post office: A Novel by Charles Bukowski Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of post office: A Novel
Book Review: The Book for any Relunctant Working Class Hero
Summary: 5 Stars
Charles Bukowski's Henry Chinaski is just the most hysterical character I came across in a long time. He is the hero for any relunctant working class person. His misadventures are pure comedy from beginning to end. I found myself laughing throughout the book. Some of the scenerios Henry goes through I don't approve of. But I still couldn't help but laugh. This is a book for anybody that had a job they absolutely hated and still found themselves showing up for work day after day, year after year. Not everyone can work a job they love. But most people have to earn a living. This book might also be for the person that took for granted how cool their job actually is. After reading this book, one could easily be grateful for the mundane job they have. At least they never had to deal with crazy people yelling about their bills, vicious rapid dogs, and crazy women with next to no clothing on. It still amazes me how anybody can show up to work with a wicked hangover like the ones Henry Chinaski always had. But he manages to do so. Probably only because he wants to earn money so he can buy more booze. The book takes the reader into the mind of Henry Chinaski as he works a very tedious job for over twelve years and as he spends his time of leisure outside of work. The reader is quickly emersed into his love for sex, booze, and gambling. Post Office is the easiest read I've experienced in a very long time. Anybody can read this book but not many people can handle the very adult subject matter. In spite of it all, Henry Chinaski is a very likable character that one can very easily relate to.Book Review: The definition of classic
Summary: 5 Stars
My introduction to the works of Charles Bukowski, Post Office is a scathingly funny tale with some depressing undertones that helped catapault Bukowski to fame. Henry Chinaski lives a redundant life of women, booze, the race track, more booze, and working as a mail carrier. Anything the least bit good that comes his way is eventually extinguished, whether it be a certain woman or a run of luck with the horses, and it's all illustrated here with dripping sarcasm and sly wit. There's really not much else to the story, and there is no need for there to be either, as Post Office offers a truly unique look into the uncompromising mind of one of the true great writers of the past thirty plus years. If you've never read any of Bukowski's novels or poetry, Post Office is a more than perfect place to start.Book Review: The job from Hades
Summary: 4 Stars
Henry "Hank" Chinaski gets a temporary Christmas job with the Post Office as a carrier, with an ease that is surprising to him. He finds himself delivering the mail and getting laid, which doesn't seem to interrupt his home life consisting of Betty and booze. Then he signs on as a full time substitute and works for the boss from hell, Mr. Jonstone. Jonstone regularly gives Hank the worse routes, for Hank isn't afraid to voice his distaste for his job.
He takes a break from the post office to spend a brief time married to wealthy Joyce, who just as suddenly as they were married, divorces him. Then it's back to the Post Office, this time as a clerk, where Hank spends another twelve years of his life. Hank hates his job, and much prefers booze, the racetrack, and women. Though being disciplined many times, he still manages to hold his job.
'Post Office' is a funny tale, told in first-person by Hank Chinaski. There's humor, hatred, and rants galore. With both his personal life and his job unstable, Hank has a hard time coming to grips with any kind of health or happiness. My favorite part was the "A$$hole" speech after he and Joyce eat Chinese food. 'Post Office' was written in 1971, then in 1975 Bukowski wrote 'Factotum', also about Hank Chinaski. I believe 'Factotum' was Hank's youth, and that 'Post Office', the earlier book, is about Chinaski's later years. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong on this. While 'Post Office' is a good read (and very fast), I liked 'Factotum' much better. Charles Bukowski is an excellent writer, and you could do far worse than picking up this intelligent, funny, engaging rant against employment. Enjoy!
Book Review: True to life - beautiful and sad
Summary: 5 Stars
There are already so many reviews of this title, that I may not be saying anything new. Yet, I feel there is one piece missing. Bukowski was a fascinating author and although I do find his short stories to be among the best shorts ever written, I also enjoy his longer pieces, such as the Post Office.
Bukowski's writing always fills me with inspiration. His short, seemingly uncombed, sentences penetrate my brain like spears, flow off the tongue with ease, and never fail to leave something behind, long after I am done with the book. I admire his style, his honesty, his raw nature, and his unique approach when it comes to portraying life in its purest. He does not try to impress with elaborate sentence structure or flowery vocabulary, he does not try to romanticize life. His views, his images, his words...are all real; as real as it gets.
Bukowski's alter ego, Henry Chinaski, is a man -- a simple, living, breathing man, playing whatever cards life had dealt him. He is a smoking, drinking, farting, gambling man struggling to maintain his head above water, while bound by the chains society ties him with. He is moving through life, seemingly with a certain nonchalance, yet suffering. Suffering from the all-too-human condition many of us know. For one, he is not attached enough to bleed when faced with a loss, yet, he is not completely detached to be indifferent when served a blow. And he is served plenty of blows.
Whoever put together this edition, decided to call it "one of the funniest books ever written" I disagree. Bukowski, and Henry Chinaski's "adventures" are humorous, but most of all, his stories are sad. Sad on the human level. While reading, we are bound to smile, laugh and grin, yet, below the surface, between the lines, is hidden human suffering. Suffering we can all relate to, whether dealing with an "impossible" life partner, or with the "evil" boss, we all have something in common with Chinaski. We may not drink as much, smoke as much, eat better, live in better conditions, but we can relate. And this is exactly what makes Bukowski as relevant today, as it did when the book was first published. It is the most precious of connections -- connecting with the author on a human level.
Along with Miller, Steinbeck, Kerouac, Harold Maine and Albert Cossery, Bukowski remains one of my favorite authors; the sort of author I can go back to at any time and find his writing relevant and entertaining. If you never read Bukowski, go give him a try. You won't be disappointed.
Book Review: Unique, entertaining, and dirty ... it's Bukowski
Summary: 5 Stars
After reading a hundred or so of Bukowski's poems and enjoying most of them, I decided to give Post Office a try. This was a grown-up's The Catcher in the Rye, something most of us toiling in lower-to-middle-class can relate to.