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I loved that you mentioned how few people actually see the true character behind Hank. It kills me that people still see everything as either black or white, especially in literature and writing.

I'm surprised by the number of likes I've gotten on this review recently, despite writing it 5 years ago and completely forgetting about this website. Now I am deeply concerned for the "book", as few young people possess the desire to read, or to delve into the meaningful scripts so many of us hold dearly to our early adult development. I remember the passion I felt when reading Buk or Steinbeck or those Americans who actually lived it for us while we sat in our comfortable apartments clinging to their stories. Is there anything left to write about, anything that will shake the psyche of the young adult, or something worth buying off a shelf? Is there a way we can provide this perspective to young people without the help of egregious marketing or hopelessly blogging? I fear our beloved stories and the format in which they were delivered are dead. Yet there is still the satisfaction of picking up a book someone wrote 30+ years ago - the smell of the paper, the desire to not look ahead or abbreviate chapters, the accomplishment when finishing and placing on your shelf as a favorite. There is still the gravity of the lessons you learn about life when reading. I don't get that from my iPad. I may never have that feeling again. I'm glad I was able to read many of the American "classics" when they still held their mystique.

I 100% agree with you on the fact that many people do not see Hank, but only see the misogyny. With that being said, no woman should ever be treated the way the women in this book were, no matter how "nasty" they seemed. I just wanted to clear that up.

Cait and Savvy, I agree with you. There is no glamour and no respect in this man's behavior. Picture him an ugly painting on a wall, to be viewed but not liked or fully understood.

I was going to write a review but after reading you'd I had nothing to add. I also loved reading this book. It was the first Bukowski book I have read (2006) and continues to be my favorite. Bukowski wrote so simple. His story unfolded using "working class" words. And it was hideous and beautiful and honest and sick all at the same time. No, I would never want to be neighbors or approach him at a bar. But YES, I would be interested in his ideas and life. Now I have gotten the chance to meet this kind of man without giving him the chance to drunkenly stick his stinky calloused hands on my ass.

I also didn't see misogyny in this book. He is not a cheap womanizer, like you said. He never got to be loved, and it's like women were from another country. I got him, I understood him. I can see something beautiful in his pain, in his lack of motivations. Did he treat some of the women in an appropriate way? Yes, but since when having a non-perfect protagonist is a valid point do dismerit a work of fiction? (Especially a work of fiction that doesn''t scream "HEY, I'M THE GOOD GUY, YOU SHOULD BE ON MY SIDE"?) It's not a hypocrite book. We're not supposed to admire Chinaski for his morals. We just have to observe and take something from it. Criticizing the protagonist the same people gossip about their neighbors is not the best way to experiment good literature, in my opinion

You can see all of that, yet still be bothered by the misogyny of this book. The book is greatly written, Bukowski was incredibly talented, and that's why he succeeded in making Chinaski kind of tolerable. You can love the book or hate it, but either way you HAVE to see the awful misogyny in it, because the way he treats his women is simply horrible.
Also, your last sentence about these women being nasty made me very uncomfortable.

You can see all of that, yet still be bothered by the misogyny of this book. The book is greatly written, Bukowski was incredibly talented, and that's why he succeeded in making Chinaski kind of tolerable. You can love the book or hate it, but either way you HAVE to see the awful misogyny in it, because the way he treats his women is simply horrible.
Also, your last sentence about these women being nasty made me very uncomfortable.

Beautiful review. You captured the glory of his dark but fully lived life. He loved his life, as hard it was. That alone makes Buk a magnificent human being. Worried about young people not reading/discovering Mr.Buk? Phuck em. Their loss does nothing to diminish Buk's genius. Revel in his writing; nothing else required or needed. If subsequent generations of "young people" fail to appreciate The Buk, so what? You think Mr. Buk would give a shit? Negatory!

Currently reading this and you can say this misogynistic viewpoint of Charles Bukowski's amazingly honest and other auto-biographical works. The books if anyone is interested in knowing go in this order:
Ham on Rye (

Treating people poorly is not misogyny. If Hank was gay he would treat a man just as bad, or a woman. In fact, it could be argued that some of the women he engages with in the book are female mirrors of himself. To label it misogyny misses the point that it's actually misanthropy. He treats most women in the book better than he does any of the men. He just doesn't have sex with the men.

I'm reading ham on rye currently. I'd like to read them in order... What is the order? Tx

Ham on Rye, Factotum, Post Office, Women, then it ends with Hollywood.

The writer's paint of view has nothing to do with the protagonist's values in life.

I鈥檓 sure this will make me a literary heretic, but I have no idea what the big deal is about this book. It鈥檚 more banal than offensive, but the most damning thing I can think to say is that it was just boring. Someone please tell me why I should think this book matters.

Your review is as honest as the book.

Beautifully written. i loved the way u wrote it. Idk, but, Does this has poetic vibe in it??

Women are sensitive and thus this book puts them on the defensive because of its brutal honesty. For that exact reason, sensitive men feel inclined to be especially critical of it because they feel it is an offense to women. As a woman, I can say with full heated honesty that this book is in no way offensive to be. In fact, I find it refreshingly honest. The vulgar nature of Bukowski is not sugar coated. He says what people think and whisper about but don't dare admit it. And he doesn't sugar coat a single bit of it. That being said, his vulgarity is also a defense mechanism to protect his ever fragile heart because beneath all of his layers he's quite sensitive and fragile. He proclaims this numerous times throughout most of this many works. One need only to pay attention. All of that psychoanalytic nonsense aside, his writing is raw, dark and he has a voice all his own. Which is hard to find in most writers these days. I find myself addicted to every page as I devour his books one by one. Thank you for your review Ryan. And I completely agree.

I lament the fact that I have but one like to give to this review.

How ridiculous, of course this laden with men writing women, not only is to wrong to dismiss people who do analyze it and find it one dimensional, it鈥檚 obviously just your own misgivings on this book. It鈥檚 not that women are sensitive, it鈥檚 that Charles didn鈥檛 write this with nothing but his own pessimism in mind, it鈥檚 not be taken as a literal read on 鈥渨omen鈥� rather the sad endings of a man who spends his life loathing others for his short comings.

lmfao read his personal writings he literally fantasized about raping young girls.

so Bukowski has a really deep reason for his behaviour but all the women are really nasty? how do you figure that? Misogynistic or not, i fail to see any literary greatness in this book. I am new to Bukowski, and I might change my mind about other works, but this one has been a waste of my time. Anyone can write an honest novel, but what is so gripping about it? He mocked War and Peace in one of his interviews as being a boring drab. So i really expected something poetic and painful and ended up feeling puzzled by the lacklustre and pulpy writing.

He literally rapes a woman in this book

鈥楳ounting drunken souls鈥� has got to be the worst euphemism for rape ever. Call it what what it is. If Bukowski wrote it he did it for a reason; don鈥檛 cover the truth with opaque language. It鈥檚 a dishonesty Buskowski would have been appalled by.

Love your insightful review. Reserved this book at the library right away. Looking forward to reading it.

A woman treats him the way he treats them and they are psycho, nasty women. He rapes women in this book and often fantasizes of young girls (I鈥檓 talking minors here.) There鈥檚 little, if anything, to like about this book.

so it鈥檚 ok to rape nasty women. Ok

I remain fascinated by how certain novels act as a lightning rod.

Some commented (one, anyway) that there is no "literary greatness" here. I quite agree.

Others have redefined "rape" (which may be in this book - but I don't recall THAT).

Yet others have taken an opportunity to scold by implication - which is part and parcel of "the times" I suppose (even a civilized place like GoodReads can't escape).

Mostly, however, it is heartening to see that most who commented (and the reviewer) understand the miserable, degraded hole, that the author wrote from. He was to be pitied - not condemned.

Hey, I fully & completely agree with and feel I can see just what you're saying- people seeing black n white. Afraid to talk about or write about everyday life with it's pains, agonies towards unrequited love and affections, the pains of growing older n facing that person head on. We live or seem to be living in this ultra modern sterilized version of 'life', complete with revisions, editing out anything that might go against the grain, despite being honest, through & through. Speaking 'writing' about what's really happening in our minds, the raw nature of our desires, our sexual appetites without love attachments, as Katherine says to Hank "it's just sex, just sex" when he talks about his inability to perform with his being too drunk. He accepts who he is without need to rationalize or make excuses. He lives, he writes, he drinks, fucks, bets and shares these thoughts with raw creativity...an art that seems to have been scrubbed clean by this modern world of political correctness and other social margins we must not go outside of lest we suffer being ostracized for being human. Yes, I share your views and agree ultimately appreciating your review. Have you read 'post office's?

"seemed like really nasty women" oh you're a weirdo. a rapist is a "common man, overburdened by the memories of his abusive youth" but the women he abuses are "really nasty women". what a freak

Men when people call bad misogynistic writing bad misogynistic writing: 馃く馃槩

This review is too fucking ironic

Having trauma that you are too scared/lazy to adress and deal with is your problem and not a fucking excuse to treat other human beings (in this case always women which suggests misogyny 馃く) terribly.

Glorifying the rape of 鈥榥asty women鈥� = women are just too sensitive

馃ぁ

Not only was he a predator who went after teenagers. He also abuse women. Why do you men defend this?