LOS ANGELES, Dec. 3, 2010 — Since his death sixteen years ago, outsider American author Charles Bukowski (1920-1994) continues to grow in popularity, as evidenced by several significant current events – an homage at a prestigious museum and a critically acclaimed memoir by a famed muse. In October, the Huntington Library in San Marino, California, opened "Charles Bukowski: Poet on the Edge," an exhibit of Bukowski's work and personal memorabilia donated by his widow that will run until February 2011. Earlier this year, the esteemed publishing house Sun Dog Press released CHARLES BUKOWSKI'S SCARLET, an intimate memoir written by Pamela "Cupcakes" (as Bukowski called her) Wood. The exhibit and memoir demonstrate Bukowski's rise from underground to mainstream status – and show that "the poet laureate of skid row" is attracting a new generation of fans.
CHARLES BUKOWSKI'S SCARLET – the first published memoir written by one of few allowed intimate entrance into Bukowski's well-documented antisocial world – offers important, never-before-revealed insights into the celebrated author. In a recent interview with poet and PEARL magazine founding editor Joan Jobe Smith, Wood reveals her reason for waiting more than 30 years to tell her story. Visit for the entire interview. Author Dan Fante called Wood's memoir, "Well-written, vivid, and moving."
Wood was a 23-year-old former Miss Pussycat working as a barmaid when she met then 56-year-old Bukowski, and became a passionate inspiration to the self-professed "dirty old man." As a paean of his love, he penned a book of poetry titled SCARLET, published in 1976 by Black Sparrow Press. Some limited editions of the book are currently selling for over $2,000. Bukowski also made Wood the subject of several poems and works of prose – and immortalized her as the insouciant, auburn-haired sex kitten, Tammie, a central character in his 1978 novel WOMEN. Dubbed "laureate of American lowlife," by TIME magazine in 1986, Bukowski enjoyed a prolific writing career, producing numerous works of poetry and prose, including the autobiographical screenplay for the 1987 movie BARFLY starring Mickey Rourke and Faye Dunaway.
For information regarding the "Poet on the Edge" exhibit at the Huntington Library, visit http://www.Huntington.org.
CHARLES BUKOWSKI'S SCARLET is available at http://www.sundogpress.net and http://www.amazon.com.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Al Berlinski, publisher, Sun Dog Press
Email: Email
Phone: 818-249-2528
Website: http://www.sundogpress.net
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