The Pleasures of the Damned : poems, 1951–1993
Charles Bukowski
- 'The definitive collection of Bukowski's poems.' New York Times Book Review
edited by John Martin
The Pleasures of the Damned is a selection of the best poems from Bukowski’s long career, including the last of his never-before-collected work. Celebrating the full range of the poet’s extraordinary sensibility and his uncompromising linguistic brilliance, these poems cover a rich lifetime of experiences and speak to Bukowski’s ‘immense intelligence, the caring heart that saw through the sham of our pretenses and had pity on our human condition’ (New York Quarterly).
The Pleasures of the Damned is an astonishing poetic treasure trove, essential reading for both longtime fans and those just discovering this unique and legendary American voice.
Edited by John Martin, the legendary publisher of Black Sparrow Press and a close friend of Bukowski’s, this stands as what Martin calls ‘the best of the best of Bukowski’.
Praise for The Pleasures of the Damned:
‘Likely to stand as the definitive volume of Bukowski’s poems. It is well edited by John Martin, the publisher of the estimable Black Sparrow Press, who was Bukowski’s editor for most of his working life.’
New York Times Book Review
‘He brought everybody down to earth, even the angels.’
Leonard Cohen
‘The best poet in America.’
Jean Genet
‘The laureate of American low life.’
Time
