alexsiddall's review
4.0
Howard Sounes has a very readable style, and does proper justice to his subject. This book gives a real feel for Bukowski's life (I'm in no position to judge its accuracy), and is sympathetic and clearsighted about a difficult man. This book increased my respect for both Bukowski and Sounes.
eeeeeee's review against another edition
3.0
sounes has done a really good and respectable job at finding sources and tieing every little detail into the narrative. bukowski mostly wrote about his own life, so reading the specific bits of poetry to illustrate those specific events helped to see a fuller picture.
the book is hard to chew sometimes because of how densely some paragraphs are packed with facts. or how there is a lack of narrative to jump from one name to another.
generally, the book was very eye-opening for me. previously known facts (or myths) blended in the whole story and shifted my feelings towards bukowski. he's still fascinating as a person and a hard working poet, but the details in the book made me realise his attitude and behaviour is more morally grey or even morally wrong than i initially thought.
sounes' book is relatively easy to read, however i think it would be harder/less compelling to read it if the person is not interested in bukowski in the first place.
the book is hard to chew sometimes because of how densely some paragraphs are packed with facts. or how there is a lack of narrative to jump from one name to another.
generally, the book was very eye-opening for me. previously known facts (or myths) blended in the whole story and shifted my feelings towards bukowski. he's still fascinating as a person and a hard working poet, but the details in the book made me realise his attitude and behaviour is more morally grey or even morally wrong than i initially thought.
sounes' book is relatively easy to read, however i think it would be harder/less compelling to read it if the person is not interested in bukowski in the first place.
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