Richard Brautigan Interview/Reading 1983

[@jltrem]

First read Brautigan in 1970, "Pacific Radio Fire". I'd never read anything like it. Read everything he published. Was delighted each time a new book came out. In the fall of 1984 I was sitting in a doctor's waiting room, reading a People magazine. To my delight I came upon a story on Richard Brautigan, until not far into the story I found he'd put a bullet through his head. It wasn't the ending I wanted.

[@luckyswine]

I wrote the first post-graduate thesis on all of Brautigan's novels. Footage of him speaking is a great rarity, though of course there are an abundance of photographs. He was desperate to have his work taken seriously and you can see here how much he enjoys wearing the mantle of distinguished author and poet that he was never really granted in the USA.

[@kevinbirge2130]

He’s on my short list of the greatest. How I hate his early death. I can never tell him.

[@katalinacreatesstuff]

​@@kevinbirge2130 That's what I was thinking. 1984 only 😢

[@lisarubeling5122]

What earnestness, what exactitude, what mind! I first discovered Brautigan and Kerouac in Anchorage, summer of 1983. Truly a blessing and a Eureka moment. I consistently offer up my gratitude for Brautigan and the Beats.

[@marouettedebretagne9375]

Richard Brautigan est un enchantement un ravissement. Humour poésie surréalisme imagination coup d' poing aux conventions ~~~~~🤗 On adore !

[@thedavor]

I've been a fan of Brautigan's for God knows how long. Seeing this interview really expanded my view of him and made him seem that much more interesting as a person, and not just as a poet. Thanks for uploading it.

[@sneezepal]

This man was one of the great poets. Read his "June 30th, June 30th." That's the book he's reading from here. It's great stuff!

[@donfitzsimons6673]

My friends come over and see my books by Brautigan. They ask to borrow them. Sure. I never see the books again. I have rather mixed feelings about this situation. Now that I'm so very old, there are as few Brautigan books on the shelves as there are friends who would look for them.

[@johnstallings4049]

Totally related to this comment. All public libraries around here, are closed due to covid18 & I was desperate to reconnect with a 201h Century favorite writer + poet! ❄🌎❄💗😶👌

[@johnstallings4049]

Meant covid19 but thanx for the reconnect!! ❄🌎❄😄👌💗✌

[@MG-zj4vv]

this is a very Brautigan-esque story/poem Don!

[@user-lb7zw5bb7n]

love what he said about perception, just disovered Troat Fishing in America and i cant wait to read/hear/learn more. amazing writer, fantastic soul

[@gregsmith1719]

Very interesting! -- Well, we have all the information imaginable that he said he loved, right at our fingertips today while fewer and fewer people read physical books anymore and leave his great books buried in dust on the shelves of old book stores struggling to waylay bankruptcy. None of my 5 children have the will to pick up a book and read it through to the end, not even one of Brautigan's; too busy with their book killers called smart phones. He would be 88 today, younger than my neighbor, and I wonder what he would be seeing, and saying.

[@tattoofthesun]

So damn genuine

[@styxcreek]

My flatmate in the late 80s worked in a 2nd hand bookshop and had collected all the Picador edition Brautigans. Some of my fondest memories of that time are reading RB.

[@Mick_Holland]

The chat is book-ended by two very short and very powerful poems. Cheers👍🏼

[@Tommy88-]

I met him in the cliffs of twin rocks Oregon he was sitting on his bed roll looking just like Richard Bautigan, just like him.

[@sammyb1001]

"Information is the Future" says Richard Brautigan in 1983. It is now 2020. RIP.

[@thomassmith6644]

Richard Brautigan's daughter is a kind, caring human being. BarStoolsandBusStops

[@jimcamp3]

She is indeed!

[@MrGOTAMA420]

i found brautigan in 95 devoured all i could find, i wish he had stuck around

[@meowmeow-cr5sn]

A thing of beauty is a joy forever...

[@46metube]

the man was crazy, thankfully.

[@styxcreek]

A shame he didn't stick around. A whole new generation would discover him just a few years later. I recommend William Hjortsberg's RB biography Jubilee Hitchhiker, a huge but rewarding read though the ending is unspeakably sad.

[@marclayne9261]

RB lived down the road from me... Montana....

[@benmetternich]

THERE IS NO ONE LIKE HIM, PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE!

[@doomsdayzalinsky7910]

3:05 ❤

[@francisdaulerio]

Wondering if I could use a bit of this for a Brautigan reinterpretation book release trailer. Please let me know.

[@marybethtinnitus]

Wow!

[@Homeinmygardenwithmydog]

I was turned on to Richard Brautigan by a friend of mine back in 1986, in Watermelon Sugar.

[@BrianFrancisHeffron-1776]

"In watermelon sugar, the deed was done."

[@rievans57]

"poetry is telegrams of the human soul" -- interesting!

[@davidhenschel1990]

How do you pronounce his last name? Does the first syllable rhyme with trout ?

[@calisongbird]

The first syllable sounds like "brought"

[@davidhenschel1990]

@@calisongbirdThank you.

[@nicojenkins986]

Japanese dust begins and ends with Japan...japanese dust in the Milky Way." Keep it alive man!

[@randyvazquez8213]

Zapple Record artist but Beatles manager killed it off in 1969

[@wyattshort388]

This comment section is very playful. Everyone is trying to write like a poet.

[@UncannyValleyVideos]

As it stands, Brautigan is the fabric of my writing. He's sort of the anti-Hemingway - the joint you need after a stiff shot of absinthe.

[@jD-P8g3s]

Bill Murray, man.

[@marclayne9261]

RB, the American Yukio Mishima.....

[@herosflute]

he kinda reminds me of DFW

[@TheodorBjork]

really?

[@dedicated2WHOiLove]

in case you've ever paused to think about what's worth a damn and what's not worth a damn... well...it's you and i that's not worth a gawd damn foik in hell, and it's this wretched mother-foiker reading here that's worth an actual gawd damn in mother-foikin' damn in heck mind.

[@doomsdayzalinsky7910]

4:24 ❤