Bukowski's rise to fame was not meteoric; his wide-ranging popularity was gained slowly and by great effort. A self-motivated poet from the blue-collar class and a literary eccentric, Bukowski was the product of the small press, little literary magazine, and underground alternative journal. This publishing world--outrageous, raucous, volatile, and generally unstable--was one that Bukowski fit perfectly, and as the independent publishing ventures of the 1960s gained notoriety, Bukowski's reputation also grew. To the end of his life Bukowski continued to publish poetry in little literary magazines. His poetry motivated scores of editors and poets to write and publish independently and with harsh, sometimes crude vigor. His obstinate stance against convention and the conservative in his own life, society, and the world of literature endeared him to his many fans. Until his death he remained active and prolific, a dominant literary figure in the little magazine world and in underground literary circles; he also became one of the most imitated of American poets. Black Sparrow Press, one of the most successful and respected independent publishers, published his books for more than twenty-five years. All Bukowski's major Black Sparrow editions passed through numerous printings and remain in print.
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