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Spinning Off Bukowski
Book by Richmond, Steve
- GenresNonfiction
142 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 26, 2012
The recollections come at us pell-mell, and Richmond's meanderings amidst each are tough to follow at times. They make what could've been a brisk, and focused read much tougher to slog through. Bukowski aficionados will enjoy some of the insights here, but the book really never finds its feet.
August 9, 2025
Three and a half stars. I really wish we could give 1/2 stars here on goodreads.
Three stars seems a little harsh but four stars seems slightly too kind for this book.
Steve Richmond has written a fascinating and poignant memoir of his mentor and friend, LA hard-drinking poet and writer Charles Bukowski. This is one of those 'warts and all' recollections of an author. Having read Howard Sounes' solid biography on Buk earlier this year, I already knew both glorious and seedy sides to the writer. However, what Richmond does is give us some fascinating anecdotes and information on mostly Bukowski but at times others in his orbit such as John Martin, Harold Norse, Neeli Cherkovski, and his girlfriends like Linda King and his wife Linda Lee.
You have to keep in mind that Richmond's memoir falls just this side of hero-worship. He is hardly impartial in his judgement and assessment of Buk - but he makes that abundantly clear along the way. His admiration for Buk is clear but at the same time, I got the impression that Richmond was, at times, not always, a poet writing to the rhythms of his own drummer. Based on what I have read so far (3 chapbooks), Richmond is not as strong a poet as Bukowski, but he does have his own style, which is very commendable. (Just as a means of comparison, when you read John Fante's novels and then Buks', you will notice MANY similarities in the writing style, themes etc. but if you compare Richmond and Bukowski, there are not many similarities other than the fact that it's up-front and brutally honest.)
I know some people have put down this book and I think it's because it's written in a very free-flowing spontaneous style. It is not linear, and not supposed to be as Richmond points out on the first page. I have no problem with someone writing spontaneously but I think it helps to go back and touch up a few points here and there prior to publication. Even Kerouac who insisted that he never changed anything he wrote using his 'spontaneous prose' method did actually go back and revise (see the On the Road scroll for one example).
In any case, is this worth reading? Damn right. It's a gripping read in fact. I couldn't put it down, which reminds me of what Pound once said - a book should be a ball of energy in the hand, or something like that. This book is like that - it's vibrant, spontaneous, honest and raw.
If that's not your cup of tea, then I'm pretty sure that the spirit of Richmond (and Bukowski) would kindly tell you to f$%k off.
Take it or leave it. I liked it. Besides, it's a quick read. It won't radically change your picture of Bukowski. In fact, in my case at least, it confirmed my image of him and my belief that despite what you think of him (whether you love 'im or despise 'im'), he is still an important writer with some very important messages. This book is almost worth 4 stars. At times, it reads like a transcription of an uncut interview with Richmond and as far as interviews go, I think that's great. That's the way it should be but ...... (call me a 'traditionalist') ....... I would have preferred this to be slightly more polished.
But that's Richmond's style I guess. Take it or leave it.
Three stars seems a little harsh but four stars seems slightly too kind for this book.
Steve Richmond has written a fascinating and poignant memoir of his mentor and friend, LA hard-drinking poet and writer Charles Bukowski. This is one of those 'warts and all' recollections of an author. Having read Howard Sounes' solid biography on Buk earlier this year, I already knew both glorious and seedy sides to the writer. However, what Richmond does is give us some fascinating anecdotes and information on mostly Bukowski but at times others in his orbit such as John Martin, Harold Norse, Neeli Cherkovski, and his girlfriends like Linda King and his wife Linda Lee.
You have to keep in mind that Richmond's memoir falls just this side of hero-worship. He is hardly impartial in his judgement and assessment of Buk - but he makes that abundantly clear along the way. His admiration for Buk is clear but at the same time, I got the impression that Richmond was, at times, not always, a poet writing to the rhythms of his own drummer. Based on what I have read so far (3 chapbooks), Richmond is not as strong a poet as Bukowski, but he does have his own style, which is very commendable. (Just as a means of comparison, when you read John Fante's novels and then Buks', you will notice MANY similarities in the writing style, themes etc. but if you compare Richmond and Bukowski, there are not many similarities other than the fact that it's up-front and brutally honest.)
I know some people have put down this book and I think it's because it's written in a very free-flowing spontaneous style. It is not linear, and not supposed to be as Richmond points out on the first page. I have no problem with someone writing spontaneously but I think it helps to go back and touch up a few points here and there prior to publication. Even Kerouac who insisted that he never changed anything he wrote using his 'spontaneous prose' method did actually go back and revise (see the On the Road scroll for one example).
In any case, is this worth reading? Damn right. It's a gripping read in fact. I couldn't put it down, which reminds me of what Pound once said - a book should be a ball of energy in the hand, or something like that. This book is like that - it's vibrant, spontaneous, honest and raw.
If that's not your cup of tea, then I'm pretty sure that the spirit of Richmond (and Bukowski) would kindly tell you to f$%k off.
Take it or leave it. I liked it. Besides, it's a quick read. It won't radically change your picture of Bukowski. In fact, in my case at least, it confirmed my image of him and my belief that despite what you think of him (whether you love 'im or despise 'im'), he is still an important writer with some very important messages. This book is almost worth 4 stars. At times, it reads like a transcription of an uncut interview with Richmond and as far as interviews go, I think that's great. That's the way it should be but ...... (call me a 'traditionalist') ....... I would have preferred this to be slightly more polished.
But that's Richmond's style I guess. Take it or leave it.
November 7, 2021
A little meaty if brief.
February 28, 2015
Tohle měla být kniha o Bukowském. Není. Je to v podstatě dost špatně napsaná autobiografie jednoho amatérského básníka a prodavače svíček, který se vykresluje jako jediný člověk, který kdy Bukovi rozumněl. Nevím, možná je to pravda, ale působilo to na mě hodně smutným dojmem. Jako kdyby byl autor neustále v depresi. Bukowského si idealizuje jako svého Boha a sebe vykresluje jako mučedníka a Vyvoleného.
Nelíbilo se mi to.
Nelíbilo se mi to.
July 17, 2009
Here's my review: http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-83...
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews