The Flash of Lightning Behind the Mountain

Charles Bukowski

I've been going through Buk's posthumously-published volumes of poetry slowly over the past couple of years, and most of them are, basically, what I'd feared they'd be-- all the odds and ends left over that he never really felt were worth publishing during his lifetime. None of the posthumous books have had the fire and crackle of, say, War All the Time-- until now.

The Flash of Lightning Behind the Mountain shows that, near the end of his life, Bukowski returned to his roots, so much so that in some cases it's hard to tell what are the old poems here and what are the new; many of the pieces here explore rhythm and refrain more explicitly than he had in any volume since Burning in Water, Drowning in Flame thirty years before his death. The established Buk fan is going to find a great deal to like in this book, while newcomers to his work (really, is there anyone left who hasn't yet read Bukowski?) will find this an excellent introductory volume. Well worth your time.