Bellow, Shakespeare and Bukowski

Bellow's impact on my reading life could not be overstated. Reading his books (I've read 5 of them, but not Augie March) has been a sublimely rewarding experience in many ways. Not only are his stories complex, insightful and interesting, they actually make you feel smarter after having read them (I liken the experience to reading the New York Times Magazine or The Economist). Henderson is my sentimental favorite, but More Die of Heartbreak had me underlining passages like a madman. Bellow is very brainy, and strikingly cognizant of the complexities - and cost - of poorly matched relationships. His characters strive for something exceptional; they allow themselves to get caught up in the moment and taken away on spontaneous, often dangerous adventures, and they often stand aloof from most of society. There's also a heavy Jewish, Russian Literature/Art/History, and Chicago influence in his work that I enjoy.

King Lear has always been my favorite Shakespearean drama, and I almost had it on my list too! Sadly, I saw a terrible production of the play 2 years ago that lessened my passion for the work. It's hard to say there's any one play I like the most. I've acted in A Midsummer Night's Dream, so that's a sentimental favorite. Twelfth Night is actually a newer version of The Comedy of Errors (Plutarch's The Menechmi stands as the original source for both plays). I prefer Twelfth because it's superior in its characters, design, etc., yet Comedy is underrated, in my opinion. Shakespeare's place in my literary/artistic life is peerless. I've read and seen 23 of the works.

As far as Bukowski goes, his books really fall into 4 categories. There's the novels, which tell the autobiographical story of one Henry Chinaski, an ugly, angry, abused, self destructive man who goes through childhood (Ham on Rye), into adulthood surviving the hard knocks of a cruel and unfulfilling job market (Factotum), and the terrible relationships (Women) he "enjoys". Post Office completes the series because it's at that time in his life that his years of drinking, hoboing and gambling, coupled with a thousand nights of writing poetry while staring into the bottom of a whiskey bottle, pays off and he finds his artistic future - and leaves the drudgery of civil service. The books of short stories (most notable Tales of Ordinary Madness and Notes of a Dirty Old Man, if I remember them correctly - I've read over 20 of his books) are fun, weird and interesting too. Still, I prefer novels to short stories, always have. Then there's the books of letters, most of which were publish posthumously by Buk's wife. Those are really interesting if you find letter writing to be a lost art form - I do - and you fancy yourself - and a good buddy of yours - bound and published for the entire "cool" world to read and genuflect to. Finally, there are the books of poetry, which are substantial. There's no particular volume I like more than another just poems I've remembered over the years. He's a hit-or-miss poet, but a true original. Out of all of the college students, housewives and freaks, he's the guy who actually makes the drunken ramble work. Interestingly enough, the book I first read by Bukowski was Hollywood. It's about the making of Barfly, a movie Bukowski wrote that documents a small period in his life. Pulp is an interesting detective novel (also publish posthumously) wherein the main character is searching for Celini (who's dead at this time in history) in the bowels of Los Angeles bookstores (at least that's how I remember it; it's been a long time). Look out Raymond Chandler! On a final note, Bukowski has lead me to John Fante (The Brotherhood of the Grape and Ask the Dust are excellent), much like Ernest Hemingway led me to Beryl Markham's West with the Night (which should have been on my Runners Up list).
I'd read Ham on Rye or Hollywood first.