Love Is A Dog From Hell

by Charles Bukowski
Love Is A Dog From Hell cover
Good Books rating 4.0
Poetry
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Paperback • £10.99
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  • ID: 1502
  • Added: 2025-10-07
  • Updated: 2025-10-08
  • ISBN: 9780061847011
  • Publisher: Harper Collins
  • Published: 2009-03-17
  • Formats: 2
  • Reviews: 4

Love Is a Dog from Hell is a classic in the Bukowski poetry canon, offering a gritty and vulnerable look at the myriad facets of love. Bukowski, known for his intense emotions and raw style, alternates between tough and gentle tones to lay bare the selfishness, narcissism, randomness, mystery, and misery of love, ultimately revealing its true joyfulness and redemptive power. The collection is a testament to Bukowski's ability to capture the human experience in all its complexity and rawness. /n/n Bukowski's poetry in this collection is both fierce and tender, exploring the depths of human connection and the loneliness that often accompanies it. The book is a powerful exploration of love's enduring and transformative power, making it a must-read for fans of Bukowski's unique and unfiltered style.

Reviews
Reddit · 2025-10-07
Mixed 3.00

The reviewer has mixed feelings about Bukowski's work, finding some poems vulgar without substance.

This discussion highlights a mixed opinion on Bukowski's poetry, with some finding it impactful and others criticizing its vulgarity. The reviewer acknowledges the emotional depth but is critical of the occasional lack of substance.

Quick quotes

    I find that I like about 1/3 of Bukowski's poems.

    Some seem vulgar just for the sake of saying something vulgar.

    But then there are poems that are truly touching and insightful.

The StoryGraph · 2025-10-07
reflective 4.50

The reviewer finds this collection to be the best Bukowski they've read this year, noting it's more reflective and aware than his other works. They acknowledge Bukowski's flaws but still appreciate his unique perspective.

This reviewer has a soft spot for Bukowski's work, and they believe this collection is the best they've read by him this year. They highlight how it's more reflective and aware compared to his other works, which adds depth to his usual raw and unfiltered style. While they acknowledge Bukowski's flaws and his often disgusting portrayal of himself, they still appreciate the unique perspective he brings to his poetry. It's a collection that offers a more introspective look at love and life, making it stand out among his other works.

Quick quotes

    Definitely the best Bukowski I have read this year.

    Much more reflective and aware than his other works.

    Still a disgusting old drunk man, but nevertheless, it's a great collection.

Facebook - World Book Market · 2023-07-01
intense 4.50

Bukowski's poetry rips open the raw and often painful aspects of love, daring readers to feel every emotion intensely. The collection is not for the faint-hearted but offers a powerful and unforgettable experience.

This poetry collection is a bold and unflinching exploration of love, exposing its raw and often painful aspects. The reviewer appreciates Bukowski's daring approach, which forces readers to confront the nerve endings of love and feel every emotion intensely. The collection is not for the faint-hearted, but it offers a powerful and unforgettable experience for those willing to engage with its raw and unfiltered content. The reviewer finds Bukowski's poetry to be both compelling and challenging, making it a standout in his body of work.

Quick quotes

    Bukowski doesn't sugarcoat love—he rips it open, exposes the nerve endings, and dares you to feel it all.

    This collection of poems is not about romance; it's about the raw and often painful aspects of love.

    The collection is not for the faint-hearted but offers a powerful and unforgettable experience.

Medium · 2022-01-01
provocative 4.00

The raw and unfiltered nature of Bukowski's writing is both captivating and unsettling, offering a deep dive into his personal struggles and artistic inspirations. His bitter outlook on life and love is presented with a stark honesty that leaves a lasting impression.

This collection of poems is a raw and unfiltered exploration of Bukowski's life, filled with depictions of his raw depravity, artistic inspirations, and bitter outlook on life. The poems delve into his lengthy drug binges and the heartaches of love, all presented with a stark honesty that can be both captivating and unsettling. The reviewer appreciates the unvarnished truth in Bukowski's writing, which offers a deep dive into his personal struggles and artistic inspirations. However, the raw nature of the content may not be suitable for all readers.

Quick quotes

    The book details Bukowski's raw depravity, his artistic inspirations, his bitter outlook on life, and his lengthy drug binges.

    Bukowski's writing is raw and unfiltered, offering a deep dive into his personal struggles and artistic inspirations.

    His bitter outlook on life and love is presented with a stark honesty that leaves a lasting impression.

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