Betting on the Muse

Charles Bukowski

Average Rating 8/10 (1 Review)

Betting on the Muse is a combination of hilarious poetry and stories. Charles Bukowski writes about the real life of a working man and all that comes with it.

In these new poems and stories Bukowski, the erstwhile street brawler, battles on until his last breath, punching away at hypocrisy and fakery to lay bare essential truths.

About the Author:
Charles Bukowski is one of America's best-known contemporary writers of poetry and prose, and, many would claim, its most influential and imitated poet. He was born in Andernach, Germany, and raised in Los Angeles, where he lived for fifty years. He published his first story in 1944, when he was twenty-four, and began writing poetry at the age of thirty-five. He died in San Pedro, California, on March 9, 1994, at the age of seventy-three, shortly after completing his last novel, Pulp.

Review by Ben Macnair (300414) Rating (8/10)

Review by Ben Macnair
Rating 8/10
Over 400 pages, the influential prose writer and poet Charles Bukowski describes his favourite things in one of his last books - Betting on the Muse.

During his prolific career Bukowski made a name for himself as both a writer of prose and poetry, and the pieces collected here, numbering more than one hundred contain a number of his bare bone short stories, and seemingly improvised poetry. The subject matter ranges from things happening in sports halls, and dangerous situations in night’s enfold, as well as looking at what it means to be a writer.

The Girls We Followed Home reminisces about the girls that he used to know, whilst being surrounded by their older selves, whilst A Real Break, Defining the Magic, Writing, and As the Poems Go consider life as a writer.

The short stories in the collection are also worthwhile additions to Bukowski’s legend. Pieces such as The Unaccommodating Universe looks at the life to be found in a bar, whilst Ransom looks at the kidnappers who cannot bear to bring harm to the rich man’s son they have.

Bukowski wrote many novels, but to have a taste of idiosyncratic writing style and story telling, Betting on the Muse is a very good place to make a start.
Ben Macnair (30th April 2014)