence of the vowels, the choice of 'mission'...

[@AntwhaleNearfar]

Unless you’re an artist who turns beauty into pain.

[@michellsmith4693]

As an artist. I say-nope. Pain is pain. Beauty is beauty.

[@AntwhaleNearfar]

@@michellsmith4693 No. The blues is a musical art form which exemplifies the process of turning pain into beauty. Some of the most beautiful songs and works of art are expressions of pain made beautiful by the creative medium in which it was expressed.

[@DiabolikalFollikles]

@@michellsmith4693 Art is subjective. All organic artists and art-lovers appreciate this truth. 🦋

[@AquaticApes]

really awesome documentary...ive been a fan of bukowski for years and enjoyed watching every minute of this. thanks 🤙

[@Luckman999]

Man go make videos why haven’t u uploaded in a month

[@steveharvey2102]

Perhapps because he likes to sleep in. Maybe he follows his own inner ideas. Maybe he likes to anger you. I sure do. Away it goes....

[@purplemaze7733]

I love Bukowski, his life and work inspires me. I can relate to his demeanour and MO on a very deep level. Thanks for this, much appreciated.

[@DanielRodriguez-bb5gk]

I’ve been following your work for a couple of years now and every single video you make keeps getting better and better. The content is quality and your Voice gets more refined in every video. You bring light to very important figures in our history from music, art, authors and Music producers. Don’t stop man, I share your videos with a bunch of people constantly because of how good I Believe your craft is!

[@dameerdj5403]

Awesome work, thank you! It gets me back to days when I was 20 and lost in the world. Charles was my consolation for the dreams that never came thru.

[@josephmucheru7177]

dude he is human unlike most writers

[@matthewatwood8641]

It doesn't seem very human to me. He just seems aggressively narcissistic and toxic as hell negative about everything. The way he describes the world strikes me as being a much better description of himself

[@ItsSVO]

⁠@@matthewatwood8641you’ve just proven the guys point by listing all of the things that make him human. The fact you know these aspects of his character at all is proof he’s human. Fake people hide their character, unlike Bukowski who was unapologetically himself.

[@matthewatwood8641]

@ItsSVO being unapologetic about something doesn't make it virtuous. He's like a lot of famous writers, just excusing his bad behavior.

[@ItsSVO]

@ who said it does? Certainly not Bukowski nor me. He’s never made an excuse for his bad behaviour either, he simply documents it. You’re having an argument with a strawman here I’m afraid. Writers only need to write, there is no requirement of them to be good people. The same reason I don’t require a surgeon to be anything other than skilled at surgery. Your judgement of others virtue is handled brilliantly in “the genius of the crowd” with the lines: “those who preach peace do not have peace. Those who preach god, need god. Those who preach love, don’t have love” I’ve personally always found that those who would claim there are no skeletons in their closets, in reality have a cemetery instead.

[@matthewatwood8641]

@ItsSVO you're even more full of it than he is; but he was smart, that's the difference.

[@andytorres2395]

Wow, that was amazing. I love Charles Bokowski. I've never seen someone bring his experiences to life so well. Seriously. I'm blown away. Fantastic.

[@jasoncarson369]

This is by far the best collection of information on Bukowski put to video. Thank you so much for putting this together. Best thing I watched in a long time. 🙏

[@igorsvacic217]

Maybe I am crazy, but what standed out THE MOST about Bukowski to me is that he was actually a big humanist, altrough he allways said he hated ppl

[@igorsvacic217]

also, he did actually had a GREAT translator, at least in ex Yugoslavia. Like, Ive had one of his novels into my hands by accident recently, and said let me see what Ill see in it now when Im fourty two compared to when I was a teen and when I fell for this old fart. Inbetween we also had a war went separately, now its Croatia. And now its new translator, since old one was a serbian guy. And yea, not even close. Im not saying this one was bad, not even remotely, ut that serbian dude, he got him. He got him good. The great works literally cant be destroyed by even the worst translators, but they can have a huge difference.

[@busterbiloxi3833]

He hated humanity.

[@igorsvacic217]

@@busterbiloxi3833 you are so, so wrong. But thats understandable, since that was one of his main aims in writings, to leave that impression. I tought so also, as many others do. But now, when Im older, and when I had red trough most importantly his poetry, I see I was as wrong as its possible to be. He was a GREATEST humanist.

[@seanmatthewking]

@igors why tf would ge go out of his way to convince everyone that he doesn't like people or care about them?

[@igorsvacic217]

@@seanmatthewking Brother yt comment aint a place to discuss such a big things.

[@danaandra9735]

Really well done. I was introduced to Buk in the late 70s in by a writing teacher who was a published poet. BURNING IN WATER, DROWNING IN FLAME ... this was the detonator that triggered an explosion in mind and shaped my own way of writing.

[@travisoutlaw9511]

Bukowski reminds me of an AA meeting. The way he talks is a lot like many alcoholics in the depression of alcohol. The fact he did all that he did under the influence is very impressive in a sad sort of way. Anyone who has been an alcoholic knows how painful it is...

[@aprilbarram738]

Thank you so much for this and I just watched Keith Haring as well. What I love about both of them is their accessibility, in their own way, to everybody. Not exclusionary, not superior, not disregarding. It's so enjoyable to hear someone talk about these artists that I love in such the way that you do, so thank you.

[@dpfee3]

Terrific video. His writing gets straight to the essence, so eloquently, and really soaks into the bones.

[@magicjoeblack5761]

Epic job Dude, major Props and thank you for sharing. "The days run away like wild horses over the hills" and then you find a pause like this video. Major moment. Love and respect.

[@littleonekat]

Literally the best material I’ve seen about Charles Bukowski on KZbin , excellent work, thank you

[@timpadleki8384]

Best documentary I've seen, hands down! Excellent work, and captivating. No dull moments here, just the best of his interviews and a true look into the man. Bim bim bim bim....

[@barflytom3273]

Tim Padleki. the best documantary on Buk is "Born Into This" try it

[@at0micwerew0lf]

My science teacher in 6th grade gave me 3 Bukowski books. At 1st I didnt like them, Tolkien being my favorite author up to that point...you can imagine going from one to the other. Well Bulowski became someone I related to deeply and opened my mind to writers I might not have read had it not been for reading him. Thank you Mr Edward's and thank you Bukowski.

[@JMag1]

The only poet that could get me into poetry. Thank you, Bukowski.

[@amigimama2293]

This was such an excellent use of time. I'm obsessed with bukowski and you've done a great job with the video. I really appreciate it. Thank you!

[@MIB_63]

Excellent documentary and portrayal of a tormented soul and an extraordinary writer. I started reading Bukowski at a young age where I was struggling with many challenges (work, girlfriends, health, etc.) and his writings gave me great courage and comfort. It was indeed a sad day when he passed away. Much missed.

[@chrysanthemum3065]

Great documentary - thank you for this. Every word the man said or wrote resonates with me. I haven't had an alcoholic beverage for 37 years now. But the older I get, the more I thrive in solitude. I HAVE to be alone. Great comments here too. Good to remember there are lots of us. My heart broke for what he went through with acne. Mine was not as severe as his, but growing up with acne in the 60s and 70s was torture. My dad blamed me personally for every zit. It was ALL because of the chocolate I had the other day, dontcha know. My mom's mother (who herself had flawless peaches and cream complexion) told her that the zits were the "orneriness comin outta you." So much cruelty and armed only a tube of Clearisil. Awful times.

[@morbidmanmusic]

Being alone... here on KZbin? You don't want to be alone. You are lying to yourself,

[@Pluralofvinylisvinyls]

Everyone is a guitar these days

[@susiefairfield7218]

"He who loves loneliness, loves it alone" - Robert Hunter Here's to new beginnings🥃

[@billm.819]

"Do Lord deliver our kind".

[@andybaldman]

Recent divorce or breakup?

[@susiefairfield7218]

@@andybaldman no just personal changes

[@andybaldman]

@@susiefairfield7218 Ok. Know that people out there love you.

[@JayBoyle-y3m]

Love is a dog from hell ,great book but Susie we love u just for u

[@busterbiloxi3833]

His editor and publisher was John Martin, a self-made man whose efforts played a major role in Bukowski's success.

[@thefelicits]

This is covered in the video; you should watch it

[@justinedse3314]

@@thefelicits It's important to elaborate on this point because it's the opposite of what many editors are today. Many are coddled, afraid, scared to publish such work. They don't have courage.

[@perceptionmanagement2116]

John Martin rewrote Bukowski's stuff after Hank died. He's a shady guy.

[@busterbiloxi3833]

@@perceptionmanagement2116 Martin is an upfront and honest dealer who single-handedly built up the best independent publishing house in America in the 20th-century. He sold books. Buk didn't give a hoot about editing, apart from the one time with WOMEN. As long as the books sold, baby.

[@HansLiu23]

Yes, they mentioned John Martin in the video. I watched it.

[@afrochaltey]

I started reading his poems not because I am an alcoholic but because life made me desperate.

[@valentineotto1099]

Same here

[@parinikasharma317]

don't stop hoping. I pray for you

[@go_all_the_way]

Bukowski has definitely saved my life (so far) and I hope this helps bring him to the hearts of many more hurting souls out there. I can't stress enough how thankful I am that you made this 🙏💛

[@mindsigh4]

like shakespeare said," they laugh at scars who never felt a wound" hang in there brother, maybe ur writing or some other work/art or presence will help somebody else pull through, ya?

[@go_all_the_way]

@@mindsigh4 Thanks man, always nice when you shout into the dark abyss of the internet and the echo of another human out there comes bouncing back

[@mindsigh4]

@@go_all_the_way how ya doin man? ive got a year not drinking now, i mess about with edible weed & guitar, prayer meditation while chanting, mumbling to guitar, it's like church only more honest,🌱🐾👣🌿🕊️🙏🏼🌎💌

[@go_all_the_way]

@@mindsigh4 hanging in there. Big fan of the weed. Listening to lots of music and comedy podcasts while stoned has been my jam lately

[@GuitarMatt]

Same here. At 50-yrs old it's been quite a few decades. I take it for granted, but reading your comment, I hate to say it, but I would not be here without reading his stuff in the 1990s

[@asthmatraumatic1024]

This was great! We need more ppl on KZbin making videos like this!

[@mannykrag3486]

Nice video! I'm just getting into this guy, and it's when I really needed something like this. Very good.

[@Hugs273]

Loved the documentary. I was a big fan of his in the 90s. Owned several of his books. I miss reading his writings. Will have to collect his books again.

[@mirandac8712]

Just fantastic, thanks so much for this. Bukowski is a major, major American writer and it's incredible to see the neglect on the part of the academy / publishing for this entire time

[@busterbiloxi3833]

He is indeed the greatest writer of the 20th-century, but considered to be only a minor one by most reviewers and critics. He is hated and reviled by most academics and hipster douchebags. Read his works and revere his words.

[@kelman727]

Academics only like difficult texts that aren’t self-explanatory. Charge upheld. Publishing? You know many copies he’s sold? Denied.

[@kelman727]

@@busterbiloxi3833 HIS words. Follow your own advice.

[@busterbiloxi3833]

@@kelman727 Bukowski followed Jeffers: "Do your own work". "The strong man stands alone."

[@manning671]

I am an avid Bukowski fan and I think you did an amazing job here! Great work!

[@danmcdonald9117]

Never heard of him, but now I'm a fan for life. Thank you for this video and the introduction.

[@chaosdweller]

I think he's a good comic too, I was lmao, the whole time haha I'm wondering why ? I'm the only one thinking this haha.

[@mindsigh4]

32 mins in, u feel why people love his words...not just one in a million, one in forever....folk, country, blues & rock came out of simple means, a beat up guitar, harmonica drums horns voice, hip hop was man & mic & turntables, Bukowski had a typewriter & smokes & drinks & even when he had nothing else he wrote poems that still work cuz they were made from simple means

[@mindsigh4]

he also had crummy jobs, & cheap rooms, & occasional women & still he wrote.

[@kjweitzel4752]

"One in forever." I really really like that! (And will steal it when the opportunity presents itself. So thank you!) Not all of us can create great art. It takes Appreciators to put 'em on the map.

[@beckwil0852]

I love the man and his art. Thank you for sharing this wonderful piece on him. It’s excellent!

[@marcelosalazar6427]

Really thank you, for describing Bukowski in such a human way, which is what it takes to talk about him.

[@subsamadhi]

My cousin was personal friends with him and I've been friends with his ex girlfriend who runs a poetry magazine. He's a genius and I'm glad people are becoming a fan of his.

[@pixiie9635]

this was so beautifully done, thank you. I’ve always been a fan of his writing, but interesting to learn about him as a person.

[@ameliali593]

I love your work. it feels like I'm truly learning something here and I'm going to gain something when I watch your videos. Please don't stop producing bro, you're honestly making artwork here- not just some videos.

[@letscompose8560]

This was a phenomenal documentary. Showing the moments of happiness that he did achieve is incredibly inspiring. There's something to be said about drawing yourself to the thinkers who don't off themselves.

[@DosiDos2ToTha3rd]

Very well done video! Charles Bukowski isn’t a hero by any means of the definition, but that’s the beauty of his work & philosophy. None of us our heroes, but we all wish to view the world like Charles Bukowski.

[@andrewsmith-xh9sf]

I’ve been a bukowski fan for many years, I spent ten years in America reading all of his stuff, he was like a travelling companion as I travelled to many places in the states. This is a good video, no bullshit, you kept it honest, and like the old man himself. Cheers.

[@jamesfreeman7954]

This was really well put together, and the sections were segmented well. Thank You.

[@rayswoop4947]

I'm so glad that I found this, thanks man, this intrigued me and he is my spirit animal; gives me hope also because man I feel the same and also want to write and have only written two short stories....but I'm always procrastinating and dwelling on despair and the human condition that wrecks me stagnant....and 42, and gave up on life pretty much--but to hell with that, I'm pickin that damn pen back up and bleeding it all out on paper till there's no more. Thank you Buk, for being the vigil of us deep thinking misfits 😁

[@chrislemery8178]

This was VERY well put together. Excellent work. A title I read of his was "The Most Beautiful Woman in town, and other stories". It was an extremely difficult book to put down. It's his ability to describe, put you in the situation.

[@kelseyguire1037]

i have “we are all museums of fear” from his poem to nobody tattood on my arm. this man is such a legend.

[@EdWard-ie5wn]

Bukowski would have thought you were lame bro

[@kelseyguire1037]

truuuuuuu

[@Straightjacket154]

You really got that tattooed? What a spazzzzz!

[@dylanrcramer]

This is an outstanding documentary. Fantastic insights into Buk; brilliantly put together; great music as well. This is a must see

[@zrnki]

Hey brother, this feels like written for me. Amazing job! This is the only video I've watched till the end while stoned. It means a lot : Thank you for creating this!

[@AdrienvonFerscht]

Truly enjoyed this; you’re a superb presenter and researcher. Thanks

[@pUkkademps]

Thank you so much Jake for this documentary on Charles. It was so incredible and inspiring for me as a writer who didn’t have the privilege to just focus on my creation but having to work a 9 to 5 as well. Watching this really made me think “ using your disadvantages as advantages in my art” . I also relate to Charles enjoyment of being alone. That’s me as well. I like people but nothing beats me being alone.

[@dorothybarrett1853]

" . . . nothing beats me being alone.". Absolutely love that-- and totally agree 😊

[@sirialemmy37]

Good job man! Thanks for your dedication of time & production to bring this to us! Much appreciation

[@artiefufkin88]

Thank you SO MUCH for this video. It introduced me to Bukowski, who has near immediately become my favorite writer. I can't stop consuming everything he created. It thrills me to think I have more to discover and experience for the first time. I appreciate you exposing me to this more than I can say. This is why KZbin should exist, for creations like this. Thank you very, very much.

[@Nomorewarsforisrael]

I can relate to this guys chosen isolation and withdrawal from people, when you learn to live with yourself and your thoughts it’s very peaceful.

[@wisconsinfarmer4742]

"The last beating I didn't scream at all." That is when they ended for me too. Then she came at me again to try to get the terror response. I held my breath. After that no more beatings. I was around 9-10 years old too. I realized that hearing her children cry in terror brought her pleasure and I was not going to reward that.

[@thoughtful1233]

I wouldn't consider my childhood "abusive" - I know the line is subjective but I know my parents wanted the best for me - at least their vision of it. But that's when spankings stopped for me, too. When I took it with a blank face. I think there are other possible interpretations - like the punishment no longer working or the age making it feel less appropriate, but I can certainly imagine parents being afraid of future resentment or revenge when their children stop openly fearing them.

[@thoughtful1233]

I wouldn't consider my childhood "abusive" - I know the line is subjective but I know my parents wanted the best for me - at least their vision of it. But that's when spankings stopped for me, too. When I took it with a blank face. I think there are other possible interpretations - like the punishment no longer working or the age making it feel less appropriate, but I can certainly imagine parents being afraid of future resentment or revenge when their children stop openly fearing them.

[@thoughtful1233]

I wouldn't consider my childhood "abusive" - I know the line is subjective but I know my parents wanted the best for me - at least their vision of it. But that's when spankings stopped for me, too. When I took it with a blank face. I think there are other possible interpretations - like the punishment no longer working or the age making it feel less appropriate, but I can certainly imagine parents being afraid of future resentment or revenge when their children stop openly fearing them.

[@vijaynair2403]

I like Bukowski. Great writer and I love his very dark and poetic demeanor. Then I lived with a raging alcoholic for years. And it gets old real quick. Living like Bukowski might titillate a certain part of our psyche. But ultimately it’s lonely and not fruitful.

[@dreambrother1240]

He never said it would be.

[@smellymala3103]

When you have been in that mindset, truly, and you emerge finally to love, it is so painful to look over your shoulder. Never was an alcoholic but certainly solipsistic. I used to think this guy was so cool, now hearing him talk I only hear pure fear and hopelessness.

[@joschafinger126]

True. Still, Bukowski was one of the greatest poets ever.

[@carlodave9]

Imitating Bukowski's philosophy of indulgence to find peace and ease makes exactly as much sense as jumping out of an airplane without a parachute because a few people survived it. God love him though, for doing something way better than surviving.

[@stefaniegibson3087]

Totally agree

[@DistantLights]

These documentaries are really something else!

[@carlo1132]

I absolutely love Bukowski and I salute you for this documentary, it was very well done and very much appreciated.

[@petergilroy]

Love your work man keep it up this was awesome!

[@benlotus2703]

Love is a Dog from Hell ~ Charles Bukowski

[@williambock1821]

That intro completely lifted my spirits. It made me feel understood. He’s absolutely right. Jobs are utterly demeaning. Not work but jobs. They provide only slightly more freedom than prison. They are not only the most insidious waste of a human’s life,they stupor the soul.

[@ZeroZugarDaddy]

In prison you dont have to cook your own food.

[@cdee6096]

Well no. Bukowski extolled that nobody is free and nobody escapes the crap. He just had an inner balance to endure what was in front of him. It wasn’t the jobs he felt he was above- it was/is the human experience that he wondered about and related to in his own way. You sound as if you deserve more than what you have. Which you don’t.

[@stickman5741]

Another beautiful video out, thanks Soulr!

[@NervaGrandeS]

this was definitely one of my favourite videos of yours, this has truly changed me and made me get into Bukowski, thanks!

[@wru-loops]

The amount of research and thought you put into this video is amazing and appreciated

[@immersivenarrative]

You’re getting better at creating emotional moments well done I don’t specially like bukowski but I like hearing and seeing what you create when it passionnates you!

[@miguelgonzales8887]

That’s cool. I don’t like you.

[@knickd1979]

Well done, made me a fan of Bukowski without even touching a book yet. I’m ordering Post Office now.

[@pauliedibbs9028]

This is the first video I have ever seen from your channel.. What a wonderful way to introduce you 😎

[@eemilagren]

I was a bit sceptical at the beginning of the video - as I am a HUGE fan of Bukowski's (Rest in peace) myself - but overall a great biographical overview of a literary legend