First published 1988
In a seedy rooming house, a cast of society's castaways scratch out a living. The night janitor, the washed-up boxer, the old drunk - each is haunted by past failures and crushed dreams. As they swap darkly comic tales and bitter reflections, Bukowski lays bare the desperate loneliness of their existence. Yet amidst the grime and despair, moments of fleeting grace emerge, as these resilient souls forge bonds of community and find small pockets of solace.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, american-fiction, 20th-century
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, resilient-souls
Setting: United States
Period: 20th Century
272 pages · Paperback · Ecco
Content warnings: alcohol-abuse, depression, mental-illness