This book is brilliant. The narrative may leap around as one reader put it. However you always understand where it is headed. The characters are fairly well drawn and believable. The narrator who guides us along is world weary and cynical enough that his views seem to make sense but not so jarring that they ever drag you out of the story. Having some knowledge of Bukowski is useful but not I think essential. Basically after reading it I decided to buy it for all my friends whenever their birthday arrives. A task which I'm still completing because I believe it is a book that should be read by everybody. As anyone it seems to me can get something different out of it, some moment that resonates with them. How many authors can we say that about now?

This is a great book. Definitely in the spirit of Bukowski. The narrative is basically all over the place, but the writing is so damn good. Buy this. Definitely.