Low-life writer and unrepentant alcoholic Henry Chinaski was born to survive. After decades of slacking off at low-paying dead-end jobs, blowing his cash on booze and women, and scrimping by in flea-bitten apartments, Chinaski sees his poetic star rising at last. Now, at fifty, he is reveling in his sudden rock-star life, running three hundred hangovers a year, and maintaining a sex life that would cripple Casanova.

With all of Bukowski's trademark humor and gritty, dark honesty, this 1978 follow-up to Post Office and Factotum is an uncompromising account of life on the edge.

Frequently bought together

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

This shopping feature will continue to load items when the Enter key is pressed. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading.

David Foster Wallace

1,870

Paperback
$16.49
Hunter S. Thompson

1,771

in Western U.S. Biographies
Paperback
$8.59
Haruki Murakami

1,500

Paperback
$14.86
Joan Didion

312

Paperback
$10.48
William S. Burroughs

362

Paperback
$12.39
Richard Brautigan

142

Paperback
$7.15

From the Publisher

At HarperCollins, authors and their work are at the center of everything we do. We are proud to provide our authors with unprecedented editorial excellence, marketing reach, long-standing connections with booksellers, and insight into reader and consumer behavior. Consistently at the forefront of innovation and technological advancement, HarperCollins also uses digital technology to create unique reading experiences and expand the reach of our authors.

HarperCollins was founded by brothers James and John Harper in New York City in 1817 as J. and J. Harper, later Harper & Brothers. In 1987, as Harper & Row, it was acquired by News Corporation. The worldwide book group was formed following News Corporation's 1990 acquisition of the British publisher William Collins & Sons. Founded in 1819, William Collins & Sons published a range of Bibles, atlases, dictionaries, and reissued classics, expanding over the years to include legendary authors such as H. G. Wells, Agatha Christie, J. R. R. Tolkien, and C. S. Lewis.

The house of Mark Twain, the Brontë sisters, Thackeray, Dickens, John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., Maurice Sendak, Shel Silverstein, and Margaret Wise Brown, HarperCollins has a long and rich history that reaches back to the early nineteenth century and offers our publishing team a depth of experience.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

How-life writer and unrepentant alcoholic Henry Chinaski was born to survive. After decades of slacking off at low-paying dead-end jobs, blowing his cash on booze and women, and scrimping by in flea-bitten apartments, Chinaski sees his poetic star rising at last. Now, at fifty, he is reveling in his sudden rock-star life, running three hundred hangovers a year, and maintaining a sex life that would cripple Casanova.

With all of Bukowski's trademark humor and gritty, dark honesty, this 1978 follow-up to Post Office and Factotum is an uncompromising account of life on the edge.

About the Author

Charles Bukowski is one of America’s best-known contemporary writers of poetry and prose and, many would claim, its most influential and imitated poet. He was born in 1920 in Andernach, Germany, to an American soldier father and a German mother, and brought to the United States at the age of two. He was raised in Los Angeles and lived there for over fifty years. He died in San Pedro, California, on March 9, 1994, at the age of seventy-three, shortly after completing his last novel, Pulp.

Abel Debritto, a former Fulbright scholar and current Marie Curie fellow, works in the digital humanities. He is the author of Charles Bukowski, King of the Underground, and the editor of the Bukowski collections On Writing, On Cats, and On Love.

Product details

Item Weight : 8 ounces
Paperback : 298 pages
ISBN-10 : 0061177598
ISBN-13 : 978-0061177590
Publisher : Ecco; Reprint Edition (February 27, 2007)
Product Dimensions : 5.31 x 0.68 x 8 inches
Language: : English

Best-sellers rank #27,981 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
#77 in Dark Humor
#170 in Self-Help & Psychology Humor
#357 in Classic American Literature

Customer Reviews:
642 ratings

Start reading on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

Customer reviews

5 star		68%
4 star		16%
3 star		6%
2 star		5%
1 star		6%

How are ratings calculated?

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Leah Q

This feminist loves all things Bukowski lol

Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2018

Verified Purchase

You'll either love Bukowski or hate him. His writing is raw and crass and often gross. I'm a gd feminist and have read every Bukowski book in print with the exception of a few of his poetry books. If you're offended easily or uptight or prim, his stuff is not for you. If you want to go through the day to day foulness of a foul man's life with him inside his head in the most extraordinarily written diary-style books then Bukowski is for you.

24 people found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

Sig

Bukowski - another explosive trail of brittle relationships

Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2019

Verified Purchase

I would recommend this not be your first Bukowski read. Start with instant coffee before graduating to this thick, black, Turkish style brew. Bukowski does not fail to disgust and sicken the sensibilities - he is however an equal opportunity fellow. Men and women alike are treated as lonely, sexually starved animals who are judged by others, who are simply masking their own lonesomeness and their own sexual deprivations and dreams.

7 people found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

VoyageAmazon

Abysmal

Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2020

Verified Purchase

I honestly hated this book. I don’t enjoy leaving such a grim review. This was abysmal reading. It’s true that I only read 30 pages, but I had enough. I expected something more compelling and enjoyable perhaps along the lines of something by Hunter S. Thompson. I gave this book to Goodwill about a month after purchasing it.

Some may enjoy this kind of writing. It was mostly gratuitous pornography without much personal depth at all.

This is my take. Others might enjoy it, but not me.

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

R. Long

Yuck.

Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2019

Verified Purchase

I saw a guy on a conservative channel trying to use this book WOMEN as a prop. I thought, oh, intelligent commentary on the shallowness of women. The premise was that women are so shallow as to go for the author of this book even though he was ugly, fat, with acne and so on. Well, I read some 75 pages of this book and mostly I was just disgusted at the description of the author/poet in the book. The Author and the character of the book are different but the character was just gross and sleazy. He was an ugly fat man, with acne, but yet he was a poet so various women wanted to have sex with him, for I guess that reason. Anyway, maybe the book gets a LOT better but at a point I just stopped reading it ON THE TOILET. It was so poor to where I didn't want to read the book any longer when I was sitting on the toilet. The author may be right about women being shallow, as well as the guy on that Youtube channel but the character in this book is repulsive and the story is REPULSIVE. I mean, who wants to read about women being attracted to a fat ugly man with acne? I mean, the fact that women get lonely and make bad choices, is this the substance of good literature and social commentary? Jeez, I need look no further than to my neighborhood to see women choosing badly with men. Jeez, I'd probably be a weak choice as well. I just don't know what I was expecting but I was really getting grossed out by this book. I may or may not try to read a little more of it. The book could ONLY get better from where I stopped reading it. So the guy was a notable author who was physically disgusting. So women were attracted to his personality I should be as LUCKY to have women throwing themselves at me, but I'm not some ARTIST, just a school bus driver.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

Engrossing Voice In A Book "Every Man Needs To Read"

Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2016

Verified Purchase

I read Women immediately following Post Office, and it is also a part of my Esquire 75 Books Every Man Needs To Read reading challenge. Women is the 20th book on the list (not including books I will be rereading).

After the death of his postal career along with the love of his life, Bukowski’s Chianski begins to scour trashy America for experience, art, booze, and sex. His career is beginning to take off and he can do

more than merely survive in his existence, and he begins to explore himself and his relationships in this semi-autobiographical novel about much the same things as his other novels, but with a marked difference in literary style and execution as well as notoriety and accomplishment as an artist.

The focus of this piece is easily the paper-thin relationships that Chianski surrounds himself with. Every escapade leads to some revelation about his manhood, his fame, and his constant brush with the women that seem to constantly contrast with his one vice – a penchant for finding the most emotionally unstable women to have weekend relationships with, and being both unsatisfied with the sex and relationship, and surprised when the women cling to him with fervent desire.

In Women, Bukowski has improved and expanded his literary dance with being both anti-pedantic in diction and syntax while at the same time being misleading in his ability to screw intensive literary symbolism and devices into this somewhat simple work. The result is scrupulous, tireless literary and linguistic acrobatics that lead across the wasteland of white-trash slums and heighten Chianski’s vices and sexual escapades to that of religious reverence.

Definitely deserves its place on Esquire's list.

8 people found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

Michael Roof

Chinaski all grown up

Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2019

Verified Purchase

This is the final book of the Chinaski series. Henry Chinaski is now a moderately successful writer but still the same drunken lothario that I love to read about. In my mind, this is Bukowski at his best. Perhaps already widely known by others, I have no doubt that this book is part of the story behind Hank Moody of Californication. A model of clarity and simplicity, Bukowski's writing is always riveting to me. I'll be sad to see the series end.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

If you want to read Bukowski's prose at its best, you've gotta read Women

Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2017

Verified Purchase

If you want to read Bukowski's prose at its best, you've gotta read Women, Post Office and Ham on Rye. Phenomenal reads. You'll laugh til your stomach hurts, gasp in horror, and shake your head at the debauched ways of Hank Chinaski. A must-read for lovers of contemporary fiction. The bold, brash prose is addictive and flawlessly done -- raw and shameless.

7 people found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

Top international reviews

M. Weaver

Imagine re-reading every dumb argument you've ever had every ten pages

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 4, 2018

Verified Purchase

Post Office was a good book. Likewise Factotum. Women is just a tawdry, repetitive mess. It's like a scratched old record that keeps jumping and playing the same part of a song over and over again. Meet woman, get drunk, have sex, have argument, go to the race track. That's the story on repeat with the same depth of emotional engagement. After about a hundred pages you end up asking yourself: do I really care about any of this?

7 people found this helpful

Sending feedback...

Thank you for your feedback.

Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

Paul.F

Great gift for a Bukowski fan

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 15, 2014

Verified Purchase

Bought this book as a gift for my sister at Christmas and she was very pleased with it. Familiar with Bukowski's poetry she wanted to read one of his novels to see what they are like. She has told me that despite the gritty descriptions of a complex life and at times traumatic memories in this semi-autobiographical story, she was impressed with the easy way in which it reads and how it gives an insight in to the life of Bukowski and the other characters featured.

So if you know a Bukowski fan and they don't have this book I can recommend it as a gift that they may enjoy.

One person found this helpful

Sending feedback...

Thank you for your feedback.

Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

channon king

Not Disneyland

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 14, 2015

Verified Purchase

A break from Disneyland. Nothing fake, written with absolute freedom, without any self censorship. Not for the faint hearted, as anyone who has read buckowski will expect. It gives the reader a window into the life of very troubled man as he experiences recognition, fame, and adulation from a world which seems in the past to have denied him basic love and acceptance. Very truthful, and very wise at times, well worth a read I'd say.

6 people found this helpful

Sending feedback...

Thank you for your feedback.

Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

Johnny Be Bad

Loved It

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 4, 2019

Verified Purchase

Bukowoski at his base best, loved it.

Sending feedback...

Thank you for your feedback.

Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

BohChi

Amazing.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 7, 2018

Verified Purchase

Absolutely love Charles Bukowski books, what a great read, thank you!

One person found this helpful

Sending feedback...

Thank you for your feedback.

Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

Nunky Roy

speedily and in excellent condition. For those who appreciate the seamier side ...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 16, 2017

Verified Purchase

I'm still reading this after it arrived, as expected, speedily and in excellent condition. For those who appreciate the seamier side of Life his books are a must.

Sending feedback...

Thank you for your feedback.

Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

Dave Pec

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 19, 2018

Verified Purchase

love this book.. every man should read this

One person found this helpful

Sending feedback...

Thank you for your feedback.

Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

wijnib

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 10, 2017

Verified Purchase

all good

One person found this helpful

Sending feedback...

Thank you for your feedback.

Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

Steve Atherton

Pulp Fiction Idealism for Heavy Drinkers

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 4, 2015

Verified Purchase

A blow torch of descriptive narrative covering male/female interactions in 1970's US society. Its myopic perspectives through the eyes of the author's alter ego ' Chinaski' leaves a stark, somewhat repetitious narrative that cannot fail to amuse, repulse and leave your emotions and thoughts at all other points in between.

One person found this helpful

Sending feedback...

Thank you for your feedback.

Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

Amazon Customer

Accurate description, quick delivery

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 15, 2020

Verified Purchase

Accurate description, quick delivery

Sending feedback...

Thank you for your feedback.

Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

JM88TR

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 20, 2017

Verified Purchase

Excellent book! My favourite read

Sending feedback...

Thank you for your feedback.

Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

Selina Samanta

You gotta love Bukowski...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 5, 2020

Verified Purchase

A raw and honest author who doesn't sugarcoat anything.

Sending feedback...

Thank you for your feedback.

Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

Marta Horvat

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 19, 2016

Verified Purchase

Excellent!

Sending feedback...

Thank you for your feedback.

Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

Lauren

Not bad, but not for everyone

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 23, 2015

Verified Purchase

Bit of a push to keep reading it as I did find it rather repetitive but an interesting insight into Bukowski.

Sending feedback...

Thank you for your feedback.

Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

C.D.

Good read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 11, 2015

Verified Purchase

Good, easy read. Not for the prude. But contains some touching moments.

Sending feedback...

Thank you for your feedback.

Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

You've read the top international reviews

See all reviews from the United States

Customers who bought this item also bought

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

Pages with related products. See and discover other items: Charles Bukowski Arts, Brew Watches

Other Sellers on Amazon

Follow the Author

Similar authors to follow

Women: A Novel Paperback – February 27, 2007

Frequently bought together

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

About the Author

Product details

Customer reviews

Customer images

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Top international reviews

Customers who bought this item also bought

Buy new: $14.27

Buy used: $12.15

Other Sellers on Amazon

Follow the Author

Similar authors to follow

Women: A Novel Paperback – February 27, 2007

Frequently bought together

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

About the Author

Product details

Customer reviews

Customer images

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Top international reviews

You've read the top international reviews

Customers who bought this item also bought

Buy new:

$14.27

Buy used:

$12.15