Any Richard Brautigan fans here?

[eniam rognab]

i was walking around midtown sac today, zig-zagging to try and stay in the shade, going to the bank to make a deposit. the "asshole association of automobiles" AAA, FINALLY paid me for all my damaged personal items sustained in my car vs. motorcycle event May 1st.

so, i ran across "Time Tested Books" and stepped in with my dog. the owner was there and i asked if i could bring her in, said yup and my next question "Do you have any Richard Brautigan" made his eyes light up! he ran away to fetch the only book he had, which incidentally was THE one i was looking for The Edna Webster Collection of undiscovered writing.

he rang it up to only $8 and some tax, i said that i would pay $10 and gave him the bill. left him literally speechless, said i support small businesses.

so yes i am a 26 y/o who actually reads physical books for enjoyment, unheard of in california. so i was just curious if some of you old timers' were fans, or read his stuff and what you thought of it, either back in the day or more recently...

man had a very interesting life: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Brautigan

my personal favorite fiction is undoubtedly In Watermelon Sugar along with Loading Mercury with a Pitchfork leading in the poetry section.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_Watermelon_Sugar
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loading_Me ... _Pitchfork

SOO excited to read this, you guys dont even know!

[Leo_Gnardo]

She's Ernest Hemingway's Typist.

Shortest RB story, about half a page.

Great writing, poor guy came to a bad end.

[NickC]

My favorite of his is not his most popular title (Trout Fishing In America), but rather "Sombrero Fallout". Great, in a weird way ..... or weird in a great way! Recommended.

I guess you already know the work of Jack Kerouac? If not, On The Road and Dharma Bums are both highly recommended.

If you like Brautigan you might also appreciate Philip K. Dick, who also had an interesting and tragic life. You probably know some screen titles based on his work: Minority Report, Bladerunner, The Adjustment Bureau, Total Recall. Fabulous stuff.

[eniam rognab]

awesome recommendations Nick! thank you!

Sombrero Fallout sure is a weird and great. Reminds me of one of my other favorite stories, The Hawkline Monster wanna talk about weird?

hahaha, yup definitely enjoyed On The Road and Dharma Bums, but it has been a few years... hmm next trip to the library or ill go back to "Time Tested Books" again...

considering my love of Tom Waits music and Richard Brautigan literature, you can safely say i gravitate towards the eccentrics!

[eniam rognab]

OMG: http://brautigan.cybernetic-meadows.net ... ays+Typist

was just researching Leo's fave to find out in which book it was in (Revenge of the lawn) and i stumbled onto the above site

i might not be around for a while

[cobalt]

I am about to re-read all his stuff.

I just finished revisiting Jerzy Kosinski. Man that guy knows how to treat other people(sic). I think I re-read this stuff to regain some perspective on how people treat each other. He shows the worst, only you can show the best. I had to buy "Cockpit" at a local book store(city library didn't have it), and when done I donated it to said library(and you should have seen the librarian's face).


weirddave

[JoeCon]

In high school it was...
"The Pill vs The Springhill Mine Disaster "
book of poetry that got me hooked.

[eniam rognab]

"In watermelon sugar the deeds were done and done again as my life is done in watermelon sugar"

this has really stuck with me for a number of years, cant say why....

during another sleepless painful night, i delved into my new treasure, so many little nuggets, i would post some up and share, but i dont want to step on any copyrighted toes...

[NickC]

I also enjoy the Carlos Castaneda writings. Especially:

The Teachings of Don Juan

A Separate Reality

Journey to Ixtlan

[ER]

Time warp, totally forgot about this stuff. Used to love reading it as a kid, I liked 'em all but especially watermelon sugar and revenge of the lawn. Way better than all that beatnik crap and today's "spoken word".

I keep forgetting what a hippy I am, but that's only because most people forgot, and stopped reminding me. Going bald and not driving old volkswagons anymore might have had something to do with it too.

I remember watching Streets of San Francisco growing up, and they would talk about how the really scary freaks and weirdos lived north across the golden gate, and I thought hey, that's where I live!

[Structo]

Man you guys are all fisticated and stuff.

I do also enjoy reading.

I have switched to a Kindle for convenience.

Usually I read crime fiction but I also like biographies and other non fiction.

My 14 year old granddaughter cracked me up one day when I asked if she wanted to read any of the paperbacks I have.

She replied, "I don't read chapter books."

Whatever.

[Leo_Gnardo]

More Brautigan titles I've read "A Confederate General at Big Sur" and "The Abortion".

Gonna have to dig 'em out of the attic, park 'em next to my Kesey collection.

Just had a peek at Wiki - appears I'm going to have to catch up on my reading. Yippee - I've got a future !

[telentubes]

I remember liking "The Basketball Diaries" by Jim Carroll when I read it in the mid 80s. Give that a try.
Tried to read Richard Farina's "Been Down So Long..." recently and couldn't get through it. The rambling "hip speak" was too much for me.
I lived off and on for over 30 years in the area where "Trout Fishing" was written. Know all those drainages well. Stunning country. Miss it at times.
All good choices listed in the other post.

[armillary]

I thought A Confederate General from Big Sur was the funniest thing I'd ever read when a female friend in high school gave me a copy in 1970. I also read In Watermelon Sugar, Trout Fishing in America and several others. I credit those books for making me choose to read something, versus just watching TV.

Just a year or two ago I bought and read (paper) copies of anything inexpensive I could find that Brautigan wrote, including An Unfortunate Woman and The Tokyo-Montana Express, and copies to replace the books I lost or lent long ago. A Confederate General from Big Sur probably wasn't his best work, but it's my favorite. Not very PC anymore though.

I was sorry to learn the author didn't make it to 50, and took his own life.

[eniam rognab]

yeah, he was a troubled individual for sure... definitely had a different perspective on a lot of things, clearly evident in his writings.

I've got the series of books when they re-printed them, with three titles in a single package, three such packages. and like i said, i search for original copies wherever i can. i just love that old book smell!! yup, im a weirdo. In Watermelon Sugar really had a profound effect on me when i read it, and it inspires me to this day.

but, yeah, the suicide thing is unfair to the people that loved him... i guess he couldn't handle his troubles any more.

BUT, his writings remain as a testament to a brilliant, humble, loving, thoughtful man. i appreciate what he left behind and my wife and i went to Big Sur for our honeymoon camping trip to some 'secret' hot springs. i remember reading parts of A Confederate General aloud while chilling in the hot springs, made sense to me!!

i can totally relate about choosing to read above wasting away in front of a TV, getting blasted with commercials and fakery in general. you can enjoy a book whenever you feel like it, for however long. i have been LOVING the undiscovered writings book i found, reading it every night before i go to sleep, already read it twice