Self-Reflective – DaneCobain.com

Charles Bukowski – The Night Torn Mad with Footsteps | Review

February 16, 2017 danecobain

Authors A-E (By Surname)Poetry

Title: The Night Torn Mad with Footsteps

Author: Charles Bukowski

Type: Poetry

Page Count/Review Word Count: 360

Rating: 4*/5

Charles Bukowski – The Night Torn Mad with Footsteps

This collection of Bukowski’s poetry was published after his death – the author left selections of his work behind to be published after his demise, and this is one of them. If you’ve read Bukowski before then you know roughly what to expect – irreverent examinations of life as a down and out, with plenty of gamblers, women and horses. It’s mostly autobiographical, and Bukowski’s ever-present wit and cynicism shines through, throughout.

There’s plenty going on here, and the good thing about that is that it gives you a wide field of view of the world that Bukowski lived in, and it’s the sort of thing that you simply can’t find anywhere else. Bukowski’s work was unique, and not just because it’s so self-reflective that you can see his thoughts on his poetry evolving alongside the work itself. And here, you get to see another side of him – the cat-lover. He had a few of them as pets, and his poems about them are genuinely touching.

Now, I wouldn’t say that this is the best Bukowski book to start with, but that’s not a reflection of the quality of the poems – it’s just that I’d recommend beginning with some earlier work and then moving on to this after you’ve read a book or two of that, and maybe one of his novels. But either way, when you’re reading a book like this then you know roughly what to expect, and that’s a good thing – Bukowski’s work is consistently good, which is great for readers but can make it a little difficult to recommend any one book above any of his others.

Overall though, this is an intriguing read and a mind-opening poetry book that I’d recommend to anyone who likes to think for themselves. Even if you don’t agree with Bukowski, he’ll make you examine your own feelings as you go, and he’ll do it all with beautiful language along the way. His words are simple but effective, and that’s why I like his work.

Charles Bukowski

Click here to buy The Night Torn Mad with Footsteps.

Michael Pickering – The Compass Dances | Review

June 3, 2016 danecobain

Authors P-T (By Surname)Poetry

Title: The Compass Dances

Author: Michael Pickering

Type: Poetry

Page Count/Review Word Count: 338

Rating: 7/10

Michael Pickering – The Compass Dances

Disclaimer: While I aim to be unbiased, I received a copy of this for free to review.

This book is an interesting one because it spans an entire lifetime – what we have here is Michael Pickering’s selected poetry, spanning from 1955 to 2015. The author himself certainly has a strong set of credentials – he’s a graduate of University College in Oxford, as well as several other universities, and he even taught English and applied linguistics in Finland for 27 years.

Now, this isn’t necessarily the type of poetry that I’d typically go for, but it was still an interesting enough read. One thing that I would say is that it’s the sort of poetry that tries to flaunt the author’s education, something which is mirrored later on in the book with the inclusion of a number of self-reflective essays that the author wrote about his work. He also uses far too many footnotes, at least in my opinion – it hampers the reader’s ability to draw their own conclusions, which is what good poetry is all about.

Still, as you’d expect from someone who spent a lifetime writing poetry, there’s also a lot here to interest and to tantalise the reader, especially if we’re talking about a reader who loves words. Whilst it wasn’t necessarily my cup of tea, I did have to admire the skill with which the author works words to his advantage. True, it often felt like you were reading the intellectual equivalent of dad jokes, with plenty of half-developed puns, but there were also moments of clarity where the author was able – with just a few, short words – to communicate a sense or a feeling.

Overall, I wouldn’t recommend this unless you’re a serious fan of poetry – it can be pretty heavy, especially to someone who only reads prose, but it can also be rewarding if you stick with it. I’ll leave it up to your judgement.