# Ham on Rye by Charles Bukowski



## strangedaze (May 24, 2005)

Ah, what to say about Charlie B, poet laureate of skid row?

Ham on Rye is the semi-autobiographical tale of Henry Chinaski, Buk's literary alter ego, as he gets drunk, attacks people, suffers from horrible acne, and gets drunk again. And tries to have sex with people. 

The pros:

.Gritty, vulgar, lots of edge
.Charles Bukowski's characters never take any shit
.Sexuality, and lots of it
.Blue collar lives, as seen from the gutter
.Funny, to boot

The cons:

.This may get my alternative reading card revoked, but I think his writing, stylistically, leaves much to be desired. I don't know what I was expecting, but it was sure as hell more than his technique provided.
.The novel kind of, like, just ends. 
.Without the grit and grime, seems like just another coming of age story

The Bottom Line:

As I've found with most of Bukowski's writing, the content rings my bell but his writing makes me gag. Two and a half to three stars. 

 :3stars:


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## ms. vodka (May 24, 2005)

Dear Droooooooo, aka "assboy", also known as "hottie",


I suggest that you go down to your nearest liquor store and buy a bottle of very cheap booze... what kind, may be decided by your preferences.

now, don't work----ever.  if you have to work... work at a job in a factory doing something completely meaningless...  have sex with only whores... do a whole bunch of drugs...

spend your days betting at the race track, if possible...  at night, write--- a lot.... and have sex with more whores... and get drunk some more.

then after all is said and done, wonder why they are teaching classes on your work at various universities...

then come back and re-review this...

(or, we could just play out the scene that we discussed earlier... :wink: )

love you,
jen


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## strangedaze (May 24, 2005)

Jen,

You're just mad because my breasts are bigger.

Love Andy


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## ms. vodka (May 24, 2005)

at least mine are real!!!


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## ms. vodka (May 25, 2005)

gigi, you need to go put your nose back in "Gingerbread."

there's grown ups talking here.

hugs!

vodka


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## ms. vodka (May 26, 2005)

GAWD!  Gigi do you always have to be RIGHT!!!???

*stomps off to bedroom and slams door*

 :wink:


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## Kira the wanderer (Jun 28, 2005)

Wow. That's all I have to say.


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