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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
Ein Sexist war Bukowski eindeutig. Daran kann man beim Lesen von "Post Office" eigentlich keinen Zweifel haben. Vermutlich war er auch sonst kein wirklich netter Mensch. (Bei der hier nicht sehr gewagten Annahme, dass Erzähler und Autor weitestgehend identisch sind.) Aber in seiner Sprache ist etwas Hypnotisierendes, gerade durch die bescheidene Simplizität. Einfach ist auch der Inhalt. Episode um Episode beschreibt Bukowski seine 3 + 12 Jahre bei der amerikanischen Post und seine Beziehungen zu einigen Frauen in dieser Zeit. Nichts spektakuläres, alles relativ ziellos und ohne Moral. Aber damit auch lebensnah und glaubwürdig. Besser direkt auf Englisch lesen.
dark
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Do not read this book unless you know what you are getting yourself into. This is Bukowski. This is dirty, this is vulgar, this is misogyny, this is sex, drugs, and rock and roll, baby! We are talking Beat Generation vibes here. Post Office is an easy-flowing, raw, and unfiltered piece of writing that captures the hedonistic life of the male protagonist, Henry Chinaski, whom I loved and hated at the same time.
As always, I paired my reading with the audiobook, and Christian Baskous, the narrator, gave life to Chinaski in the most hilarious way. I caught myself laughing out loud more than once. This isn’t a book where you’ll find deep revelations or moral epiphanies, just pure, unadulterated fun. And really, isn’t that one of the main reasons we read?
Bukowski’s narrative is unapologetically gritty, exploring themes like the working-class experience, addiction, bureaucracy, and anti-establishment sentiments. Don’t judge the ideas too harshly, just dive into the story, enjoy the ride, and maybe feel a bit better about not sharing the same values as the protagonist. Chinaski’s story isn’t one of rags-to-riches, but at least he lived like a man who pretended to be rich: “…I had a cigar in my mouth and whiskey on my breath. I felt like money. I looked like money…”
Fun read, any day, anytime...and good luck with it!
As always, I paired my reading with the audiobook, and Christian Baskous, the narrator, gave life to Chinaski in the most hilarious way. I caught myself laughing out loud more than once. This isn’t a book where you’ll find deep revelations or moral epiphanies, just pure, unadulterated fun. And really, isn’t that one of the main reasons we read?
Bukowski’s narrative is unapologetically gritty, exploring themes like the working-class experience, addiction, bureaucracy, and anti-establishment sentiments. Don’t judge the ideas too harshly, just dive into the story, enjoy the ride, and maybe feel a bit better about not sharing the same values as the protagonist. Chinaski’s story isn’t one of rags-to-riches, but at least he lived like a man who pretended to be rich: “…I had a cigar in my mouth and whiskey on my breath. I felt like money. I looked like money…”
Fun read, any day, anytime...and good luck with it!
another book that's being praised for its prose and poetry, but all the "prose" just consists of misogynistic insults
Probably tied with Ham on Rye for my favourite Bukowski book.
For the first bit of the book I was genuinely wondering why this was recommended to me because it was just a series of repetitive vignettes. But the more I read the more I kind of appreciated it - it was surprisingly tender at some points, which is a feat given how unlikable our lead is. And as someone who has spent too long at a job, I ended up rooting for him to get out of there. Still not entirely sure if Bukowski is for me...yet, I did enjoy the sense of lightness I felt while reading a book full of whiskey and hangovers!
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It was hard to listen to (or read) sections dealing with rape—raw and honest, considering this is Charles Bukowski's first novel—but I did not enjoy it a single bit.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexism
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes