I love the books of Charles Bukowski. And some of his poetry too but mostly his books. I read Women repeatedly in the late 80s (to the revulsion of at least one person I tried to lend it to) and then Post Office and Ham on Rye later on and last year I picked up a copy of Tales of Ordinary Madness which reminded me of how funny Charles B could be if you could see past his often vile language and behaviour. I also love the 1987 film Barfly with Mickey Rourke playing his alter ego Hank Chinaski. That’s Bukowski sat in the middle of the bar in the first clip in a cameo appearance. I love the second clip too with Faye Dunaway beating him up with her handbag. It’s all a very highly stylised version of rock bottom drinking with humour and intellect and good looking people that is nothing like reality but in my mind I was always seeking something intellectual and romantic in my drinking. When I see Hank licking the whisky as he pours it over his head wound I somehow see it as not just amusing but aspirational. Nuts really but that’s where my brain goes.
I spent a lot of my youth spouting the lines from the last clip “anybody can be a non-drunk, it takes a special talent to be a drunk. It takes endurance, and endurance is more important than truth”. I guess sobriety takes endurance too so it goes both ways but I loved that quote.
Twilight Drinker 