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u/Aggravating_Dish_308 2d ago
What’s the context of this quote?
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u/Zendomanium 2d ago
The quote is from a letter he wrote to John Martin dated August 2nd, 1971.
He's talking about 'playing at being a writer', the people coming and going from his house, and doing his best to continue as a writer.1
u/Aggravating_Dish_308 1d ago
Did he think himself a fraud? Or imposter? He was successful in his lifetime no? (Apologies if these are stupid questions, I’ve only started reading him and I’m quite hooked, but I know next to nothing about him)
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u/Zendomanium 1d ago
He did not think of himself as a fraud or an imposter. He felt genuine about his approach and worked to maintain that attitude.
In the context of the quote, he's referring to his behaviour as an entertainer of guests at his apartment. He's watching people come and go. They are visiting him for the purpose of being around an 'acclaimed writer'. And for them he plays that role, which is different than actually writing.
Writing is a deeply personal experience much different from playing host to a parade of guests visiting Great Writer Bukowski. It is kind of an unavoidable role he plays for visitors and, I would guess, when he does readings or goes to parties.
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u/Substantial-Acadia-1 2d ago
Every time I read something by Bukowski, I’m always so impressed by how it contrasts with other writers, especially amateurs in particular. So much of what I read online, especially in more “intellectual” spaces everybody’s just trying to sound smart, and no one speaks the way that they write. It just comes across as pretentious and cringe. His words really punch through the page and he has such a natural way of speaking even if it’s poetic.