Poems Written Before Jumping Out of an 8 Story Window

by Charles Bukowski

Charles Bukowski, poet, lover, rebel, beer drinker and more.

Genres: Poetry, Fiction

46 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 1975

About the author

Henry Charles Bukowski (born as Heinrich Karl Bukowski) was a German-born American poet, novelist and short story writer. His writing was influenced by the social, cultural and economic ambience of his home city of Los Angeles.It is marked by an emphasis on the ordinary lives of poor Americans, the act of writing, alcohol, relationships with women and the drudgery of work. Bukowski wrote thousands of poems, hundreds of short stories and six novels, eventually publishing over sixty books

Charles Bukowski was the only child of an American soldier and a German mother. At the age of three, he came with his family to the United States and grew up in Los Angeles. He attended Los Angeles City College from 1939 to 1941, then left school and moved to New York City to become a writer. His lack of publishing success at this time caused him to give up writing in 1946 and spurred a ten-year stint of heavy drinking. After he developed a bleeding ulcer, he decided to take up writing again. He worked a wide range of jobs to support his writing, including dishwasher, truck driver and loader, mail carrier, guard, gas station attendant, stock boy, warehouse worker, shipping clerk, post office clerk, parking lot attendant, Red Cross orderly, and elevator operator. He also worked in a dog biscuit factory, a slaughterhouse, a cake and cookie factory, and he hung posters in New York City subways.

Bukowski published his first story when he was twenty-four and began writing poetry at the age of thirty-five. His first book of poetry was published in 1959; he went on to publish more than forty-five books of poetry and prose, including Pulp (1994), Screams from the Balcony (1993), and The Last Night of the Earth Poems (1992).

He died of leukemia in San Pedro on March 9, 1994.

Reviews

[Hendrik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bukowski liefert Informationen für das tägliche Überleben, so Jörg Fauser. Besser kann man es nicht ausdrücken. Auch wenn der Titel dieser Gedichtsammlung das Gegenteil vermuten lässt, sind die Gedichte ein hilfreiches Vademecum gegen die Zumutungen des Daseins. Ein kleiner Wettgewinn beim Pferderennen, ein paar Bier und als Krönung noch ein vergnügliches Stündchen mit 'ner (schönen) Frau – mehr braucht Mann nicht, um wieder in die Spur zu kommen. Zugegeben das klingt alles ein wenig aus der Zeit gefallen, politisch korrekt schon mal gar nicht, aber so genau darf man es wohl nicht nehmen. Die Grundidee stimmt jedenfalls: Hauptsache nicht unterkriegen lassen!

[Deborah Beckett]

I spent New Years Day with Charles Bukowski in the home he shared with his wife, near San Pedro, Ca. I was in awe the entire time and drank way too much red wine with the sober champion of drinking himself !
Anyway, he gave me a copy of this along with a couple signed copies of "The New Censorship" and "Sure,The Charles Bukowski; newsletter". I consider this time my Claim to Fame !!

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Sterne

Bukowski und ich auf deutsch und dazu noch das Buch uff leider nicht meins, obwohl ich einige seiner Gedichte auf englisch wirklich wunderschön finde

[gaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book was just... disturbing but interesting too. there‘s no right way supporting bukowski but his writing hits different. i hate how he writes about women or everyone else but white men, my feminist anger really rises... but i also think it is indeed interesting to think about him and his life and read his work. because when i read bukowski i see no fiction, i just see bukowski himself and his miserable life.

[Laura Bilíková · Rating 3 out of 5]

niektorí ľudia sa nikdy nezbláznia
tí musia mať ale príšerný život.

bukowski, čo viac dodať. bizárne a jemne nechutné básne akoby kričali na stránkach papiera. jasné autorove pravdy o svete, ženy, písanie a alkohol. básne sa mi čítali dobre, mne sa však osobne viac páči iný štýl. ale sranda to je.

takže tak.

[Lisa-Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diese Gedichte triefen nur so vor Selbstironie

[Max Dahms · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ich will endlich wieder rote Farbe saufen!
Man bekommt, was man bei Bukowski erwartet, gute Unterhaltung, guten Humor, gute Geschichten, gute Verse. Und danach ist es auch mal wieder genug. Für eine Weile...

[Bryan Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

I struggle to think of a writer whose work was more adversely negatively affected by fame and recognition. When you read his pre-1970s work, you see a writer pushing the limits of the language and the form - truly inspiring (or at the very least, intriguing) stuff. You pick up a book of his from 1980 or later, though, and it's just tragically evident that he was mailing it in for a paycheck (which, from a psychological standpoint, makes perfect sense for someone who was still working hourly jobs at the age of 50 to pay rent).

That being said, this collection from the late 1960s, though short, does not disappoint.

[David Ramirer · Rating 5 out of 5]

im grunde funktionieren bukowskis gedichte genau wie seine storys, nur dass sie weit rascher gelesen werden können, und noch komprimierter sind.
er erlaubt sich in diesen gedichten ein wenig mehr an verrücktheit und poesie, wird aber nie zu abgedroschen und verlogen, was bei gedichten die größte gefahr ist.
bukowski setzt die wörter ein mit all der kraft, die hinter ihnen steckt; und er erzählt in seinen gedichten von allem, was sein kaputtes leben hergibt, und das ist nicht wenig.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nicht übel, aber gewöhnungsbedürftig. Speziell in dem Band hängt's einem sicher bald zum Hals raus, wen er gefickt und nicht und wie besoffen er dabei war.

[Katarina Karmazinova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evil and brilliant. And beautiful and free.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

wenn ich das wort "pimpern" auch noch einmal in meinem leben lesen muss, will ich nie wieder lesen.

[Vari Lemur · Rating 1 out of 5]

Mann Buk, das haste auch schon besser hingekriegt…

[emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

masterpiece

[Agris Fakingsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

..diezgan labi dzejoļi, kas pastāsta vairāk nekā dažs labs stāsts uz vairākām lapām. | 4,5*

[Uli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ich finde nicht das Charles für Gedichte gedacht war. Seine Sprache ist zu hart und rau und oberflächlich. Humoristische Natur steht ihm mehr. Ich stehe nicht auf seine Gedichte…

[Blue Ink · Rating 1 out of 5]

Eines dieser Bücher, die nicht neben mir im Bett schlafen dürfen...😅

[Carlotta Brod · Rating 3 out of 5]

verstörend obszön aber schön.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just learning about Bukowski, but from what I have learned, this compilation is about as typical of him as it gets. Raw, sometimes very pointed. Like most poetry, it will require extensive re-reading over the years before I understand much more.

[Josephine Helterhoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zum Glück waren am Ende des Buches noch ein paar englische Originale. Hier geht wie immer viel zu viel an der Übersetzung verloren. Also am besten gleich auf englisch lesen. Immer. Alles.

[Amelia Curtis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wildly provocative. Wildly brilliant.

[Luke Stevens · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Bukowski's stupid ass titles, his poetry's okay

[literaryluci · Rating 4 out of 5]

read a 400 dollar copy of this during a shift so i would have something to show for myself this july.

[Nate Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not his best collection, but the final poem is intense.