Women: A Novel by Charles Bukowski
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Book Reviews of Women: A Novel
Book Review: His Best
Summary: 4 Stars
Of all the books I've read by Charles Bukowski, "Women" has been the one I think about and remember best. "Post Office" is an entertaining read, but it is quite sloppy. "Ham on Rye" is usually heralded as the best of the novels Buk wrote, but it seems to be a novel that only people who know a thing or two about Bukowski should read, to get the most out of what it offers.
"Women" is not only a very amusing novel, and it is very funny when it is funny, but the content gives readers much to debate. For example, this may not be a bad novel to study in a university English class to raise the discussion of whether the content of this novel is pornography (reducing people but more specifically women to nothing but objects) or if there is true feeling, passion, and love going on here. There are many interesting happenings and musings in the novel that conflict on this topic.
I very much enjoyed this novel and I do believe it is Bukowski's best novel, and I urge you to give it a read. It takes no time to read, and he never bored me once. Enjoy.
Book Review: Good but not great Bukowski
Summary: 4 Stars
I just finished Women. While there are some hilarious passages, as you'd expect with Bukowski, I don't think this book measures up to Ham on Rye or Factotum (I have not yet read Post Office, which I suspect will be on the level of those two).
The problem with this one is that it's somewhat repetitive -- just an endless parade of nutty, slutty women through the portals of Chez Chinaski. The other books have liberal doses of sex, but also plenty of Bukowski's keen insights into work and school. In Women, most of the non-sex action involves poetry readings, which obviously offers much more limited opportunities for non-sexual observations.
So read Women, since it provides a vivid picture of yet another period of Bukowski's life, but don't judge him by it.
Book Review: Poetry
Summary: 4 Stars
Read Bukowski's poetry before spending time reading one of his 300 page novels. I rated this at a 4 because Bukowski's poetry is infinitely better than his novels. That being said if you rated this less than 4 stars, you are probably a man-hating feminist.
To say that this novel is "real" or "honest" is to miss the point.
This should not be the first Bukowski you read. Far too abstract.
If you are used to reading straight-foward books that you don't have to think about when you read, do not read this book, you are far too stupid to handle the subject matter. May God have mercy on your soul, you embarrassment to humanity.
This is Art. Deal with it.
Book Review: Prose is direct like pavement
Summary: 4 Stars
This was actually my first Bukowski book I ever read. I had a girlfriend who had started getting into him right after he died... She liked him because he was so bitter. She later broke up with me using a lot of the same reasoning she had for likeing Bukowski! Nevermind that, though...
Buk only wrote about ten or so different stories in most people's minds. What I find most facinating is that he rarely gets boring (there's some horse track stories that I could never finish). The synopsis of "Women" may make the book sound monotonous, but Bukowski's talent is delivering his life in a direct and interesting way.
Book Review: Flip Side of Reality
Summary: 4 Stars
If you read this novel, you really must also read Howard Sounes excellent bio, "Charles Bukowski: Locked in the Arms of a Crazy Life." Bukowski gained renown for being brutally honest, but in fact, he lied a lot to make himself look better. Okay, we all do that, yet it's disappointing in a writer who built his rep on telling the truth, no matter what. His best narrative writing is actually to be found in his poetry, not his novels or short stories. The man was too wasted most of the time to sustain narratives well beyond a few lines (except for "Post Office," his first and best novel.