New revised edition containing the most provocative poetic works of the controversial Charles Bukowski.
Special thanks for the illustrations provided by Prof. Nikolay Maistorov
Charles Bukowski is a legend in contemporary literature. From an obscure postal clerk, he became one of the most widely read authors of his time. Over 45 books of prose and poetry, written with uncompromising honesty and an authentic sense of humour, document the dark side of America.
A life that begins in Germany in 1920 and ends in California in 1994 – where the heroes of his works also live. Bukowski's childhood was desperate and unhappy. He spent his youth wandering, doing menial work and drinking, until at the age of 49 he was already a writer supporting himself by his books. Bukowski is categorically one of the most unconventional and brilliant authors of his time.
„Love Is a Dog from Hell" is a lyrical and uncompromising exploration of the extraordinary situations that love creates; of the way it breaks hearts and the boundaries it imposes. A true classic in Bukowski's poetic legacy.
Jumping between roughness and tenderness, sensitivity and toughness, Bukowski reveals to us the thousand faces of love – its selfishness and narcissism, its mystery and morbidity, and ultimately the joy it brings with its unceasing abundance and redemptive power.
Bukowski makes writing great poetry seem easy; some of his poems possess unexpected beauty. The absence of any pretension, at first glance simple, unrhymed poetry resembling prose, creates the danger for all poets who come after him of justifying having a style and sound like his.
The Guardian
In our rush to attach some label to Bukowski, a kind of alcohol-fuelled happy accident, we very often fail to note his incredible ability to create beautifully written verse. It is time for all those who doubt Bukowski's significance to reconsider their positions, setting aside their prejudices. If they manage to do so, they will be pleasantly surprised.
Adam Kirsch, The New Yorker
