{"id":466,"date":"2015-09-04T03:04:44","date_gmt":"2015-09-04T03:04:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sometimesraw.com--precise\/?p=466"},"modified":"2015-09-27T03:33:30","modified_gmt":"2015-09-27T03:33:30","slug":"book-review-charles-bukowskis-the-bell-tolls-for-no-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sometimesraw.com\/?p=466","title":{"rendered":"The Book Review: Charles Bukowski’s “The Bell Tolls for No One”"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cThe free soul is rare, but you know it when you see it \u2013 basically because you feel good, very good, when you are near or with them.\u201d \u2013\u00a0Charles Bukowski<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

As a Bukowski-fan I have to write a review about the latest book<\/a> that has been published by him. If you have never heard or read anything by Bukowski I want to give you a little insight first. Henry Charles Bukowski (1920-1994) was a German-born (yay!) American novelist and poet. He has written many short stories as well. He moved to Los Angeles at a young age and his later work was strongly influenced by the economy and culture in his surroundings. Throughout his books there is this line of poor ordinary Americans, alcohol, drugs, writing and a plethora of relationships with women. [In his book \u201cPost Office\u201d<\/a> he describes the drudgery of his work as Hank Chinaski at a post office. (my favorite book by him so far \u2013 \u201cPickle Factory!\u201d)].\u00a0 He died of leukemia 1994 in San Pedro, California.<\/span><\/p>\n

I gave my mom one of Bukowski\u2019s books to read once. She read the first 10 pages and put it down with disgust. Bukowski has just an acquired taste to his stories \u2013 mostly short stories, very pornographic pieces and very shocking details at points. I have to admit that it made me uncomfortable at points as well reading his books \u2013 simply because of all the alcoholics, all his drinking which is a lot (like he was drunk 99% \u00a0of the day and while writing basically), adultery, gambling and just simply \u201changing- around -doing nothing- lifestyle\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

In \u201cThe Bells Tolls for No One\u201d he meets women or characters who come with no backstories really. They just pop into his life in a bar usually, get wasted with him and talk for hours while he writes things down that he might need at some point for a story. And of course he drinks and drinks and drinks with all of them. \u00a0Most of his \u201cfriends\u201d are motivated by alcohol, drugs, unhappiness, boredom and just craziness. Reading Bukowski gives a great insight on how the hardcore drinking life in the suburbs was like (and most likely still is). He has this unique style of describing sexual violence like you are having tea with a friend at home. Like okay, this is normal. It just happens. Then in the next minute he is totally honest and captivates observations that are just not blurred by alcohol and drugs. (the remaining 1% I guess)<\/span><\/p>\n

Reading Bukowski in public is awesome. People who know Bukowski will comment when they see you with one of his books somewhere. When I read \u201cPost office\u201d I took the book with me wherever I went to just finish it. So one day in the elevator at work there was a man looking at me, then at the book, then back at me. He smiled and said: \u201cI love Bukowski. I read all of his books. He is amazing.\u201d I wanted to ask him what he loved so much about him but the elevator door closed. I can imagine what it was. \u00a0I guess people have specific opinions on Mr. Bukowski and all his writings. He is just a \u201cdirty old man\u201d as many of his readers call him with just a little mix of Ernest Hemingway\u2019s style of writing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Get ready for some humor, relationship troubles, booze, drugs and sex. Lots of sex! There is this repetitiveness \u00a0\u2013 almost like all the Bukowski books are in a way the same but each and every one is just unique and a little special and a tiny bit different. When I started reading the book I thought it was just great how he switches between fantasy, drunkenness \u00a0and reality. I was wondering throughout the entire book how it is possible to find true meaning in life with a lifestyle like his. How can one comfortably live like this and be happy or enjoy life?<\/span><\/p>\n

In \u201cThe Bells Tolls for No One\u201d only two stories have not been published previously. \u201cA Kind Understand Face,\u201d and \u201cFlying Is the Safest Way to Travel.\u201d All the others ones have been published in one of his more than forty-five books! This book is published by \u201cCity Lights\u201d and edited by David Stephen Calonne who did a great job with all the little cartoon throughout the book as well as the introduction.<\/span><\/p>\n

Great read overall and shocking but comfortably awesome.<\/span><\/p>\n

Happy reading!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cThe free soul is rare, but you know it when you see it \u2013 basically because you feel good, very good, when you are near or with them.\u201d \u2013\u00a0Charles Bukowski As a Bukowski-fan I have to write a review about the latest book that has been published by him. If you have never heard or … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “The Book Review: Charles Bukowski’s “The Bell Tolls for No One””<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":467,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_ml_titleColor":"#000000","_ml_titleFont":"Roboto","_ml_titleFontSize":1.136,"_ml_titleFontWeight":"400","_ml_titleLineHeight":1.3,"_ml_metaColor":"#708090","_ml_metaFont":"Montserrat","_ml_metaFontSize":0.6785,"_ml_metaFontWeight":"400","_ml_metaLineHeight":0.92,"_ml_bodyColor":"#a9a9a9","_ml_bodyFont":"Open Sans","_ml_bodyFontSize":0.85,"_ml_bodyFontWeight":"400","_ml_bodyLineHeight":1.2,"_ml_wooPriceColor":"#666","_ml_wooPriceFont":"Open Sans","_ml_wooPriceFontSize":0.9,"_ml_wooPriceFontWeight":"400","_ml_wooPriceLineHeight":1.27,"_ml_headingColor":"#000","_ml_headingFont":"Merriweather","_ml_headingFontSize":2.02,"_ml_headingFontWeight":"700","_ml_headingLineHeight":1.47,"_mlglobal_userfontcolors":{"headingColorUser":[],"titleColorUser":[],"metaColorUser":[],"bodyColorUser":[],"wooPriceColorUser":[]},"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-466","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-book-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t