Against the American Dream: Essays on Charles Bukowski

by Russell Harrison

A critical review of the work of Charles Bukowski.

Genres: Criticism, Essays, Literary Criticism

400 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1994

Reviews

[Steven · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although Harrison at times verges on apologetic for the misogynist and misanthropic strains in Bukowski's work, this is a fascinating tour through Buk's poetry and fiction. The title gives a hint at Harrison's focus in these essays, how he tries to situate Bukowski in the American canon, that is contra to it. He makes a strong case that an aesthetic and an ideology was guiding the style. His strongest argument is also, perhaps, his most controversial: that Bukowski is almost alone in his attack on work as work. Many writers have attacked the injustices and the soul sucking aspects of work in capitalist/consumerist cultures, but Buk does not stop there, according to Harrision's analysis (presented most forcefully in his discussion of the novel Post Office), work in any form with any outcome is the target. Harrision's prose is a bit uneven at times and not as tightly reasoned as it could have been, but these essays are rich both in ideas and vantage points for further analysis.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

A worthwhile read for people who are fans of his work and perhaps even for those who are not. The minds of the latter will not be changed by these essays, but those minds may encounter ideas they'd not considered in their dismissal of his work for obvious reasons. Also, those who are fans of his work for the obvious (I don't want to say "wrong") reasons may encounter depths to his writing they'd not before considered or been aware.

[Ben Adams]

The first book length critical study of Bukowski's work, this volume provides an important benchmark for scholars along with being appropriate and engaging for more casual, but well-read, fans of the writer dubbed "poet laureate of skid row".

[Robert Zverina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I took some tentative steps towards a life in Academia (BA English, MFA Poetry, taught some college courses, yada yada) but I bailed out when I saw what a sad and stale farce it was. As a video artist, I was once accused by an academic of having "no theory." Why do I need a theory? I work intuitively, responding to life as it happens. And from what we know about Bukowski through his own writing (especially the poems and letters), his process was to drink and write a bunch of stuff, find the typewritten sheets on the floor the next morning, and pick out the good ones.

The first few pages of this book were sort of OK, noting correctly that Bukowski wrote about work a lot.

But I had to put it down when individual poems were analyzed to death for their structure and effects. It just seems ridiculous to talk about these poems as if they were carefully constructed. Even if the author is not making that claim precisely, that's the feeling I get from it and their reverse engineering of the work is nothing more than a tedious academic exercise explaining what is already pretty self-evident.

Telling funny jokes and good stories is a gift people exhibit in varying degrees. Some naturally excel, others can maximize limited potential through application and practice. It's pretty obvious Bukowski was a natural, and as such he could be both prolific and amusing.

His work speaks for itself.

I think there's probably a way to illuminate his work in a critical context, but this book's trite deconstructions aren't up to the task.

[Black Spring · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad overall, but some essays were better than others. Definitely for Bukowski buffs only, and is certainly the more engaging the more you are one. Of course, like most texts written by critics, there were some moments that were frustrating for me, leaving me wondering why one would assume a certain thing from the passage in question. Left me wanting the genuine article in several moments. Oh, well.