In his book, You Get So Alone At Times That It Just Makes Sense, Charles Bukowski’s poetry delves on cats, loneliness, and youth. His free verse takes us into his depressive, nihilist, alcoholic mind. Not everyone is able to turn the mundane into a work of art like he could. However, two years before his death, a young man was born, and he would continue his legacy.
Born in Gloucestershire, England in 1992, Ben Brooks already has had four books published before turning 25. Like Bukowski, his stories deal with themes such as sex, alcohol, and solitude, except that Brookes gives it a fresh dynamic perspective that reflects the generation he belongs to yet wishes to distance himself from. He wrote his first book Grow Up at the age of 17 and it was published only two years later. This letter narrating his fears on love might seem like any other alt-lit piece, but its wit and depth has a way of captivating the reader.
Brooks’ talent for storytelling is undeniable. In 2013, his book Lolito reached international acclaim. The novel is narrated by the character of Etgar, who logs on to his girlfriend’s Facebook page and discovers her infidelity. This leads him down a path of depression, self-destruction, and online sex.
“Sometimes I think of atoms as tiny people who are extremely scared and hold hands with each other a lot. I imagine that my body is made of tiny, scared people, and they pick up mugs and books, which are made of other tiny, scared people. And when you sex someone it’s just lots of tiny, scared people holding hands.
I think about the tiny people that are me and I feel less alone.
I’m an army of tiny people, trying their best.”
Brooks, Lolito
Etgar might still be a teenager, but he and his girlfriend lived through issues such as her mother’s death and abortions they’d rather laugh about than cry. The infinite pain brought on by being cheated on is something that sets Brooks’ words apart. He’s able to describe those days when all you want to do is die, since every time you close your eyes you see the love of your life having the best sex of their life with someone else.
They say this generation only exists in the screens that absorb them. Brooks presents a different idea. His protagonist loves trash television and ultra-violent internet videos. But after his deception, he logs into chatrooms hoping to find perverts, pedophiles, and weirdos; however, he finds himself talking with an older woman. Between the sexting and lies they start to create an honest connection.
“I think the best way to escape your head isn’t to think about things that aren’t real, it’s to think about things that are and then imagine them happening to people who aren’t you.”
Brooks, Lolito
The author’s narrative flows easily and becomes a quick read. There are moments that appear to be more teenage confessions than actual literary text. But instead of brushing off Brook’s creative force, this should only give us hope for the books he has yet to write. His work can be resumed into family dysfunction, death, and pop culture showing up at the best or worst times.
Your cheating girlfriend, the death of a sibling or grandparent, silent addictions to alcohol and medications, sex, the sense of loneliness, and the despair every young person feels when they realize the future is only a parade of disappointment. Ben Brooks’ work encompasses all that. Though he’s still at the beginning of his career, he’s well on his way to becoming as famous as Bukowski.
Translated by María Suárez
