Charles Bukowski

Heinrich Karl Bukowski was Charles Bukowski's name when he was born in Andernach, Germany. In 1930, his family relocated to Los Angeles. Charles had a challenging upbringing, being bullied by boys his own age and being physically assaulted by his father. At the age of 35, he started his career by publishing in Los Angeles underground journals including Open City and the L.A. Free Press. In the end, he produced tens of thousands of poems, a large number of short tales, and six novels.

The squalor of urban life and the oppressed in American society are shown in Bukowski's poems. In his writing, he drew on his own experience, feelings, and imagination while employing blunt language and graphic sexual and violent imagery. The common lives of poor Americans, alcohol, relationships with women, and the tedium of work are major themes in his writing. Bukowski was dubbed a "laureate of American lowlife" by Time magazine in 1986. He continues to be revered in American poetry.

Famous Poems:

• Bluebird (1992)
• The Laughing Heart (1993)
• So You Want to be a Writer

Lifespan: August 16, 1920 – March 9, 1994