Bukowski in Pictures

by Howard Sounes (Editor)

Bukowski in Pictures is the first pictorial biography of Bukowski, telling the story of his life with approximately two hundred photographs, both colour and black and white, most of which are published here for the first time. Friends of Bukowski, members of his family, and former lovers have contributed candid photographs. There are powerful new portraits by leading photographers such as Gottfried Helnwein, former Rolling Stone art director Tony Lane, and Andy Warhol's former assistant, Gerard Malanga. Artists Dave Geiser and R. Crumb have provided illustrations. Extracts from personal letters and rare documents, including Bukowski's recently declassified FBI file, offer new insights that delve behind the public personae.
Biographer Howard Sounes - author of Charles Locked in the Arms of a Crazy Life - has edited and introduced Bukowski in Pictures, weaving new research and quotations from Bukowski's work into introductory essays and extensive photo captions.

Genres: Biography, Photography, Art

160 pages, Paperback

First published December 28, 2000

About the author

Biographer of Bob Dylan, Charles Bukowski and Paul McCartney. Also histories and true crime - Fred & Rose, Heist - with The Fred West Tapes new in 2025.

Reviews

[Brooke Cheyenne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had to take photos of the letters between him and Linda King. Fell off the couch in hysterics. What a wild pair. I love it.

[Ryan Dickinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was great to see some Buk pictures that I've never seen before, including some of his girlfriends, family, friends and co-workers with some of them being the inspiration behind some of his novel characters.

Lots of the text however is repeated throughout the book, like 'dude you just told us that five pages ago, why are you repeating it'?

It felt rather lazy because of that, but nonetheless still a good little coffee table book to go back to and have a re-gander at Buk and Co.

[Piecin · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐
Lectura sobre la vida de Bukowski donde se exponen fotos y fragmentos de texto que recorren todas las etapas de su vida.

[Carlos Piélago Rojo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un complemento ideal para los fans de Bukowski.

[Mark Desrosiers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jenna (looking at the cover): "Is that his death mask?"

Me: "Yeah, Bukowski's death mask still smokes three packs of Camels daily."

The stark photograph of Bukowski's fridge on the back cover is even more intriguing, seeing as that's where his Muse lived.

Sounes is an enthusiastic and thorough biographer, so these piles of squalid photos (including many he's taken himself) are a treasure to behold. You can also read this as a quick and dirty biography, as the captions and chapter introductions are thorough.

I only wish there was at least one photo of FrancEyE when she had her beard.

[Garrett Mortin · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a Bukowski enthusiast like myself, this look back on his legacy is a welcome addition to the other works i've read about Bukowski. "Bukowski in Pictures" provides a solid introduction to anyone curious about the "bum poet laureate of east hollywood", and gives rare look at previously unpublished pictures and momentos from his life. This book gives a unique glimpse into the EAST HOllywood/L.A. environment that Charles Bukowksi wrote about and experienced. From the bars, to the women, and to his final restin place, Bukowski in Pictures captures it all.

[LD · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unlike Playboy, I only read this book for the pictures. I'm not sure what the few words in it said, but the captions were good enough for me. If you're like me and only want the pictures, Google image search would be just as good.

[Katjusa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good basic bio, fascinating photo collection.

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating Man.....