This is my first Bukowski read. I chose this so arbitrarily, I think for the celebrated author, his first work, and more for the page count, as I was way behind my Reading challenge this year, wanted to finish as many as possible, since I slow down in December like a sloth bear. The story or whatever is convened through it, is not at all to be taken seriously. Things that happen in the story, happens everywhere and the people in it, you find everywhere.
The protagonist, who is evidently the alter-ego of Bukowski, hates working. Though at some point the gross standards of the post office does sound abominable, like a 2 inch tray to be completed in 23 minutes, and also the loathsome or seemingly loathsome supervisors make us pity Henry Chinaski. But then also to be noted here is that he was never fond of working in the first place, at some point he says of two options one smelt of work, and so chose the other one over it.
He gambles and wants to live life with easy money... But is it that easy? He puts up with Joyce a little because of her millions, though he loses his cool for Picasso the stupid dog, leaving the parakeets to fly out of the cage was understandable, we all have that somebody who goes chatter-chatter no matter whether you have an early day or had a tiring day. The breakup with Joyce was also subtle and though he suggests Joyce to let Purple Stickpin know about her wealth as that would make him come back to her, he is good enough to not join her again.
Betty’s last days, Fay’s delivery, his emotions on seeing his lovely little girl are good ones too... little mushy moments. There is this one line that goes, “Women were meant to suffer; no wonder they asked for constant declarations of love”. Well talk about equality and being treated as just a human being, this is why patriarchy loves a woman, she is meant to suffer, so be protective, treat her like a puppy that keeps running around your feet, lift up and smooch, or push away with your feet?
The funny thing is, in the same vein that he wonders about his little damned thing growing up in the future to be so like him, he also details the nurse’s assets immediately. So that’s him Chinaski, I can actually not like him, but then he is real. Every woman he details purely basis her appearance and her foolishness, he remarks how Fay wears black to protest the war, and wants to save the world, but doesn’t keep the kitchen tidy, the comments about the writers group meet does sound gross but then laughable too.
I rated this book 4 stars, purely because it denotes that I really liked it, and yes I really liked it. It was funny, dark humor at places, and kept reminding me, life need not be taken seriously always. Well... would I recommend this book? I hope not, there is absolutely nothing you would lose or miss by not reading this book. It was truthfully written, and well written, and humor just flows in right from the first sentence to the last, it made me grin keeping aside my prejudices.
So if at all you choose to read this book, just read, laugh and throw it away, nothing to overwork your brain or wonder and think deeply about. But it does definitely turn me curiouser about his other work ‘Women’.
The protagonist, who is evidently the alter-ego of Bukowski, hates working. Though at some point the gross standards of the post office does sound abominable, like a 2 inch tray to be completed in 23 minutes, and also the loathsome or seemingly loathsome supervisors make us pity Henry Chinaski. But then also to be noted here is that he was never fond of working in the first place, at some point he says of two options one smelt of work, and so chose the other one over it.
He gambles and wants to live life with easy money... But is it that easy? He puts up with Joyce a little because of her millions, though he loses his cool for Picasso the stupid dog, leaving the parakeets to fly out of the cage was understandable, we all have that somebody who goes chatter-chatter no matter whether you have an early day or had a tiring day. The breakup with Joyce was also subtle and though he suggests Joyce to let Purple Stickpin know about her wealth as that would make him come back to her, he is good enough to not join her again.
Betty’s last days, Fay’s delivery, his emotions on seeing his lovely little girl are good ones too... little mushy moments. There is this one line that goes, “Women were meant to suffer; no wonder they asked for constant declarations of love”. Well talk about equality and being treated as just a human being, this is why patriarchy loves a woman, she is meant to suffer, so be protective, treat her like a puppy that keeps running around your feet, lift up and smooch, or push away with your feet?
The funny thing is, in the same vein that he wonders about his little damned thing growing up in the future to be so like him, he also details the nurse’s assets immediately. So that’s him Chinaski, I can actually not like him, but then he is real. Every woman he details purely basis her appearance and her foolishness, he remarks how Fay wears black to protest the war, and wants to save the world, but doesn’t keep the kitchen tidy, the comments about the writers group meet does sound gross but then laughable too.
I rated this book 4 stars, purely because it denotes that I really liked it, and yes I really liked it. It was funny, dark humor at places, and kept reminding me, life need not be taken seriously always. Well... would I recommend this book? I hope not, there is absolutely nothing you would lose or miss by not reading this book. It was truthfully written, and well written, and humor just flows in right from the first sentence to the last, it made me grin keeping aside my prejudices.
So if at all you choose to read this book, just read, laugh and throw it away, nothing to overwork your brain or wonder and think deeply about. But it does definitely turn me curiouser about his other work ‘Women’.
