Neeli Cherkovski (1945–2024)

I have read Ham on Rye, Bukowski's autobiography of his childhood, and it's easy to understand why he was a hardcore alcoholic. His father was emotionally detached and brutal to him, and Bukowski's behavior of substance abuse, and not be able to maintain relationships or jobs is typical of personality disorder that is common in traumatized children. I just don't think that Cherkovski's book adds a lot to the story other than Bukowski's public persona was fictional. He often used women to support him, and was successful enough in his later life to have a middle class life. No doubt he had talent as a writer but perhaps his life was his greatest work of fiction.… (mais)