The best of Bukowski's novels, stories, and poems, this collection reads like an autobiography, relating the extraordinary story of his life and offering a sometimes harrowing, invariably exhilarating reading experience. A must for this counterculture idol's legion of fans."Bukowski writes well, for one thing, with ear-pleasing cadences, wit and perfect clarity....There is real poignancy in the people encountered in his work." "--New York Times Book Review" "Bukowski is the laureate of the Los Angeles underground, an eccentric who sees the world with a clarity of vision possessed only by artists and madmen." "--Los Angeles Times"