Post Office: A Novel

A delirious, repetitive, repressed and hostile bureaucratic nightmare, Post Office is a novel that takes on Bukowski's decade-plus chained to the postal system. As a compelling artist, sloppy drunk, and sexually voracious gambler, Bukowski drifts in and out of his narrative with unsentimental anger and boozy energy, an undercurrent of resentment and anger everpresent until it is contrasted clean with the interest and indulgent love for the women in his life.The most provocative elements of this book was certainly the portions where we see the shuffling, confusing, scary catch-22 Brazil-esque burlesque of his work in the Post Office itself. Cycling in and out, over and over, unable to even quit his job, Bukowski created a labyrinthine grand guinol of paper and sorting boxes all standing in his way of his net drink, his next lay, and his ability to even write a halfway decent line of poetry. In many ways, this reflects how I personally see my own art in the world, and it is in this manner that I really connected with his character in this book. In real life, the genesis of this book and Bukowski’s career came from being offered a hundred bucks a month to quit the post office to promise to write full time by John Martin and Black Sparrow Press…and so we all wish for this little black sparrow angel to fly into our window someday.The most beautiful element of the book was easily the portrayal of his relationship with Betty (Jane Cooney Baker). They were perfect for each other, but in the piece the sentimentality with which he approached their relationship in both tone, diction, syntax, and other practical elements isn’t mirrored by any other writing in the book or in his approach to any other woman in any of his books. It is simply this beautiful, pure, self-destructive relationship that serves as a wholly gorgeous and holy relic that he certainly held on to for the rest of his life…and it seems that the story arc with her is one of the most beautiful things that he had ever written – the only thing that he had ever cared for snatched from him just as he realized that it was the most important thing in the world to him. What destroyed her is exactly what he tried to destroy himself with, and in her death he found the death of love, the death of a healthy sexual identity, and the death of himself.Of course, the narrative pacing and overall diction of Bukowski's narrative voice are certainly the most compelling elements of this book. There is a certain blue-collarness to his writing that offers a remarkably simple approach to what is often a much more serious and Complicated piece – but his genius lies in this very thing. Bukowski can create a story that is appropriate for all intellectual audiences and still write something that is completely different in terms of overall beauty and meaning in the English Language. This is likely why legions of writers thought they could follow in his footsteps and write when nothing could be further from the truth (and Bukowski had no problem telling them that).An excellent, excellent, excellent book that should be required reading for all American men.

This book is a first person recounting of the life of a post office worker through a multitude of sexual relationships, gambling, smoking and an excessive amount of drinking. It is not a comedy but there are many points where you will probably laugh (like I did). It is not a tragedy but there are many points where you will be extremely sad and frustrated (like I was). It is extremely vulgar and occasionally violent. Contains a scene describing a sexual assault. I would not recommend this book to anyone younger than at least 18 (I probably wouldn't recommend it to most adults), and I imagine that most female readers would find the sexualization (which is present whenever a female character is present) obnoxious at the very least. This all being said, it is an entertaining read that has me thinking about the decisions that I have made about my work life, about how I choose to treat others, and about the responsibilities I have towards my own well being.

I think Charles Bukowski’s novel “Post Office” is not a novel at all. This is a memoir. And quite obviously Henry Chinaski is Charles Bukowski. Even if some of the events did not exactly happen to Bukowski in the exact way described for Chinaski, I think they would have been included in a memoir anyway. After all, there are no memoir police patrolling the streets of non-fiction and calling out liars. Who is to question the author’s memory? Nevertheless, I think literature is full of memoirs masquerading as novels. When I think about it, if I ever attempt a memoir, I better call it fiction. Fewer people will be hurt . . . or appalled.This book is vulgar, raw, rough, and bubbling over with unsavoriness. I loved it. It is full of sex, booze, petty criminals, women of easy virtue, men of even easier virtue, and a cast of other compelling and fascinating characters. In other words, it is classic Bukowski and a wonderful experience being drawn into the dirty underside of life that is best described by Bukowski. Throughout all, there is great joy and profound sadness. And I will never feel the same about my mailman again.Bukowski can be tremendously funny and there are scenes that had me roaring. He can also be sensitive, introspective, and philosophical. This book is easy to read, very entertaining, and even educational. It is in my pile of books I will read again.

So my wife joined a Book Club, and she got me into it, the first book to read was this one, to get into the whole "spirit of reading" she got me a Kindle for my birthday. I love it, it's awesome, I'm down to my third book, this one was the first one I read on the device and I have to say, it's freaking great, I loved the book, the story, how you start getting into the character's skin and become "Henry Chinaski". You may wonder why I started talking about the Book Club and the Kindle first, here's the deal, we had a deadline on when to finish the book, and there's something wrong with the digital version of this book, it's "doubled up". By that I mean that when the device tells you that you are at 45% of the book, you are really at 90%. When I finished the book I got to the very end and then it started all over again. It was really weird, I thought that the book would never end, but it does, so don't get frustrated. 50% and you are done.I really recommend anyone thinking about reading this book to just go ahead and do it, it's really worth it.

If you like him and his style you’ll like the book

:)

nothing to add. bukowsky halt. mesmerizing and beautiful.

Libro molto interessante che ti invoglia a leggerlo, mai noioso, ricco di spunti di considerazione sulla situazione lavorativa e di conseguenza di vita, di un impiegato medio. Anche se ambientato in un periodo ormai lontano da noi, risulta comunque e purtroppo attuale.Il cinismo,il sarcasmo e la consapevolezza di ciò che succede e di quelle che sono realmente le priorità per un essere umano, portano il protagonista a non sentirsi parte del mucchio o del gregge e di cercare di fuggire ed emarginarsi da una società che schiacciata dalla routine, schiaccia a sua volta i cittadini.Consigliato a chi vuole scoprire Bukowski e il suo tagliente punto di vista. La versione originale è ottima anche per chi ha una preparazione discreta dell'inglese.

As far as the writing goes, there has been said enough about it. It's great and I love it. But the quality of this book is horrible. I bought this for a tenner, so I shouldn't really be compaining about this. The letters are printed in a very weird size on the paper, it doesn't look great and doesn't make for an easy read. You can also look really easily through the paper. So that means the letters on one page will be clashing a bit with the letters of the page behind it. The book feels cheep. The print on the cover is low quality. It looks horrible, really.To be honest, if you don't spending a little more, I'd argue it's worth it. Otherwise, get this one. In the end it does what it has to do. It's a book.