Richard Brautigan: biography and bibliography

The Counterculture-a movement that denies conventional values in art. In the literature this direction is reflected in the works of some representatives of American literature of the seventies of the 20th century. One of these authors was Richard Brautigan. Peru this author of eleven novels and several poems. Creativity and the biography of American novelist and poet – the subject of the article.

Early years

Richard Brautigan was born in 1935. Hometown writer – Tacoma. Father worked in a factory during the Second world war he joined the ranks of volunteers. Mother worked as a waitress. Parents of the future writer were divorced before his birth. Before graduation, Richard Brautigan bore the mother's surname and only after obtaining the certificate received, the name under which it entered the literature in the sixties of the 20th century. With his father, the writer has only met twice in my life.

Richard's Mother several times married. In addition to the eldest son, the woman had two more children. Stepfathers, according to biographers, were treated with the future poet quite rude. Children's experiences reflected in works created many years later, after the Brautigan left home. However, about the meaning of the phrase “home”, a writer in the early years hardly understood. The family often moved. Mother barely making ends meet. Family members Brautigan lived on welfare.

But, despite financial difficulties, Richard was a good student. He early addicted to reading, and by the age of fifteen, knew that to become a writer. The nature of the future novelist and his childhood was not easy. Over the years, the strangeness of the creative personality has worsened.

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Biography of Brautigan often cite the case that happened to him in his youth. After reading poems to his girlfriend, Richard (who was at that time twenty years) I was expecting the praise and the cheers. Nothing like this has happened. Sweetheart young poet's works are not liked. Then, Brautigan went to the police station with the purpose to surrender. The reasons for the detention of an eccentric young man the police never found. However, felt that the stay in a psychiatric hospital he did not interfere. As a result, the Brautigan spent a few weeks in the hospital for the mentally ill.

Getting creative

After high school, Richard spent some time in the family of his friend. It was also written a poem called “Light” – one of the first published works. Richard Brautigan often return to the house of his friend. And usually did so when his financial situation became particularly critical.

Three years after graduation, Richard Brautigan married. But, like his father, showed no inclination to a quiet life. Immediately after the birth of her daughter, the poet left the family. The brautigan traveled to San Francisco. In this city, an aspiring poet plunged into the world of literary Bohemia. He met with Michael Maclure, Allen Ginsberg, Jack Spicer. The brautigan also took part in literary evenings, where he read his poetry and short stories.

Prose

After the publication of poems by the American author has decided to try his hand in prose. One of the first works that he created in the early period of creativity – “trout Fishing in America”. Richard Brautigan wrote in the early sixties of the 20th century, the story “the Generals of the conference from big sur".

Glory to the international level came to the us the author is after in light was the product of the "trout Fishing in America”. According to critics of the time, Richard Brautigan – bright literary representative of the youth movement of the sixties of the 20th century. After creating landmark works the writer published four more essays. One of the literary critics once said: "Only perceiving metaphor as a method, not as an aid, you can understand the prose, which was created by Richard Brautigan".

“In watermelon sugar"

In this short novel, at first glance, there is no story. Feedback about the work “In watermelon sugar" variety. Some admire. Other – criticizing, justifying his negative opinion chaotic style of the narrative. In addition, the work is filled with mysteries and questions, answers to which the reader is not getting even after reading. There are no strings, no climax. The narrative is in first person. On behalf of the person dwelling in his own world. The hero sees everything that happens around, through the prism created from “watermelon sugar".

The novel can be called a literary experiment. Readers who prefer strict style and straightforward story, hardly to taste it.

Hippie novelist

The Russian readers the little-known Richard Brautigan. Books it not clear to everyone. Contemporaries called the hero of this article «hippie novelist” that he extremely disliked. The brautigan believed that his proseintended not only for representatives of the youth movement, formed by the early seventies of the 20th century in the subculture. Novelist in one of his interviews said: “In my books – answers to all the questions of the twentieth century”.

Criticism

However, the star of Brautigan did not stay in the book world. His books sold well. However, criticism spoke about the work of Brautigan with disdain. One of the works in 1976 even got a “title” the worst.

Like all talented writers, Brautigan often suffered failure. Often the pieces he had several times to send to publishers. Some poems and stories were published after the author's death. Many years after the death of Brautigan, one of the conferences dedicated to his work, one of the researchers uttered the phrase: «America could be better to take the poet”.

The thing is that his prose forever linked with the hippie movement. Unique style, the abundance of characters, the lack of compliance with classical literary subjects – all that was necessary for the readers, aspiring to freedom. But alien to those who since the early eighties of the 20th century began to return to conservatism.

Decline in popularity

In the seventies of the last century, Brautigan experimented with style and genre. In these years there have been many works. Among them are the stories included in the collection of “Laricina revenge”.

The Popularity of Brautigan in the eighties subsided. Poet and writer was attacked by American critics. However, outside the country the prose of Brautigan enjoyed fame. Maybe it's that the American writer visited Japan. Trips he became acquainted with the philosophy of Zen Buddhism, a reflection of what can be found in the work of ‘Express Tokyo-Montana». Other books by Richard Brautigan:

1. “Abortion. Historical novel”.
2. ‘the Beast of Halinow”.
3. “the Consequence of Cabrera”.
4. ‘dreams of Babylon”.
5. “Unfortunate woman: a journey”.

Death

In 1984, Richard Brautigan died tragically. The poet shot himself in the head, allegedly after a phone call to one of the former lovers. The body of the poet was discovered two weeks after death. This fact is evidence not only of obscurity in the literary world, but also, perhaps, the loneliness that overtook the hero of this article in recent years.

Why she decided to commit suicide, Richard Brautigan? Research biographers have led to different conclusions. Creative crisis, many failures of the publishers, angry reviews from critics, unsettled personal life. The reasons are many. Anyway, Richard Brautigan, poetry of which entered the history of world poetry, passed away suddenly, leaving behind many unsolved mysteries. His prose has wide acceptance. But even after three decades after the death of Richard Brautigan novels, find its reader.