Charles Bukowski (36 page)

Details of Bukowski’s relationship with Barbara Frye is based on interviews and correspondence with Barbara’s relations: Tom Frye (28 Oct, 1996); Sunny Thomas (3 Dec, 1996) and Leah Belle Wilson (19 Oct, 1996/2 Jan & 21 Feb, 1997). I referred to my interviews with Pamela Miller (25 June & 6 July, 1997), whom Bukowski spoke to about his divorce. I consulted Bukowski’s unpublished correspondence with Linda King; his unpublished correspondence with John William Corrington; and general correspondence published in
Screams from the Balcony
. I also consulted Bukowski’s college record courtesy of Los Angeles City College; his 1955 Las Vegas marriage certificate; his US Postal Service personnel file; the autobiographical story,
Confessions of a Coward
, published as
A New Year’s Greeting from Black Sparrow Press (1995)
; and Bukowski’s books
Notes of a Dirty Old Man
and
Post
Office
.

The description of Bukowski’s home on North Mariposa Avenue is drawn from interviews with visitors: Sam Cherry (31 Dec, 1996); FrancEyE (3 Jan, 1997); and Jory Sherman (28 Dec, 1996). I also referred to a contemporaneous description published in the
Literary Times
(Mar, 1963). The quotes from Bukowski about his neighbors are from his introduction to
The Roominghouse Madrigals
. I also referred to
The Charles
Bukowski Tapes
.

Information about the deaths of Henry and Kate Bukowski came primarily from interviews with their former Temple City neighbors, Francis and Irma Billie (3 Jan & 1 May, 1997); from Katherine Wood; from unpublished correspondence between Henry Bukowski and his parents-in-law which is part of the Fett family archive in Andernach; and from Bukowski’s unpublished correspondence with John William Corrington. I also consulted the death certificates of Henry and Kate; legal papers relating to Henry Bukowski’s estate; the records of the Mountain View Cemetery, Altadena; the records of Los Angeles County Museum of Art; and
Notes of a Dirty Old Man
.

The Linda Lee Bukowski quote is from an interview conducted on 25 Oct, 1996.

The Bukowski quote, ‘he’s dead …’ is from a 26 Sept, 1965, letter to Jim Roman published in
Screams from the Balcony
.

Bukowski’s publishing history in small poetry magazines is based on interviews with Judson Crews (31 Mar, 1997) (including the threat to commit suicide if Crews did not publish him, which was made in a letter from Bukowski to Crews in June, 1953), and Leslie Woolf Hedley (21 & 22 July 1997); and by referring to original copies of the following small magazines:
Epos, Existaria
,
Harlequin, Matrix, Naked Ear, Quixote, Semina
and
Trace
. These are at the University of Arizona, Tucson; UCLA; and UCSB.

The John Martin quote is from an interview conducted on 13 Nov, 1997.

For the publication of
Flower, Fist and Bestial Wail
, I corresponded with E.V. Griffith (31 Mar, 1997); I consulted the correspondence between Bukowski and Griffith published in
Screams
from the Balcony
; and documents relating to Hearse Press held at UCSB. I also referred to an original copy of
Flower
,
Fist and
Bestial Wail
at UCSB.

The section concerning Jane Cooney Baker’s latter years, and her death, is taken from Bukowski’s unpublished correspondence with John William Corrington, and from my interviews with Jory Sherman. I also referred to Jane’s death certificate. The pathology department at Guy’s Hospital, London, helped decipher her cause of death. I consulted the records of the San Fernando Mission where her body is buried, and referred to Bukowski’s comments in
The Charles Bukowski Tapes
together with his writings in the following books:
The Days Run Away Like Wild Horses Over the
Hills, Post Office
and
The Roominghouse Madrigals
.

The history of the Loujon Press is based primarily on my interviews with Louise ‘Gypsy Lou’ Webb (various dates between 1996 and 1997). I also referred to interviews and correspondence with Webb family friend Ed Blair (various dates from 1996 to 1997) who supplied valuable background information, including his article, ‘How to Start an Outsider’ (
Louisiana Literature
); and interviews with Jory Sherman; original copies of
The Outsider
and related papers at UCSB; unpublished correspondence between

Bukowski and the Webbs, held at UCSB and the University of Arizona; and the tenth issue of
Sure
(Ed Smith, 1994).

The poems, ‘The Day I Kicked Away a Bankroll’, ‘A Nice Place’, ‘old man dead in a room’ and ‘Soirée’ are from
The
Roominghouse Madrigals
. ‘The Tragedy of the Leaves’ appears in
Burning in Water, Drowning in Flame
. ‘for Jane, with all the love I had, which was not enough –’ appears in
The Days Run Away Like
Wild Horses Over the Hills
. I also quote from letters published in
Screams from the Balcony
and
Living on Luck
.

Bukowski’s depression following the death of Jane Cooney Baker is based on his unpublished correspondence with John William Corrington; my 9 Feb, 1997, interview with Ann Menebroker; interviews with Jory Sherman (various dates); letters published in
Outsider 3
(the burlesque show and the death of Jane’s fish); and letters published in
Screams from the Balcony
, including the Dec, 1962, letter to Ann Menebroker about his arrest.

Background information about Bukowski’s relationship with his Aunt Eleanor and Uncle Jake Hostetter are from interviews with Katherine Wood.

Additional background information about Bukowski’s grieving for Jane comes from his comments in
Bukowski in the Bathtub
.

John Bryan described his association with Bukowski in interviews (13 Jan & 6 June, 1997). I referred to original copies of rare Bukowski publications and literary magazines at the libraries of UCSB and the University of Arizona. I also studied correspondence held at these universities which relates to the publication of his work in the little magazines.

The description of Bukowski’s post office work is based primarily on my interviews with his former co-workers: David Berger (4 Mar & 24 April, 1997); Johnny Moore (6 Mar, 1997); and
Grace Washington (14 May, 1997). I also consulted the novel
Post Office
and Bukowski’s US Postal Service personnel file.

Bukowski’s relationship with FrancEyE, and her personal history, is based on my interviews with FrancEyE (3 Jan & 30 May, 1997); her birth certificate; her unpublished correspondence with Bukowski held at UCSB; and Bukowski’s unpublished correspondence with John William Corrington.

Bukowski’s relationship with Sam Cherry and his family is based on interviews with Neeli Cherkovski (various dates) and Sam Cherry (31 Dec, 1996).

The publication of
It Catches My Heart in Its Hands
is based on interviews with Gypsy Lou Webb and Ed Blair on various dates. I also consulted the Bukowski/Webb correspondence, published and unpublished; original copies of the various editions of
It Catches
My Heart in Its Hands
at UCSB; and letters in
Outsider 3
. The quoted writings of Jon Webb are from the colophon of
It Catches
My Heart in Its Hands
, and Bukowski’s quoted reaction to the book is from letters in
Screams from the Balcony
. I further referred to
A Bibliography of Charles Bukowski
, by Stanford Dorbin. Bukowski’s quotes about Robinson Jeffers are from a 1 April, 1960, letter to Jory Sherman printed in
Screams from the Balcony
.

The poem, ‘an empire of coins’, is from
Betting on the Muse
; ‘I thought of ships, of armies, hanging on …’ is from
The Days
Run Away Like Wild Horses Over the Hills
. The letters between Bukowski and his neighbor appear in
Screams from the Balcony
. The poem, ‘the biggest breasts’, is from
Renaissance
magazine, 1962, and has never previously been published in book form.

The chapter title is adapted from Bukowski’s poem, ‘conversation in a cheap room’, originally published in
It Catches My
Heart in Its Hands
.

FrancEyE described her pregnancy, the birth of Marina and her
relationship with Bukowski (interviews dated: 3 Jan & 30 May, 1997). I consulted Marina’s birth certificate, and my interviews with Neeli Cherkovski and Jory Sherman.

The description of the De Longpre Avenue court is based on interviews with Neeli Cherkovski (various dates); Francis Crotty (4 Jan, 1997); FrancEyE (3 Jan & 30 May, 1997); Paul Jenson (31 Dec, 1996); Steve Richmond (8 Nov, 1996); and Sina Taylor (31 Dec 1996). I also referred to ‘Grip The Walls’ (
The Wormwood
Review
, No.16, 1964); to my interview with Al Purdy (27 Dec, 1996); and to the book,
The Bukowski/Purdy Letters 1964–1974
.

Bukowski’s meeting and dealings with the Webbs were described by Gypsy Lou Webb and by FrancEyE.

His quote about Marina, ‘The girl-child …’ is from a 1 Mar, 1965, letter to John William Corrington, published in
Living
on Luck
.

Concerning the meeting between Bukowski and Corrington and the making of the second Loujon book, I interviewed Ed Blair (various interviews and correspondence between Dec 1996 and June 1997); Joyce Corrington (9 Dec, 1996); Ben C. Toledano (1 July, 1997); and Miller Williams (18 Feb, 1997). I also consulted the following sources: the Bukowski–Webb correspondence collected at UCSB, and at the University of Arizona; Bukowski’s unpublished correspondence with Corrington; Bukowski’s unpublished correspondence with Steve Richmond; Bukowski’s correspondence with the Webbs collected in the books,
Living on Luck
and S
creams from the Balcony
; Bukowski’s correspondence with Al Purdy published in
The Bukowski/Purdy Letters 1964–1974
, in which he writes about letting everybody down (14 Mar, 1965) and describes drinking with Jon Webb (23 Mar, 1965); Bukowski’s introduction to
Burning in Water, Drowning in Flame
in which he describes the process of making
Crucifix in a Deathhand
, and conversations with Webb; the essay ‘Corrington, Bukowski, and the Loujon Press’ (
Louisiana Literature
) by Lloyd Halliburton; original copies of
The Outsider
magazine,
It Catches My Heart
in Its Hands
; and
Crucifix in a Deathhand
– all held at UCSB; the book,
John William Corrington/Southern Man of Letters
(UCA Press, 1994) edited by William Mills; and various background letters, photographs and documents kindly supplied by
Ed Blair. I consulted Henry Miller’s unpublished correspondence with Bukowski at UCSB.

FrancEyE told me about Bukowski’s admiration for Dorothy Healey. Bukowski’s comments, ‘What I’ve tried to do …’, are from his interview with Sean Penn printed in
Interview
magazine (Sept, 1987); and the quote ‘I am not a man who …’ is from an interview with William Packard published in the book,
The
Poet’s
Craft
(Paragon House Publishing, 1987). I also consulted the books
Crucifix in a Deathhand
and
Burning in Water, Drowning
in Flame
.

Douglas Blazek described his association with Bukowski (7 June, 1997). I also consulted the unpublished Bukowski–Blazek correspondence collected at UCSB; the published correspondence in
Screams from the Balcony
and original copies of
Ole
magazine at UCSB.

FrancEyE described her break-up with Bukowski and their life at De Longpre Avenue (3 Jan & 30 May, 1997). I interviewed Marina Bukowski about her childhood (21 July, 1997); I referred to letters from Bukowski to his friend William Wantling; correspondence published in
Screams from the Balcony
; and to Bukowski’s unpublished correspondence with Steve Richmond.

The poem, ‘the new place’, appears in
The Roominghouse
Madrigals
. The poem, ‘something for the touts, the nuns, the grocery clerks and you …’, appears in
Burning in Water, Drowning
in Flame; Confessions of a Man Insane Enough to Live with Beasts
appears in
South of No North
. FrancEyE’s poem, ‘Christ I feel shitty’, is from
Das ist Alles
.

John Martin described his personal background, his first meeting with Bukowski and the launch of Black Sparrow Press. I spoke to Barbara Martin about the design of the sparrow logo (13 Jan,
1997). I interviewed Gerard Malanga (18 Dec, 1996). I consulted interviews with John Martin and Charles Bukowski that appeared in the
Boston Review
(Nov/Dec issue, 1992). In his interview, Bukowski described their meeting and first conversations. I also looked at previously unpublished letters from Martin to Bukowski that are held at UCSB, together with the first Black Sparrow Press broadsides, and the introduction to
The Charles Bukowski Papers
(Department of Special Collections, UCSB). Extracts from John Martin’s unpublished letters to Bukowski are courtesy of John Martin.

I interviewed Lawrence Ferlinghetti about Bukowski’s poetry (14 Jan, 1997). The quotes from Bukowski on his writing style are from
The Charles Bukowski Tapes
.

For Bukowski’s involvement and attitudes to the sixties drug culture, I interviewed the following: John Bryan (13 Jan & 6 June, 1997); Steve Richmond (various dates between 1996 & 1997); and John Thomas (1 Jan & 26 June, 1997). I also consulted the following:
Screams from the Balcony
, including Bukowski’s 2 Feb, 1966, letter to Steve Richmond, ‘LSD, yeah …’; the unpublished correspondence of Bukowski and Steve Richmond;
Bukowski in
the Bathtub
, including Bukowski’s conversation with John Thomas about LSD; and publications by Steve Richmond including:
Earth
Rose
(Earth Rose 1/undated);
Hitler Painted Roses
(Earth Books and Sun Dog Press, 1994); and
Spinning Off Bukowski
which I referred to for the description of Bukowski’s clothing and his visits to Richmond’s store. For Bukowski’s negative views on drugs, I referred to his comments in
The Charles Bukowski Tapes
.