Factotum (15)

Factotum
Charles Bukowski
read 5/28/08

Another Bukowski book, I am half way though his novels now. This book roughly picks up with his life where Ham on Rye leaves off. It follows him as he travels back and forth across the country working, drinking, living. There isn't much suspense in the book you know what will happen.. he will get drunk and get fired then look for another job, repeat. But it is told in a compelling way that you just can not put down the book. I think what the book does well is capture a point in time (early to mid 40s) that does not exist any more. Rooming houses, moving in and out of meager jobs, roaming around the country.. you just can not do this in todays world.. as these things do not exist in the same fashion today. A realistic look at the gritty world that nobody talks about.