Product Description

Beginning in 1967, Bukowski wrote the column "Notes of A Dirty Old Man" for the underground newspaper "Open City". Perennially drunk, broke and in search of a woman, Bukowski takes on the guise of a wise fool as he ventures through America's seedy lowlife. Peopled by Kerouac, Burroughs and other much less salubrious characters, his exploits provoke humour and despair, whilst highlighting the inherent beauty and futility of life.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #66677 in Books
• Published on: 2008-01-10
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 208 pages

From the Back Cover
Charles Bukowski was one of America’s best-known writers and a prominent figure of the influential Beat Generation, with a personal life as colourful as any of his stories. His vivid, uncompromising depiction of the underworld of Los Angeles has achieved cult status as the ultimate in realist writing.

This collection of Bukowski’s columns for an underground LA newspaper epitomises his style of gritty realism. Writing as himself, or his alter-ego Henry Chinaski, Bukowski delves into America’s lowlife to eulogise life’s losers and antiheroes. Packed with violence, women, gambling and booze, Bukowski’s semi-autobiographical stories veer between hilarity and despair, as he extols the inherent beauty and futility of life.

Charles Bukowski was one of America’s best-known and most prolific writers. During his lifetime he published more than forty-five books of poetry and prose including the novels Post Office (1971), Factotum (1975) and Pulp (1994), all available from Virgin Books.

About the Author
Born in 1920, Charles Bukowski became one of America's best-known writers. During his lifetime he published more than forty-five books of poetry and prose including the novels Post Office (1971), Factotum (1975), Women (1979) and Pulp (1994) all available from Virgin Books.

Customer Reviews

Uncle Buk at his most surreal
Having read the likes of Post Office, Women, Factotum & The Most Beautiful Woman in Town I picked this up in great expectation. Once again Uncle Buk didnt disappoint.

This is a collection of his columns published in a newspaper in the late 60's. Allowed the freedom to write practically uncensored, Bukowski explores some surreal parts of his imagination.

Those who know his style will enjoy this immensley. If you're buying some Uncle Buk for the first time I would recommend any of the books I mentioned at the start.

The only reason I didnt give this 5 stars was because a small minority of the pieces were just too surreal for me. It was still a fantastic read and some contemporary writers would do well to read some of this mans work.

A Lession In Life!
This is the first Bukowski I have read and it was a lession in life. Bukowski has a way with words, telling it as it is. His sence of boldness and vulgarism is an eye opener. He writes his stories in a way that the reader can identify where he is comming from. His constant passion for the ultimate drunk and sexual conquest teaches you to respect the life of a druk. Charles Bukowski is a writer where you either hate him or love him, there can be no in between.

Buk you the man
I was sitting on a frends love seat and saw this book on the coffee table. So, I picked it up and opened it to a random page. What I experanced was a lafter the had no equal. This is a master piece of American Literature that all school children need to read. Notes is raw, hard hitting, twisted, scary, and most of all beautiful. Buk you dirty old man, god bless you for giving us this and so many other wonderful works.