Hot Water Music [Hardcover]

Charles Bukowski (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1983

Hot Water Music is a collection of short stories by Charles Bukowski, published in 1983. The collection deals largely with: drinking, women, gambling, and writing. It is an important collection that establishes Bukowski's minimalist style and his thematic oeuvre.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

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.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 221 pages
• Publisher: Black Sparrow Books; First Edition edition (December 1983)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0876855974
• ISBN-13: 978-0876855973
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,380,051 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More 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 (1994).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Edgy laughs and splendid moments from the Poet Laureate of the American gutter, May 23, 2006

By 

K. Swanson (Austin, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hot Water Music (Hardcover)

Ah, the Drunken Master his own self...here he is at his best, writing pleasingly spare and oft hilarious vignettes of his later life's ramblings through the bars and bedrooms of Hollywood's seedier avenues.

Not recommended if you don't like to drink, laugh and/or are easily offended...Buk is as far from politically correct as Santa is from Antartica...but oh man, the laughs that his laconic delivery can produce!

His genius also lies in his occasional moments of true clarity...once in a while he flat out nails what it is to be human, male, drunk, or just a bum treading water while waiting for St. Peter's inevitable rejection.

Of the great writers in the English language, few other than Chaucer are this saucy and brazen and unabashed...and yes, I think Buk's best work can stand beside Joyce and Hem and Whitman and even the mighty Shake when it comes to revealing some of life's truths. Especially the antisocial male's truths. Bukowski keeps it simple and to the point, and has a special talent for revealing the joys of the mundane...his territory is very much his own, the hallmark of a truly classic writer.

Be forewarned, there are some verrrrry edgy moments here...but CB's willingness to confront aspects of the human (well, male--very male) psyche that others dare not go near makes him the unique freak that he is.

His poetry comes and goes, as do his novels, though Post Office and Women are classics. His short stories have the most humor and twisted pathos, and this is the best collection, methinks. "The Great Poet" alone is worth the price of admission. Buk loves to hold the idiocy of fame and our culture's shallowness up to the light...usually the barroom light...and no one else has quite his way with love scenes...if you can call them that...

Many women find Bukowski to be a pig. Fair enough. But when you're wondering if your new girl will put up with you in the long run, give her this and wait for the reaction. If she laughs, you're good to go.

Warning: this book will make you want to crack a cold one or three, or seven, just to enjoy the happily nihilistic thrill of not giving a damn.

I don't reread many books...life is too short, with too many books left to enjoy...but this one gets read at least once a year, usually when I need the solace and joy of drinking a few too many at two in the morning while laughing my ass off.

One of the funniest books of all time, if you like your laughs a little warped.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Collection of Shorts from the BUK master, August 10, 2005

By 

Christopher J. Deasy (Depends on the time of year) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hot Water Music (Paperback)

This work of short stories really got me more interested in Bukowski. I got started on the Buk addiction in a rather strange way - with his last novel "PULP" (which really is atypical of Charles). My second book was also a novel, "Post Office"- exquisite stuff. Anyways, these shorts are much more in-line with his Post Office days and leave you wanting to go on a bender and smash something valuable... in a good way of course. If you've never read Bukowski then this book should give you a pretty good flavor of his style (straight-from-the-(beer)-gut, unforgiving amusement for the soul).

From my perspective, you can read Bukowski 2 ways: for sheer amusement of a great story teller or as a poet-by-compulsion (or both together, as I prefer). Either way - he's good!

16 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Viva Bukowski But This Isn't The Good Stuff, July 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Hot Water Music (Paperback)

My shelf of Bukowski's poetry and prose is testament to the tremendous pleasure I've taken over the last twenty-five years reading his work. He's unique, and although at first he may strike you as a guilty pleasure at best, he's profound. He's also detested by some -- especially women who consider him misogynistic. Decide for yourself, but don't judge him by this book, which is about as close to hack work as he's come -- although Bukowski's hack work beats a lots of others' best. Try Women, The Most Beautiful Woman in Town, or Mockingbird Wish Me Luck.