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cleo_j's review against another edition
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
pzdrnk's review against another edition
3.75
This is pretty typical Bukowski. As with most of what he wrote, it’s supposed to be loosely based on his real-life experiences. If you can overlook his tendency to overcompensate by portraying himself as hard and unfeeling, along with his exaggerating—if not outright lying—about the frequency of his sexual encounters and the quality of the women involved, then it’s a good, quick read for a laugh. The best parts are his humorous accounts of working various disposable menial jobs. Bukowski is genuinely funny, a trait often overlooked by readers who get too caught up in his macho bravado.
bi4ncvx's review against another edition
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
harrysingh's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
_anamarija_'s review against another edition
4.0
"I give you soul. I give you wisdom and light and music and a bit of laughter. Also, I am the world's greatest horseplayer.”
I believe this is the quote that describes pretty well Mr Chinaski - he has it all - the soul with all of his quirks and twists. You may or may not love him, but he will not leave you indifferent, that's for sure.
I believe this is the quote that describes pretty well Mr Chinaski - he has it all - the soul with all of his quirks and twists. You may or may not love him, but he will not leave you indifferent, that's for sure.
paroof's review against another edition
5.0
First, you should know the definition of factotum - it's an employee who does all kinds of work.
This is Bukowski, it's exactly what you would expect from him. If you've never read anything from this author before, hold on. Actually, I would recommend starting with Ham on Rye before reading this or any of his other novels.
This is Bukowski, it's exactly what you would expect from him. If you've never read anything from this author before, hold on. Actually, I would recommend starting with Ham on Rye before reading this or any of his other novels.
samirasbt's review against another edition
3.0
“Frankly, I was horrified by life, at what a man had to do simply in order to eat, sleep, and keep himself clothed. So I stayed in bed and drank. When you drank the world was still out there, but for the moment it didn’t have you by the throat.”
This is the first novel I read by Bukowski and I liked it regardless of the fact that the protagonist, Henry Chinaski, is incredibly unlikable. A misogynistic man without any perspective or ambition but a mind full of vulgarities. He drowns himself in alcohol on a daily basis and by that detaches himself from any possible responsibility in life.
The only things he’s somewhat aiming for throughout the story are his sexual encounters with the random women he meets and immediately sexualizes (the latter made me uncomfortable & disgusted me countless times), the nearest bar and some new job he’s already planning on losing after the few days or weeks it takes to make the bit of money essential for him to survive. He aspires to be a writer, even sells one of his short stories at one point, yet doesn’t pursue this dream somewhat sufficiently.
Chinaski does pretty much everything you can do to lose any kind of connection, to others as well as to his own emotions. He constantly deprives himself of anything meaningful, anything healthy or well working, instead fleeing from one place to another and life itself.
Though he’s more than unlikable, his cynical and indifferent take on life managed to draw me into the story very quickly and his descriptions of all these workplaces and the people around him were, if not misogynistic for once, quite funny actually.
His thoughts were brutally honest and Bukowski’s language underlined that rawness perfectly. That was what made the story stand out to me the most.
I read that this book is believed to be Bukowski’s most autobiographical one and after having read one of his poetry collections, I could indeed see so many parallels between his life and the life of Henry Chinaski. It was all there: the drinking, the women (and the INCREDIBLE misogyny), the cynicism, the gambling and horse races and most of all, the detachment and deep loneliness.
This is the first novel I read by Bukowski and I liked it regardless of the fact that the protagonist, Henry Chinaski, is incredibly unlikable. A misogynistic man without any perspective or ambition but a mind full of vulgarities. He drowns himself in alcohol on a daily basis and by that detaches himself from any possible responsibility in life.
The only things he’s somewhat aiming for throughout the story are his sexual encounters with the random women he meets and immediately sexualizes (the latter made me uncomfortable & disgusted me countless times), the nearest bar and some new job he’s already planning on losing after the few days or weeks it takes to make the bit of money essential for him to survive. He aspires to be a writer, even sells one of his short stories at one point, yet doesn’t pursue this dream somewhat sufficiently.
Chinaski does pretty much everything you can do to lose any kind of connection, to others as well as to his own emotions. He constantly deprives himself of anything meaningful, anything healthy or well working, instead fleeing from one place to another and life itself.
Though he’s more than unlikable, his cynical and indifferent take on life managed to draw me into the story very quickly and his descriptions of all these workplaces and the people around him were, if not misogynistic for once, quite funny actually.
His thoughts were brutally honest and Bukowski’s language underlined that rawness perfectly. That was what made the story stand out to me the most.
I read that this book is believed to be Bukowski’s most autobiographical one and after having read one of his poetry collections, I could indeed see so many parallels between his life and the life of Henry Chinaski. It was all there: the drinking, the women (and the INCREDIBLE misogyny), the cynicism, the gambling and horse races and most of all, the detachment and deep loneliness.
scottg73's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
hann_clare's review against another edition
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25