Factotum
Ratings52
Average rating3.8
One of Charles Bukowski's best, this beer-soaked, deliciously degenerate novel follows the wanderings of aspiring writer Henry Chinaski across World War II-era America. Deferred from military service, Chinaski travels from city to city, moving listlessly from one odd job to another, always needing money but never badly enough to keep a job. His day-to-day existence spirals into an endless litany of pathetic whores, sordid rooms, dreary embraces, and drunken brawls, as he makes his bitter, brilliant way from one drink to the next.Charles Bukowski's posthumous legend continues to grow. Factotum is a masterfully vivid evocation of slow-paced, low-life urbanity and alcoholism, and an excellent introduction to the fictional world of Charles Bukowski.
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Factotum chronologically follows Ham on Rye. As we witness a Chinaski in his early 20s he bums around the states working one shit job after another. As usual it's full of rage and resentment with brief comic relief, it's fun to see the eyes of the world through Bukowski, if anyone's ever worked a string of dead end jobs then you'll find a kindred spirit in this book. The misery, boozing and self destruction is unrelenting and it feels a bit repetitive after a while. It was a fun read with good writing but that was about it.
Don't know how to rate this. My first Bukowski, recommended to me as a Disco Elysium lover. A raw, depressing and funny depiction of a working class alcoholic, roaming aimlessly around WW2-period USA.
