Charles Bukowski: Locked in the Arms of a Crazy Life – Howard Sounes

Locked in the Arms of a Crazy Life is the classic biography of Charles Bukowski, the hard-drinking barfly whose semi-autobiographical books about low-life America made him a cult figure across the globe. Extensive original research and unique contributions from friends, family and associates - including Mickey Rourke, Robert Crumb, Sean Penn, Norman Mailer and Allen Ginsberg - as well as personal photographs and drawings by Buk himself make this a must for Bukowski devotees and new readers alike

Genre: Non-Fiction, Biography, Poetry, American
Publisher:  Canongate Books
Year: 1998
Rating: 5/5 

I discovered Charles Buokwski a few years ago. I was flicking through literature pages on Stumbleupon, and happened upon a page about Charles Bukowski. I had never heard of him before, yet the author of the page hailed him as an American literary legend. I didn't think much of it, until a friend posted a poem of his on Facebook. I fell in love. From there on in, I was hooked. 

I spent ages trawling the net reading Bukowski's poetry. I really don't have anything new to say about it, and am probably rehashing what many before me have said, but it spoke it me. Bukowski's poetry is raw and honest. It is gritty and to the point. It speaks of life how it is without embellishments. That is what I love about it. It is real. 

I have written a few reviews on Bukowski's novels, Ham on Rye and Post Office. His novels are just as enjoyable as his poetry (Ham on Rye was fantastic) and I couldn't recommend them enough. 

As a certified Bukowski fan, I felt it was time I indulged in a biography about his life. I had heard much about Bukowski's life before. His novels are semi-autobiographical and his exploits are infamous, but I wanted to read more. I wanted to know more about my man, Bukowski.

To be perfectly honest (and I have said this before) I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Bukowski. As much as I love his work, as a person I am not so sure. I saw a YouTube video of an interview once, and Bukowski kicked his girlfriend and called her a 'S'. That is just abhorrent. I makes me wish Bukowski were alive today so I can tell him how much I love his work, and then punch him in the face.

Charles Bukowski: Locked in the Arms of a Crazy Life by Howard Sounes was a great biography. Sounes is obviously a big Bukowski fan, because his love for his work and admiration of Bukowski as a poet and a person, flowed off every page. 

In one respect this was great, as I felt a camaraderie with Sounes while reading this book, and enjoyed it immensely. On the other hand, I felt Sounes built Bukowski up a bit and made him seem more noble and moral than he really was. 

Was Bukowski just a misunderstood soul who was misjudged? Was he really a good guy who did a few bad things out of character? Or was he a raging drunk with a bad temper? I personally always felt the later but Sounes makes it seems like the former. 

Despite that, this book is a worthy read for Bukowski fans. If you want to know more about his life and how he made his way from dorky nobody to famous poet, this is a great place to start. If you are looking for an objective piece of work, then this isn't for you. 

My only other criticism is Sounes took a lot from Bukowski's novels. He quoted, referred to and used the material from his novels as a basis for the 'facts' in this book. I can understand why, since Bukowski's novels were semi-autobiographical and they are important in researching his life, but Sounes seemed to use them as a crutch. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am pleased it now has pride of place on my shelves. That said,  I do look forward to reading a more researched and original work on Bukowski in the future, if it exists. 

I think I'll end this review with some poetry from the Buk.... cause how else can we celebrate such greatness without a word from the man himself? This is one of my personal favourites. Enjoy. 

blasted apart with the first breath

running
out of days
as the banister glints
in the early morning sun.

there
will be
no rest
even in our dreams.

now all there is to do
is reset broken moments.
when even to exist seems a
victory
then surely our luck
has run thin
thinner than a bloody stream
toward
death.
 

life
is a sad song:
we have heard too many voices
seen too many faces

too many bodies

worst have been the faces:
a dirty joke that no one
can understand.

barbaric senseless days
total in your skull;
reality is a juiceless
orange.

there is no plan
no out
no divinity no sparrow of joy.
we can’t
compare
life to anything
- that’s too dreary
a prospect. 

relatively speaking
we were never short on
courage
but at best the odds remained
long
and at worst
unchangeable.

and
what was worst:
not that we wasted it
but that it was wasted
on us:

coming
out of the Womb
trapped in light and darkness
stricken and numbed
alone in the temperate zone
of dumb agony
now running out of days
as the banister glints
in the early morning
sun.

– Charles Bukowski 1920-1994

Enduring Spirit : Convicts or Colonists : The True Story of Henry Kable and Susannah Holmes – Len P. Hedges

In 1783, Henry Cabell and Susannah Holmes found themselves in the fortress that was Norwich Castle. They had been imprisoned for stealing goods worth more than forty shillings, a crime that automatically drew sentence of death by hanging.

This story follows the two young country folk struggling to survive the perils and squalor of a Georgian prison where they fell in love.

Susannah and her baby were sent to the hulks for transportation on the First Fleet to Australia. Henry was desperate but powerless to join her. When the captain refused to take the baby as it had been born in prison and had no papers, John Simpson, the humane turnkey, stepped in and the couple were reunited on the journey to the New World.

Henry was the first convict in history to sue the authorities, run a mail service, own a ship, become the Colony's first Chief Constable and make a fortune from sealing and whaling.

Genre: Non-fiction, Australian, Biography, Historical
Publisher: Olde Forge Publishing
Year: 2009
Rating: 3/5

This book, although based on fact, is written like a fictional account of the journey of Henry Kable and Susannah Holmes, from England to Australia on the First Fleet. Henry and Susannah are my great-great-I-don't-know-how-many-greats-grandparents. So this book was something I was excited to read.

I say this book was written like a fictional account because it is written like a story. Sure we have known facts and extracts from the journals of important people like Captain Arthur Phillip, but it is written as a narrative. I found this a little strange at first.... reading what Henry and Susannah where thinking, feeling and things they said, cause really, it's all speculation and guess work.

I also found it a little strange reading the sex scene. All I could think was "ooohhh great nanna!, naughty" LOL it's funny thinking of your ancestors as real, live people with hopes, dreams and desires. It was very different from reading old documents and historical accounts like I have trawled through in the past. It took some getting used to.

Hedges did a good job of bringing Norwich prison and the hulks of the ships to life. The conditions were terrible and honestly, I am surprised anyone survived that journey.

I was a little disappointed that this book only focused on their time in prison and their journey. I know that is an important past of their history, but I want to know more about what happened when they got to Australia.

As it states in the back-of-the-book-blurb, Henry was the first convict in history to sue the authorities, run a mail service, own a ship, become the Colony's first Chief Constable and make a fortune from sealing and whaling.

On top of that, when Henry and Susannah arrived in Australia, they were married in the first marriage ceremony to take place in the country, along with four other couples. They were the first wed out of the four, and the only couple from that ceremony to have children (eleven in all) and produce descendants. Some say that makes them the first family! They are often hailed as one of the founding families of the new colony.

During his lifetime Henry also owned a hotel called Ramping Horse, ran a brewery, owned a fair amount of property, and ran a retail store. Pretty good resume for a petty thief who was lucky to avoid the gallows!

It has also been said that when the First Fleet landed, Captain Arthur Phillip did not want to get his shoes wet, so a convict carried him to shore, ultimately being the first person to set foot in the new colony. Some say that person was Henry Kable. Although, the historical evidence on this seems a bit fuzzy.

Henry Kable's Grave. St. Matthew's Church of England, Windsor

All in all, I think my ancestors are pretty awesome. From crime and poverty to making something of themselves in the new colony. I will definitely have to get my hands on some more books written about the Kables.