Reviews - Erections, Ejaculations, Exhibitions, and General Tales of Ordinary Madness

138 reviews for:

Erections, Ejaculations, Exhibitions, and General Tales of Ordinary Madness

It reads like rubbish. And I mean that in a strangely, near literal way; each story is the bizarre finding one would expect to unexpectedly find in a communal garbage bin. Some are visceral and off putting, something you don't want to look at too closely or touch, while others are delicately fascinating in their mix of high and low culture. The bloody t shirt smeared with fluid next to the expensive wine bottle wrapped in a brown grease stained paper bag.

I don't know whether I enjoyed reading this book or not.

frahorus's review against another edition

3.0

Charles Bukowski è un autore che spiazza: o piace o si odia. Io lo conobbi per caso in biblioteca scegliendo casualmente Panino al prosciutto, una sorta di biografia della sua vita. Ecco, se ancora non conoscete questo autore particolare e sopra le righe, vi consiglio di partire leggendo proprio Panino al prosciutto.
Ho piacevolmente ritrovato un autore che mi mancava, del quale ti affezioni, nonostante il suo stile forte e brusco. Questa raccolta di racconti (scritti tra il 1967 e il 1972) ci mostra tutte le caratteristiche e le tematiche a lui care: corse di cavalli, donne, avventure al limite della decenza, ubriacature, insonnie, tasche vuote, eccetera eccetera. Lui è un genio e contemporaneamente un barbone. Lui è un santo e insieme un peccatore. Un fallito e insieme un uomo di successo con le donne. Forse un pazzo, ma un pazzo che sa come godersi la vita. A volte crudo, a volte delicato e poetico. Lui è semplicemente se stesso, ecco quello che mi piace di Bukowski: lui ti porta se stesso.

zeloco's review against another edition

2.0

This whole book was a struggle for me. But like - a bad struggle. I didn't find whatever people find in Bukowski's prose. I had marked a sentence, that perfectly described this whole book to me. It was something about being lost and confused. I lost the marker and this book ain't worth enough for me to look for the line.

The only reason I'm giving the book 2 and not 1 stars is the last story. It was the only one, that I enjoyed and found something for myself. I guess I was expecting more madness and less drunk ramblings.

Also - if you're a grammar nazi - brace yourself.

gerbenletzer's review against another edition

3.5

dark funny reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

As always with short stories, some are excellent and some downright shit. I'd say the best stories are definitely saved for the end, with the weird, disgusting yet endearing 'Animal Crackers In My Soup' as my favourite.

michelledanae's review against another edition

2.5

slow-paced

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

bundy23's review against another edition

5.0

Weird sort of mesh of poetry and short stories.

Maybe an injection of his poetry into his short stories would be a better description.

Anyway, even considering Bukowski's very low standards, these are extremely nasty tales which was a guarantee that I would love pretty much every page.

Full Disclosure: I'm a pathetic little Bukowski fanboy...