Women: A Novel

Poverty, alcohol, dissipation and adolescent acne ravaged his appearance, but, born in 1920, he side-stepped death until his seventy-third year. He lived for alcohol, predominently, but also for sex, gambling on horses and on boxing bouts, then writing about himself and his experiences, sometimes inventively, sometimes not; always readably. Literary success came late, in his fifties, but I surmise that the cashflow extended his life. It certainly improved the quality of his booze; his notoriety also kissed alive his access to nubile women of a literary bent, who wanted his notch on their bedsteads as much as he wanted theirs on his. Throughout it all he tried and mostly succeeded in being honest about himself and his intentions. He was a rolling stone, long before the pop group was invented, adding the capital letters and plural, and substituting the definite for the indefinite article. As insights go, I would also recommend: The Pleasures of the Damned: Selected Poems 1951-1993. This chug-uh-lugs along until a few months before he skipped life. The English is always accessible, the themes never lost or distorted in the verbiage...at least as far as I remember. Over to you. See what you think.

Big buk writing about what he likes best and pulling no punches. Interesting to read a great writer turning the spot light on the biggest chauvinist he knows. Recommend to read as soon as you finish both Ham on rye and the post office which will help explain the less palatable behaviour in this less meaningful but just as entertaining offering

A brilliant and frank account of the writer's sex life, no details excluded. Sex aside, an interesting story of life on the seedier side of life.

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.

Great escapism from the wacky mr Bukowski

Classic Bukowski, one of his finest. Post Office, Factotum and Hollywood are also excellent.

Not the worst but almost the worst. I mean, I kinda liked it but I can see why people wouldn’t. Hollywood is probably the worst and I can’t get through it, but the first three are significantly stronger than this.

Bukowski has a great take on life, love, alcohol and women that he embraces with an easy and, at times, not so easy acceptance of its trials and tribulations. He treats his subject matter with humour and Taoist grace.

Super livre de C.Bukowsky. Je le conseille fortement pour découvrir le genre, le style de l’auteur et découvrir l’homme.

for a long time i've resisted reading bukowski becuase i sort of thought it might be a bit adolescent . How wrong can you be .This was superb honest and moving .A real account of real relationships and real existence. It's also very funny at points . The narrator chinski is unfailingly honest about himself and the live he leads which stops the book becoming a series of macho conquests .The women give as good as they get in the main and chinski comes across as less of an aggressor and more of a victim of his own desires (as men in real life generally are ) He also allows himself to be very vulnerable, which is what is missing from almost all literary novels .The authors have the technique down....but not the desire to show themselves in all their disgusting, faded ,glorious, human detail . After reading this i went on to read 'Factotum' , 'Love is a dog from hell and other poems' and 'Ham on rye'. All were quite superb ...particularly ' Ham on rye '. It's been a very long time since i've discovered a writer who makes me want to read book after book ..... and also effects the way you see life . You begin to understand through bukowski that the pain we all feel at times in life, is not some terrible thing fate has singled us out to suffer.... but is a part of life to be accepted. In cocnclusion, I'd give it 6 stars if i could.....

This is his Greatest BOOK / Writing Ever Period. My only issue is with silly stupid cover, I so wish they ( Amazon ) had the orginal Paperback Version or a better looking and more Regal format of this Book and the others, Instead of this wierd silly Neon Version and small typo form of Books. Someday I will own a copy ( Brown Color Version of Women that I saw depicted in a film recently ) of the orginal print of this Book..... With the signature of Charles Bukowski Inside.

I’ll be honest. Not much of a reader my self (probably read 4 books in my whole life), but this is a great book, from a great author. Couldn’t stop reading (took 10 days), very entertaining and easy to read. Totalmente recomendable.

Bukowski isn't for everyone but if you enjoy the raw dirty world with a touch of insanity then I'd always recommend giving it a go.