Customer Reviews

Ham on Rye

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4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Most fans of the late, great Charles Bukowski, myself included, list Ham On Rye as their favorite Bukowski novel - and rightfully so. This novel is actually a thinly-veiled autobiography of the man we knew and loved as "The Bard of Booze and Broads." We see through the eyes of young Henry Chinaski as he comes of age in Depression-era America, the product of a dysfunctional and physically abusive household. From his early childhood as a desperately lonely, yet antisocial little boy to his adolescence (where he struggles with crippling acne and develops a love of literature), we see the genesis of a great writer. Bukowski pulls no punches (no pun intended) in his descriptions of abuse suffered at the hands of his father, a coldhearted, arrogant, sadistic SOB. The reader is drawn in to Bukowski's passionate determination to be the exact opposite of what proper society tries to mold its youth into. A powerful and heartbreaking read. Great work, Buk! R.I.P - you will be missed!

I have been returning to the work of Charles Bukowski (1920 -- 1994) after reading his novel "Factotum" and watching the movie based upon it. Bukowski's novel "Ham on Rye" (1982) is a coming-of age novel in that it tells the story of Bukowski's protagonist, Henry Chinaski, from his birth to his young manhood, ending with the attack on Pearl Harbor. ("Factotum", written in 1978 covers the next period of Chinaski's life, after he has been rejected for the draft and wanders from city to city in search of work.) Chinaski is based loosely on Bukowski's own life; but "Ham on Rye" and Bukowski's other novels are, after all, works of fiction and should be read as such.

The scene of "Ham on Rye" is Los Angeles during the Great Depression, particularly the lower middle-class homes in which Chinaski grows up, as families struggle to survive and to escape from poverty. Bukowski is at his best in describing dingy homes, streets, schools, and desperate people.

But "Ham on Rye" is a coming-of-age book told with irony and twists. It seemingly mocks the story of self-discovery and self-awakening common to these distinctively American books, but in the end I think it follows the pattern of a coming-of-age story in spite of itself. Most American coming-of-age books recount the life of a young person and end when that person comes to some crisis which he meets and, thus, attains a degree of understanding of himself which he carries through life. Bukowski's book tells the story of an unhappy childhood, as Chinaski is subjected to an overbearing father and frequent beatings. In addition, as an early adolescent, Chinaski develops a terrible case of acne which exacerbates his tendency to aloneness as well as his anger and rebeliousness. After graduating from high school, Chinaski loses a menial job, enrolls in a Junior College, and begins to drink heavily. He is well on the way to a life of alcoholism, fighting, wandering, and gambling that is detailed in chronologically later novels of Chinaski's life, such as "Factotum" or "Women".

Yet for all its rawness and Chinaski's sense of failure and purposelessness, the book conveys a sense of promise. The book shows a young Chinaski forming the desire to be a writer, and beginning to work at his craft and respond to his experiences in a manner that, years later, would result in "Ham on Rye" and in Bukowski's other works of fiction and poetry. Some of the best moments in "Ham on Rye" show the adolescent Chinaski sitting alone in the Los Angeles Public Library and ultimately discovering authors, including D.H. Lawrence, Upton Sinclair, and Sinclair Lewis, who speak to him. As had many before him, Chinaski learns that projecting oneself into artistic creation offers a form of release from the difficulties of everyday life. Chinaski writes: "Words weren't dull, words were things that could make your mind hum. If you read them and let yourself feel the magic, you could live without pain, with hope, no matter what happened to you." (p. 152) These words reflect the theme of "Ham on Rye" and, I think, of Bukowski's work as a whole.

Similarly while suffering from his acute acne, Chinaski develops a character a WW I pilot named Baron Von Himmlen, and writes stories of his imagined adventures. Chinaski writes: "it made me feel good to write about the Baron. A man needed somebody. There wasn't anybody around so you had to make up somebody, make him up to be like a man should be". (p. 168)

"Ham and Rye" is the story of how a young man found himself in adulthood leading a life of alcoholism, poverty, and loneliness, with no ambition and seemingly few prospects. The book is full of adolescent sexual frustration, dysfunctional families, rawness, vulgarity, and failure. It also includes some funny scenes. The story is told in a sharp, crude, no-nonsense style. But together with all the outward failure and the shocking scenes, we see a young Chinaski in the process of attaining his dream and gaining victory over himself after all. In spite of the dead-end vicissitudes of his life, Henry Chinaski perseveres and gradually brings his experiences alive and learns to make something worthwhile of his existence. He learns to reflect upon himself and his life and to describe them without cant or mercy. Henry Chinaski becomes a writer.

Robin Friedman

In all of Bukowski's work there is a constant search for truth and freedom. With every breath that Bukowski takes he is locked in a fevered struggle with the forces around him that contiually attempt to make him walk the path of the common man. Bukowski sees this as nothing more than falling into a lock step towards certain death. Though he portrays himself as a repulsive type of human being, he is able to convince us that it is the world around him that is far more repulsive. In Ham On Rye, we are lead through the more meaningful chapters of Bukowski's childhood and early adulthood. There are very few pieces of literature that reaches readers with more honesty. As we read Bukowski we may at one moment feel relieved that we do not have to live his life, but in the next moment, are envious of the freedom in which he enjoys. Ham On Rye is one of those extremely rare pieces of fiction that allows a great work of art to simply flow into us. Reading Ham On Rye is simply effortless. It is almost as if it passes directly into us. This is, without a doubt, the most important American novel of the last quarter century. How can the readers of great literature wonder, in horrific despair, with the passing of Salinger, Miller and Bukowski, if a truly great writer will appear in our lifetimes. I, for one, have very little hope, but continue to stand vigilant

Bukowski's greatest achievement... of a great many excellent works. If you read this book you have all the information you need to know to understand what made Charles Bukowski Charles Bukowski. From the opening pages, Bukowski sets the tone of loneliness, apathy and sadness that prevailed through most of his work. Sprinkled throughout is that old Bukowski humor, the flair for the surreal that's made Bukowski and his alter ego, Henry Chinaski, a hero to millions.

I love his poems, but this bittersweet story of a young man coming to age is a classic. Highly recommended for Bukowski fans and any who are curious just what the hell the fuss is all about.

Hank Lebowski

For years I sold Bukowski's poetry to sad-looking men and the occasional punk-looking (very young) woman. This was in the 1980s and early 1990s. I never took the stuff seriously. Poetry about hangovers and turds? Give me a break.

But when I was introduced to Russell David Harper's manuscript of BALD -- his own ficitional memoir -- and Miha Mazzini's CARTIER PROJECT, I was forced to dig deeper into this phenomenon. (CARTIER is an eastern European Bukowski, and BALD is an intelligent memoir of hangovers.)

HAM ON RYE was my first real Bukowski venture, and I devoured it. It's a sad and moving work. There's not a single metaphor in it; it's to-the-gut writing straight from the heart. I bought my copy dog-eared and coffee-stained in a sidewalk sale in San Francisco, and I'm not letting it go. However, I'm now afraid of digging deeper into Bukowski out of fear of being disappointed. HAM ON RYE has set my expectations unreasonably high.

Charles Bukowski has lived harder than you. Or anyone you know. This book desribes his early life in a thinly veiled autobiography.

You can't have a better introduction to Bukowski's writing. By reading this book, you'll get an introduction to the hilarious irony of his day-to-day situations, the piercing sadness of his struggle, and the amazing strength he shows in everything he does.

This book isn't for the half-hearted or the meek. Anyone who's ever tried harder only to have their lot get worse can understand what's happening here. Don't be judgemental; Bukowski really is just a drunk with a typewriter, but he writes better than any high school composition teacher.

I've only read two Bukowski books, this and Post Office. After Post Office I was impressed, because Bukowski revealed some v. interesting, funny stories about his job (in ways that todays "Waiting" and other career novels/movies do) and the short chapters made it an easy read. However, after looking up on Amazon what I should read next - it was obvious - Ham on Rye.

It's the book that Holden Caulfield may have written if he had written an autobiography at the age of 50. The way he writes is shooting from the hip - no crap, just as he sees it; even if it means he becomes humiliating in the process. It also makes you realise why Bukoswki was such a bittered and twisted man - and why he turned to drink.

Ham on Rye chronicles "Bukoswki" or, his alter-ego Henry Chinaski, through his first memories, living with an abusive father, through school, where he is an outsider, and into the world of employment - where he see glimpses of Post Office and what is yet to come for Chinaski. It ends when he is in his early twenties.

If you are interested in how artists find their passion, how human beings can be so cruel, how we are our childhoods - then you will love this book. If you have ever felt alone, and wondered if anyone in the world really cares - then this books for you. - Just a warning, Bukoswki isn't an optimist - the exact opposite, some times you may cringe with how depressing he is. But that is why he was such a inovative writer, just like Salinger before him; he didn't believe in hiding his readers from the big bad scary world - he introduced them to it.

Depending upon your taste in literature, Charles Bukowski was either a brilliant writer who has yet to receive to respect he truly deserves or nothing more than a drunk with a typewriter. Most of those who love Bukowski seem to have discovered him through his poetry, but Ham on Rye was my introduction to the author, and it remains my favorite work of his. In fact, I think Ham on Rye is probably the best coming-of-age story in American literature, far superior to Catcher in the Rye. Although Salinger's novel captures your attention when you're thirteen, it tends to suffer terribly when you reflect back on it as a more mature individual and recognize the narcissicism and insincerity at the heart of Holden Caulfield's attitude towards the world. Ham on Rye does not romanticize the innocence of children and depict adults as "phonies." It is Bukowski's own thinly veiled account of his childhood and adolescence in Los Angeles between the two world wars, as told through the eyes of his alter ego, Henry Chinaski. Ham on Rye shares the same brutal humor and breezy prose style as Post Office and Women, but it is much more tightly focused than any of Bukowski's prior novels, which tended to be more episodic than anything else. For that reason I think it ultimately achieves a sort of lasting resonance with the reader that is lacking in much of Bukowski's other prose work, for all of the energy and spontaneity his writing always possessed. Ham on Rye is alternatively hilarious and horrifying, but it always remains truthful in a way that few coming-of-age novels are. Anyone new to Charles Bukowski should start with this.

This was the first Bukowski book I've ever read, and I don't plan for it to be my last. I picked up this title because I'd read that, at Christmas, Bukowski's books are among the most stolen from NY bookstores. I love to read books that end up banned or those that end up stolen, usually because they're astounding pieces of work, and this book was no exception. Henry utterly hates life (especially his father), and it's easy to see why. Through Henry's eyes, the reader sees and feels some terrible things -- Henry's beatings, the treatments for his skin, the repulsive traits of fellow characters. The book will leave you drained and angry because the images Bukowksi gives you are very vivid, some bordering on disgusting. It wasn't until after I read the book that I learned it's a thinly disguised bio. No wonder Bukowski's tone is bitter and fierce; if you read this, you'll see why. I couldn't help altering my feelings for Henry at almost every chapter. You get one side of Henry in one chapter, and in the next, you'd swear it was a whole new character. Henry isn't a very complex character, but his observations are. One of the saddest parts of the book comes when Henry's skin treatments end; the nurse who performs his therapy seems to be the only person in the entire book that cares about him, albeit in a medical capacity. Bukowski shows us a seamy side of life with rich descriptions and chracters that no fiction writer could create. Can't wait to try more of his books!

Wonderful and essential book for any Bukowski fan. The kindle edition has missing text on Location 4558 (page 298).

The sentence reads: Both his hands gripped the sides of the machine, as he tried to guide the ball with body-English.

I have no idea how much content has been omitted. I wrote a complaint to tech support. I'll update this review if I get a notice that it's been corrected.

Update: I got an email from tech support that they acknowledge the problem and that the editor is going to fill in the missing content. I will be notified when that will be complete, upon which time I'll write an update again.