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Jenn(ifer)'s Reviews > Ham on Rye
Ham on Rye
by
Up until recently, all I knew about Charles Bukowski was what I learned in one of my all time favorite films, ‘Barfly,� staring the incomparable Mickey Rourke as our antihero Henry Chinaski. If you haven’t seen it, you should remedy that immediately:
This is a world where everybodys gotta do something, gotta be something... sometimes I just get tired of thinking of all the things that I don't wanna do.. that I don't wanna be
***
Henry Chinaski is a bit of a dick. He doesn’t care about you, your causes, your morals, your dignity� he doesn’t give a shit about anything but Henry Chinaski. And I’m not even so sure about that�
I know it might sound odd coming from me, but I can totally relate to Henry. Don’t get me wrong, saying I can relate to Henry doesn’t mean that I approve of him and all his bravado, but I can relate. I can relate to his shitty childhood and his asociality and his lack of drive to “be somebody.� I’ll refrain from getting too personal here, but I can say that he can thank his lucky stars for one thing: he wasn’t born a girl.
Ham on Rye follows our dear Henry from a childhood scarred by abuse and isolation through the muddy waters of adolescence to young adulthood. He eschews mainstream culture and all that it stands for, and really, who can blame him? By the end, part of me wanted to forget about all of this ‘responsibility� nonsense and join him at the bar. Why? Because f*ck you. That’s why.
Bukowski isn’t for everyone. Actually, let me go out on a limb here and say Bukowski isn’t for most people. But if you’ve been lucky enough to have struggled through childhood and adolescence and come out on the other end a little stronger, a little smarter, a little thicker skinned, then maybe, just maybe, Bukowski is for you.
Then again, maybe not. I'm sure Bukowski doesn't give a shit either way, and honestly, neither do I.
***
I raise my glass to you, Henry. To you and all my frieeeeennnddds!!!!!!!!!!!(Barfly joke).
***
Watch this scene -- when Henry walks over to Wanda, look who he passes at the bar:
Wanda: I can't stand people. I hate them. Do you hate them?
Henry: No. But I seem to feel better when they're not around...
by
Jenn(ifer)'s review
bookshelves: gr-group-coreads, read-in-2013, cross-continental-book-club
Dec 10, 2012
bookshelves: gr-group-coreads, read-in-2013, cross-continental-book-club
Up until recently, all I knew about Charles Bukowski was what I learned in one of my all time favorite films, ‘Barfly,� staring the incomparable Mickey Rourke as our antihero Henry Chinaski. If you haven’t seen it, you should remedy that immediately:
This is a world where everybodys gotta do something, gotta be something... sometimes I just get tired of thinking of all the things that I don't wanna do.. that I don't wanna be
***
Henry Chinaski is a bit of a dick. He doesn’t care about you, your causes, your morals, your dignity� he doesn’t give a shit about anything but Henry Chinaski. And I’m not even so sure about that�
I know it might sound odd coming from me, but I can totally relate to Henry. Don’t get me wrong, saying I can relate to Henry doesn’t mean that I approve of him and all his bravado, but I can relate. I can relate to his shitty childhood and his asociality and his lack of drive to “be somebody.� I’ll refrain from getting too personal here, but I can say that he can thank his lucky stars for one thing: he wasn’t born a girl.
Ham on Rye follows our dear Henry from a childhood scarred by abuse and isolation through the muddy waters of adolescence to young adulthood. He eschews mainstream culture and all that it stands for, and really, who can blame him? By the end, part of me wanted to forget about all of this ‘responsibility� nonsense and join him at the bar. Why? Because f*ck you. That’s why.
Bukowski isn’t for everyone. Actually, let me go out on a limb here and say Bukowski isn’t for most people. But if you’ve been lucky enough to have struggled through childhood and adolescence and come out on the other end a little stronger, a little smarter, a little thicker skinned, then maybe, just maybe, Bukowski is for you.
Then again, maybe not. I'm sure Bukowski doesn't give a shit either way, and honestly, neither do I.
***
I raise my glass to you, Henry. To you and all my frieeeeennnddds!!!!!!!!!!!(Barfly joke).
***
Watch this scene -- when Henry walks over to Wanda, look who he passes at the bar:
Wanda: I can't stand people. I hate them. Do you hate them?
Henry: No. But I seem to feel better when they're not around...
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Ham on Rye.
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Reading Progress
December 10, 2012
– Shelved
January 1, 2013
–
Started Reading
January 2, 2013
–
14.24%
"I was like his roses, something that belonged to him and not to me..."
page
41
January 2, 2013
–
29.51%
"So, that's what they wanted: lies. Beautiful lies. That's what they needed. People were fools. It was going to be easy for me."
page
85
January 3, 2013
–
53.47%
"Words weren't dull, words were things that could make your mind hum. If you read them and let yourself feel the magic, you could live without pain, with hope, no matter what happened to you."
page
154
January 4, 2013
–
71.18%
""Where's he gonna end up?" ...
"A lifetime job..." said Jimmy.
"A lifetime wife," I added.
"Abe will never be miserable..."
"Or happy.""
page
205
"A lifetime job..." said Jimmy.
"A lifetime wife," I added.
"Abe will never be miserable..."
"Or happy.""
January 4, 2013
–
75.35%
"They were soft, they had never faced any fire. They were beautiful nothings."
page
217
January 5, 2013
– Shelved as:
gr-group-coreads
January 5, 2013
– Shelved as:
read-in-2013
January 5, 2013
–
Finished Reading
January 18, 2013
– Shelved as:
cross-continental-book-club
Comments Showing 1-50 of 106 (106 new)
message 1:
by
Petergiaquinta
(new)
-
rated it 4 stars
Jan 04, 2013 02:55PM
I've delivered the mail and I've done stupid things while drunk and I've made horrible mistakes with women, which doesn't necessarily give me license to say what I'm about to say, but I think Ham on Rye is Bukowski's finest work ever, and I'll fight anyone out there who doesn't agree!
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ha! certainly lots of that going on in this novel (fighting, that is).
Nice review. I'm not reading this one, I'm just gonna use my "IFF-Art" Notes (you know, reviews by IFF and Arthur, IFF-Art Notes, like "CLIFF" notes...get it? get it? HAH, I slay me!!).Also, are we not allowed to say FUCK anymore? Oh, fuck, I just said fuck! FUCK, I said it again! I need to shut the fuck up! AAAARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHH! FUUUUUU...
Gracias! I get the IFF part... after that, you've lost me.Well, ya know -- some of the folks around here might flag me for using bad words. Then again, I did use the words 'shitty' and 'dick', so I don't know why I decided to edit myself at all.
Arthur...You know, ARTHUR. Y'all seem to review the same books, so I don't need to read them, I just pretend I did because I've read both of your reviews and y'all make me look not so dumb...hehe. Also, THIS IS NOT RADIO!
AND FURTHERMORE, how the fuck can you describe the books we read if you don't use explitives? Life ain't pretty, sometimes you have to FUCK a few chickens to make a three egg omlette.
Frances wrote: "Arthur...You know, ARTHUR. Y'all seem to review the same books, so I don't need to read them, I just pretend I did because I've read both of your reviews and y'all make me look not so dumb...hehe. ..."yeah, we have a sort of cross-continental, two (wo)man book club going on
Nick wrote: "Jenn(ifer) wrote: "Gracias! I get the IFF part... after that, you've lost me.Well, ya know -- some of the folks around here might flag me for using bad words. Then again, I did use the words 'shi..."
ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh no you didn't.
Pretty sure you can't say that on the radio either! and don't even TRY saying any one of these words: shitpissfuckcuntcocksuckermotherfuckertits
Nice one, Jenn. This was also the first Bukowski book I read - and enjoyed it so much I immediately read "Post Office" and "Women". The documentary on Bukowski "Born Into This" is also interesting (in case you've not seen it).
This review was so pleasurable I hardly realized when I had finished (reading it, that is). Sometimes relating to something is the primary reason for enjoying it, and I personally don't think I would say anything can ever really be too personal, in that context at least (it may be different when someone habitually interprets everything as a personal sleight against them). I'm officially babbling already, but I like Bukowski a lot too.
I salute you, (ifer).
Brian wrote: "Nice one, Jenn. This was also the first Bukowski book I read - and enjoyed it so much I immediately read "Post Office" and "Women". The documentary on Bukowski "Born Into This" is also interesting..."Thanks Brian! I've not seen it, but I would like to -- I'd also like to see the film version of Factotum with Matt Dillon as Chinaski (although I can't imagine he's a better Chinaski than Rourke).
Jacob J. wrote: "This review was so pleasurable I hardly realized when I had finished (reading it, that is). "Te heeee.. that made me giggle.
Thanks for the salutations, my friend!
Nice review! I didn't think Factotum was nowhere near as good a film as Barfly. Matt Dillon is way too smooth and good-looking to pull off a believable Chinaski. When they filmed Barfly, Bukowski thought Mickey Rourke was too good-looking for the part so you can imagine what he would've thought of Dillon. Of course Rourke is beginning to look a lot more like Bukowski.
If Hank were born a girl, the first thing he'd do is f*ck himself :P
Watching "Factotum" is what got me hooked on Buk. "Barfly" is what assured me that I'd found the right literary hero. I have, both soberly and un-, uttered that "All my friiiiiiends!" line in the hopes that someone would get the reference (not many people have, which means that I'm not hanging out with the right folks.)Awesome review, this. Yours always make for mighty fine reads.
Wait, so is ‘Barfly' based off of this book?
Etienne wrote: "Wait, so is ‘Barfly' based off of this book?"No, but Barfly is based on Bukowski's life, and his book Hollywood is based on the experience of making it. Barbet Schroeder, the same guy who directed The Charles Bukowski Tapes, produced Barfly.
Frances wrote: "sometimes you have to FUCK a few chickens to make a three egg omlette"I like the way you think, Frannie.
Frances wrote: "Arthur...You know, ARTHUR. Y'all seem to review the same books, so I don't need to read them, I just pretend I did because I've read both of your reviews and y'all make me look not so dumb...hehe. ..."wait, did you add that part about the 3 egg omelet later, cos I totally missed that the first time... te he!
Brian wrote: "The documentary on Bukowski "Born Into This" is also interesting..."Absolutely watch Born Into This, and after you've read a few more of his novels, short stories, and poems, see if you can sit through all four hours of The Charles Bukowski Tapes -- you'll never be the same ;-)
Madeleine wrote: "Watching "Factotum" is what got me hooked on Buk. "Barfly" is what assured me that I'd found the right literary hero. I have, both soberly and un-, uttered that "All my friiiiiiends!" line in the h..."Why thank you, my lady! Now I must procure a copy of Factotum toot sweet!
Sean wrote: "Nice review! I didn't think Factotum was nowhere near as good a film as Barfly. Matt Dillon is way too smooth and good-looking to pull off a believable Chinaski. When they filmed Barfly, Bukowski t..."Thank ya!
I know... Step away from the plastic surgery Mickey me boy!
Arthur wrote: "Brian wrote: "The documentary on Bukowski "Born Into This" is also interesting..."Absolutely watch Born Into This, and after you've read a few more of his novels, short stories, and poems, see if..."
now I just need to decide which Bukowski to read next!
Sean wrote: "I didn't think Factotum was nowhere near as good a film as Barfly. Matt Dillon is way too smooth and good-looking to pull off a believable Chinaski. When they filmed Barfly, Bukowski thought Mickey Rourke was too good-looking for the part so you can imagine what he would've thought of Dillon. Of course these days Rourke is beginning to look a lot more like Bukowski"Ha! Too true. The film version of Factotum was better than I thought it would be, at least.
Jenn(ifer) wrote: "now I just need to decide which Bukowski to read next!"You should try his poems and short stories, now that you've got a few novels under your belt.
Sounds like we need a virtual MOVIE NIGHT!! We could make Bukowski Boilers, smoke cigars, kick some shit around, and pop a few unmarked pills just for shits and giggles! WHO's IN?!
Arthur wrote: You should try his poems and short stories, now that you've got a few novels under your belt."Admission time -- I fucking hate poetry. Short stories though -- I'm in. I'm open to suggestions!
Frances wrote: "Sounds like we need a virtual MOVIE NIGHT!! We could make Bukowski Boilers, smoke cigars, kick some shit around, and pop a few unmarked pills just for shits and giggles! WHO's IN?!"ME!!!!!!!
Jenn(ifer) wrote: "Admission time -- I fucking hate poetry. Short stories though -- I'm in. I'm open to suggestions"It's all unrhymed prose poetry, but whatever. Tales of Ordinary Madness is a pretty good short story collection, but if you're looking for a broader sampling of his work, I was pleasantly surprised by Portions from a Wine-Stained Notebook: Uncollected Stories and Essays, 1944-1990, as well as
Absence of the Hero.
Arthur wrote: "It's all unrhymed prose poetry, but whatever. Tales of Ordinary Madness is a pr..."whatever :p
"when Henry walks over to Wanda, look who he passes at the bar"You guessed it ;-)
Anyway, as familiar as you are with the film, I'm surprised you weren't reading Bukowski sooner! Then again, you could ask me why I've never even seen the entire film, with as much Bukowski as I've read...
???
Good questions, both. Hey, guess what I'm about to watch? Factotum.
Jenn(ifer) wrote: "Good questions, both. Hey, guess what I'm about to watch? Factotum."I was going to make a PAJAMA Night! I figured out how to do a "virtual" movie night. Skype!! hehe...just for future reference. :P
I'm in my pajamas! Get those boilermakers going, Franny.
Frances wrote: "I was going to make a PAJAMA Night! I figured out how to do a "virtual" movie night. Skype!! hehe...just for future reference"That sounds like a lovely idea, but how am I supposed to focus on the film with all the naked girls on my computer screen?
Jenn(ifer) wrote: "I'm in my pajamas! Get those boilermakers going, Franny."I'm in my "pajamas", too ;-)
Jenn(ifer) wrote: "Hey, guess what I'm about to watch? Factotum."So, Mickey or Matt? Be honest.
Mickey. Not even close!!!!!!!!!
Matt is not a believable Chinaski.
Jenn(ifer) wrote: "Matt is not a believable Chinaski."Wait, how did you watch the entire movie in 20 minutes?
Okie, I'm in my snuggly pjs, I made a blanket fort on the floor (a.k.a. a drunk tent - you can't fall too far that way!), just poured my first whisky, and I got a cold Shiner Bock! ROLL IT, Iff!
What! I leave the room for like 5 minutes and everyone is naked! SHIT, why does that ALWAYS happen to me!
Arthur wrote: "Jenn(ifer) wrote: "Matt is not a believable Chinaski."Wait, how did you watch the entire movie in 20 minutes?"
I don't need to see the whole movie, it only took 5 minutes to make the determination. So far, this movie is kinda dull.
Arthur wrote: "I'm in my "pajamas", too ;-)"loin cloth does NOT count as pjs, and put a shirt on son, I don't wanna see yer titties! (ok, well...I kinda like seeing titties) 8)
Jenn(ifer) wrote: "Mickey. Not even close!!!!!!!!!"Ultimately I prefer Mick as an actor, but to be honest (all things considered), I think Matt looks more like Hank! Maybe not so much in general, but he clearly put a lot of effort into the facial expressions. Watch more Bukowski interviews and tell me what you think.
I will do that if you see Barfly and then gimme your opinion.
now I feel like the first one to passout at the party! AGAIN!
Jenn(ifer) wrote: "I will do that if you see Barfly and then gimme your opinion."Will do. Just an impression, based on what I've seen thus far.
Frances wrote: "now I feel like the first one to passout at the party! AGAIN!"You'd have a dick Sharpied on your cheek by now if that were the case.
Arthur wrote: "You'd have a dick Sharpied on your cheek by now if that were the case."AAAWWWWEEEE SHIT! I'm not letting myself sleepover with you assholes again! I'm outta here BP
