Women

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Summary: Buk's Crowning Achievement!
Review: This book reminds me each time of why I read Bukowski- irreverent humor, matter-of-fact vignettes of the daily grind, and a bawdy, uncompromising style written in a language that everyone can, in part, relate to and grin along with. The best of the best from THE master poet and storyteller of the urban struggle. READ IT NOW if you haven't yet...READ IT AGAIN if you have before

Rating:
Summary: One of the Best
Review: After reading hundreds of novels and thinking there was nothing new under the sun, I finally read Bukowski. It was my first and his best. He writes about the poor LA life without sentiment or bitterness. Just reports what he saw and how he felt about it. A revelation for the aspiring novelist

Rating:
Summary: Bukowski's Best
Review: By far the best of Bukowski's "modern" books, this is a wild, picaresque tour through the late author's life with women. It's funny, unexpectedly erotic (as opposed to merely dirty). It's also far more tightly written than some of his other books, which can ramble. The mood is as happy as Bukowski ever gets (still, this ain't no walk in the park) but readers seeking the whole picture should also look at his memoirs of his earlier years, like "Factotum" or "Ham on Rye".

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Summary: Sex, Charles Bukowski style
Review: Henry Chinaski (Charles Bukowski) makes it with one woman after another and finds each experience mildly dissatisfying. He also whines about life and drinks ( A LOT!!!! ). I recommend it 100% !!!

Rating:
Summary: Bukowski at his best on relationships, life
Review: Full-length novel. 100% entertaining. Full of laughs & Buk's own brand of insights... N.B.: The easily offended shouldn't bother w/ this or any other of Buk's work.

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Summary: enter mr. bukowski...
Review: as the first book of charles bukowski's that i ever read, "Women" holds a special place in my heart. it is an insane story of henry chinaski and his misunderstandings and communications with women. autobiographical to an extent, this book, and all of bukowski's, are special because they are so graphically and emotionally honest. no one else paints such candid portraits of the human psyche in its most degenerate and politically incorrect situations. no other author can put so much vulgarity into a work and make it sound as natural as bukowski does. everything and every word in his novels have a place and a meaning, making his writing style so refreshingly satisfying, that you can't help but to live vicariously through his beautiful insanity. "women" introduced me to this great american poet/novelist, and it is my belief that this book definitely makes for a proper introduction to his works.

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Summary: It Really Made Me Laugh
Review: Women by Charles Bukowski is definitely a book worth owning, if you don't mind the kind of book that is often a little vulgar, raw, and yes "real." The story revolves, of course, around Buk's relationships with women, and the accounts themselves are totally hilarious and side-splitting. It's also one of those rare accounts of a man "past his prime" taking a final stab at the game of romance. It starts out with an account of Chinaski admitting he's a "loser." Dig this: "I was 50 years old and hadn't been to bed with a woman for four years...the idea of having a relationship with a woman -- even on non-sexual terms -- was beyond my imagination." Right then, from page one, I was hooked. The book then proceeds to show his disastrous attempts at altering this situation -- and the results are just hilarious! And it's the humor that makes this novel work. Next to The Losers Club by Richard Perez, which is also about relationships and the humiliation of daily life, Women by Charles Bukowski is by far the most fun I've had reading this year! Buy it!

Rating:
Summary: With wine comes truth
Review: Bukowski is the king of seedy, dark honesty. He releases the drunk bumb in all of us and doesn't make us feel guilty about it. His encounters with various women and booze throughout the book are crisp and honest. He doesn't hide, he doesn't run from the things which may be uncomfortable. If the humor and drunken folly in "Women" had you falling over, much like "Post Office," visit "School of Marble and Mud" by Dean. He's just as gritty, drunk and hilarious as Bukowski.

Rating:
Summary: Very Funny...but Try it for Yourself.
Review: I enjoyed this book a lot. From the beginning, Chinaski states how he's intimidated by women, can't imagine himself in a relationship, etc. You can tell he feels crappy about himself, so right off he gains your sympathy.

Early on, he meets Lydia, who is an excellent foil for Chinaski, having much attitude herself and an impulsive (maybe crazy) nature; when that relationship falls apart, Henry goes on to other encounters...and the novel continues that way. Most of the women he meets seem nutty or highly unconventional -- or at least that's how Bukowski paints it (maybe for comic purposes -- the book really is a burlesque comedy.

What I loved about this book is the great humor, the blunt honesty of Bukowski (as always); he's a bastard and he's aware of it; but also full of insecurities and fearful of women (who are able to get to him, emotionally).

Henry (who is obviously Bukowski) is able to meet so many women because of his (then) growing reputation as a writer and poet. "Fans" emerge to offer themselves to him. At one point Henry receives a letter from an admirer who states how important Henry's work has been to him -- and how he'd like to meet him. Henry (as Bukowski might) simply throws the letter in the trash, stating something like "Poor bastard -- he didn't have a p*ssy!" It's cruel but also cold-hearted funny and somehow realistic. (Bukowski doesn't write phony "feel good" books.)

If the novel, WOMEN, has has a fault, it's that it's a little bit repetitive. He keep meeting women, then more women...on and on. The relationships don't go anywhere, but he moves on. It's not a carefully plotted novel where all the pieces fit together like a puzzle; it's more like real life, which often seems pointless. But I always found myself looking forward to reading more -- mostly because of the humor. So I recommend this funny book. I need also to thank the previous reviewer who mentioned another book called THE LOSERS' CLUB by Richard Perez (actually the book is called THE LOSERS' CLUB: Complete Restored Edition). This book, like WOMEN, is also about relationships. And Bukowski himself figures as a character in the book. When the main character of that novel is not collecting rejection letters, he's idolizing Bukowski, his mentor and hero. Anyway, cool book. Very funny too. But try WOMEN if you dig Bukowski and can appreciate his kind of raw humor. Bukowski is really a one-of-a- kind author.

Rating:
Summary: Buk's Women--Depressing, Beautiful.
Review: I've been acquainted with Bukowski for a while now, but never got around to reading Women until a few weeks ago. The book is, in my opinion, likely his most depressing and weighty--which isn't to say it's unenjoyable--it is. It's fun, but it's not light by any stretch.

Perhaps the most striking aspect of the book is the pattern that emerges around Chinaski (Buk). The characters are, for the most part, in and out like through a revolving door, but each is deeply human and well-rendered, distinct. The importance of the pattern isn't necessarily the simple fact that it exists, but rather that Chinaski seems to let it go past him--he's not the type to try to hold on to much of anything. This makes him something of an endearing (...), and this, as with any Bukowski work, is the immediate draw. But the story's deeper than that, deeper than just the words existent on the page--this is goddamn good writing.

His words punch you in the mouth and make you see the story from every angle in their simplicity. There's nobody quite like Bukowski, and Women is shining evidence of that.