Play the Piano Drunk Like a Percussion Instrument Until the Fingers Begin to Bleed a Bit

by Charles Bukowski
Play the Piano Drunk Like a Percussion Instrument Until the Fingers Begin to Bleed a Bit  
published June 5th 1979 by Black Sparrow Books
binding Paperback
isbn 0876854374   (isbn13: 9780876854372)
pages 125
date added
02-06-07



Sign in to Goodreads to see your friends' reviews of Play the Piano Drunk Like a Percussion Instrument Until the Fingers Begin to Bleed a Bit.







discuss this book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »




friend reviews (0)

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.



lists with this book




other reviews (showing 1-20 of 642)



Raegan Butcher
Raegan rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
04/28/08

Read in July, 1987
This is the first Bukowski book that I ever read. I think Bukowski's importance as an American writer will only grow in the 21st century. The man is already a Hemingway-like figure in Europe.The cultural snobs of academia in America have tried to ignore his work, but that will change. This collection is a grab-bag of previously uncollected poems that Bukowski regularly submitted to small press rags during the late sixties and all the way up til his death. These are from the 70's and there are so...more
Like this review?   yes   (1 person liked it)
  add a comment

Faith-Anne
Faith-Anne rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
01/15/08

bookshelves: charles-bukowski, my-favorites, poetry
This is my personal favorite of Bukowski's books of poetry. It has such a raw voice to it. So many of the poems in this collection are memorable. This is the book I pull out when someone tells me that they know poetry because they know the 'classics'.
Like this review?   yes   (1 person liked it)
  add a comment

Levi
Levi rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
06/09/08

Read in June, 2008
recommends it for: poets and non-poets alike
Another Bukowski great. The first poem in the collection, "Tough Company", is the first of his that I ever read. It was great to find it again. The perfect book for the lay reader who is hesitant of poetry because it seems too fancy-schmancy. Stop using that lame excuse and give this one a try. It's time to let the fingers bleed a bit.
Like this review?   yes  
  add a comment

Scott
Scott rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
08/04/07

This was my intro to Bukowski, many years ago. I still remember reading the first poem and thinking, "Holy shit! I didn't know you could write poems like this!"

I LOVE this book (and one of my copies is autographed to me from The Buk) and think it's a wonderful introduction to his poetry and his world.
Like this review?   yes  
  add a comment

Mark
Mark rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
07/02/07

Read in April, 2000
recommends it for: everyone
It was my songwriting instructor, Nik Venet, who turned me on to Bukowski. And if you're a songwriter, you need to read as much of the man as you can get your hands on. he has a way of slicing and dicing and making your brain ache with laughter and sadness. Not bad training for a songwriter.
Like this review?   yes  
  add a comment

Andy
Andy rated it: 2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars
05/28/08

bookshelves: poetry-corner
Read in February, 1981
recommends it for: buk suck
Buk at the close of his really raw period starting to sound like a self-parody and worse, more bad racetrack poems, more whiny drunk lover crap, and..."It feels good to be driven around in a red porsche by a woman better read than I am". Get the awful picture?
Like this review?   yes  
  add a comment

dave
dave rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
12/22/07

recommends it for: anyone who loves narrative poetry
"Fire Station" is one of the great narrative poems of the last hundred years, and it's also one of the oddest love poems I've ever read. Wonderful book. Bukowski doing what he does best: cutting through the poetry to make poetry.
Like this review?   yes  
  add a comment

cc
cc rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
09/10/07

i'm a pretty big fan of bukowski in general but i think his poetry is my favourite. this is one of a few books i own that i thoroughly enjoyed. also good: you get so alone and burning in water drowning in flame.
Like this review?   yes  
  add a comment

Dylan
Dylan rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
06/26/08

bookshelves: currently-reading
I don't read poetry. but this is some of the funniest and truest writing I have ever read. This man is a jackass and a king at the same time. I can relate... Sadly/hopefully this is true to me...
Like this review?   yes  
  add a comment

Robb
Robb rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
04/16/08

Great stuff, one of the first books I read of his. Brings me back to my younger times... Standing on a bathroom sink, drunk on Jim Beam, screaming about death...
Like this review?   yes  
  add a comment

Rachal
Rachal rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
01/22/08

Read in December, 2007
I reread this book several times. I have tons of bookmarks on my favorite pages. I am totally into this book.
Like this review?   yes  
  add a comment

Newt
Newt rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
03/21/08

bookshelves: currently-reading
Read in March, 2008
Got this a few months ago, read most of it then lost it. I found it, and am nearly done. good shit.
Like this review?   yes  
  add a comment

Meredith
Meredith rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
08/21/07

bookshelves: poetry
I read this when I was like 14. I thought he was brilliant.... turns out, not so much
Like this review?   yes   (1 person liked it)
  add a comment

Jen
Jen rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
07/12/08

bookshelves: desert-island-picks
This book made me write when I was sure I couldn't. So that's pretty awesome.
Like this review?   yes  
  add a comment

James
James rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
07/05/07

bookshelves: poetry
the title will get you to read the book. the poetry will keep you reading.
Like this review?   yes  
  add a comment

merryxmas
merryxmas rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
06/26/07

Interesting. Doesn't blow you away. I can feel the generational gap.
Like this review?   yes  
  add a comment

Alyson
Alyson rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
09/19/07

Read in May, 1998
recommends it for: people who love real life
If I could give this ten stars, I would. I Emphatically love this book!
Like this review?   yes  
  add a comment

Jay
Jay rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
02/12/08

just read the last poem. and the title.
Like this review?   yes  
  add a comment

Josh
Josh rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
02/10/08

bookshelves: poesy
Read in January, 2005
Don't you just fucking love his titles?
Like this review?   yes  
  add a comment

Trevor
Trevor rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
06/12/08

The piano is a percussion instrument.
Like this review?   yes  
  add a comment


« previous 1 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 32 33



book data (includes all editions)

avg rating (all editions): 4.15 (526 ratings)
number of reviews: 22






other editions








quote

"you son of a bitch, she said, I am <i>trying</i> to build a meaningful relationship. you can't build it with a hammer, he said." more quotes »