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Ham On Rye: A Novel
 
 
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Ham On Rye: A Novel (Paperback)

by Charles Bukowski (Author) "The first thing I remember is being under something ..." (more)
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (105 customer reviews)
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Product Description

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Charles Bukowski's fourth novel, Ham on Rye, is the semi-autobiographical story of the early years of his alter ego Henry Chinaski. It is a finely written and honest account of the painful childhood of a boy marked out from his peers. Regularly beaten by his father, Chinaski is shown growing through his difficult and violent adolescence (struck with the worst case of acne his doctors have ever seen) through to the first jobs he can't and won't hold down. In this moving story of growing up Bukowski disciplines his muscular, concentrated writing and creates a novel that distils his poetry into the finest full-length piece of prose that he ever wrote. Bukowski is often good but in Ham on Rye he's great.

Sadly, best known as the alcoholic inspiration for the film Barfly (an experience he reflected on in his book Hollywood), it is as a poet, rather than a drunk, that Bukowski should be best remembered. His bitter, caustic, direct, humane, damaged poetry reflects a life dominated by poverty and booze. His poetry stretches over many, many volumes but Bukowski also wrote great novels: all of them have many faults but the first four books he wrote shine for similar reasons. Post Office and Factotum both dissect, quite brilliantly, the life of an angry, poor man forced to do mindless jobs, pushed around and considered mindless by the fools who force him to do them. Women, as Roddy Doyle points out in his short introduction, continues the themes but focuses on the numerous women who share his hero's bed and bottle. --Mark Thwaite --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.



Product Description

In what is widely hailed as the best of his many novels, Charles Bukowski details the long, lonely years of his own hardscrabble youth in the raw voice of alter ego Henry Chinaski. From a harrowingly cheerless childhood in Germany through acne-riddled high school years and his adolescent discoveries of alcohol, women, and the Los Angeles Public Library's collection of D. H. Lawrence, Ham on Rye offers a crude, brutal, and savagely funny portrait of an outcast's coming-of-age during the desperate days of the Great Depression.

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Ham On Rye: A Novel
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Ham On Rye: A Novel 4.7 out of 5 stars (105)
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Customer Reviews

105 Reviews
5 star:
 (84)
4 star:
 (13)
3 star:
 (7)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:
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Average Customer Review
4.7 out of 5 stars (105 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Great writing from a master, Mar 2 2006
This review is from: Ham On Rye (Paperback)
HAM ON RYE is one of my all-time favorite novels. In all of Bukowski's work there is a constant search for truth and freedom. With every breath that Bukowski takes he is locked in a fevered struggle with the forces around him that contiually attempt to make him walk the path of the common man. His writing has been likened to that of McCrae (think, his KATZENJAMMER) and for a good reason: both men have a knack for keen observation, wit, and writing style that knocks you over. But Bukowski sees this “common man path” as nothing more than falling into a lock step towards certain death. Though he portrays himself as a repulsive type of human being, he is able to convince us that it is the world around him that is far more repulsive. In Ham On Rye, we are lead through the more meaningful chapters of Bukowski's childhood and early adulthood. There are very few pieces of literature that reaches readers with more honesty. I plow through Bukowski like I do Cap'n'Crunch. The man inspires drunken poetry on hot summer nights- while talking about women, booze, masturbation, classical music, & horse racing. This book is my new favorite. Why? Because while facinating the reader with lurid tales of a painful and depressing childhood, Bukowski makes us laugh, cry, and feel sorry for that kid we made fun of in 7th grade. If you liked POST OFFICE or McCrae’s KATZENJAMMER, then you’ll love HAM ON RYE as well. All are great, and this novel is the best place to start if you’re new to the BUKOWSKI canon of literature.
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4.0 out of 5 stars Explains things, Oct 8 2009
If you started with his poetry like I did it gives you an idea of where he's coming from, and what his life experience was like up until a certain point. There are probably times when he exaggerates or stretches the truth a bit (at least I hope there are) but it doesn't diminish it's readability. It certainly wasn't an easy life but it was much easier than expected after I'd read so many of his poems. Worth your time.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling, Aug 26 2009
By L. Ramsey - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   
Obviously a man of independent thought, Henry Chinaski the main character and Mr. Bukowskis alter ego suffers the travails of an abusive father and anemic mother who enables his father to continue to bully all those over whom he has power. The consequences for Henry are disastrous. Rather than praise the boy for cutting the familys lawn, Henry is beaten should one strand of grass be longer than the rest. Any chance the boy might find refuge from the cruelty at he experiences at home, is dashed when his adolescence brings with him a debilitating case of acne. But, Henry is tough. His childhood has made him a survivor. He fights one of the preppy boys with whom he attended high school, and, at first, gets pummeled but, eventually, the preppy tires and Henry proceeds to give a thorough beating. A survivor. Ham on Rye is a compelling novel that had me engrossed from beginning to end. Well worth, the few hours required for reading.
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 		 Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars bukowski's finest
sure, some might say this book lacks something, but it certainly isn't writing, and i'm not one of the people who thinks it's lacking anything at all. Read more
Published 22 months ago by T. Bigney

5.0 out of 5 stars Bukowski as "Survivor"
I didn't know what to expect when I picked up Ham on Rye by Bukowski. I'd read some assorted poems and short stories of his that I found amusing because of their bluntness and... Read more
Published on Jul 13 2005 by Tom Hackert

5.0 out of 5 stars Ham On Rye
The book "Ham On Rye" is about a young teenage boy named Henry. Henry is experiencing the normal occurences that a teenage boy his age does. Read more
Published on April 22 2004 by TyRease James

5.0 out of 5 stars Ham on Rye
Ham on Rye is based around the troubles that go along with growing up, in the normal blunt, coarse Bukowski way. Read more
Published on April 22 2004 by mary magnum

3.0 out of 5 stars Unnecessary
I have to say I was a bit disappointed with Bukowski's autobiography. It lacked the humor and immediacy of his other writings. Read more
Published on April 16 2004 by James Ferguson

5.0 out of 5 stars Bukowski as "Survivor"
I didn't know what to expect when I picked up Ham on Rye by Bukowski. I'd read some assorted poems and short stories of his that I found amusing because of their bluntness and... Read more
Published on Mar 19 2004

5.0 out of 5 stars Undisputed mastery in narration...
At one point in this book, the main character has started a reading mission by going to the library, picking out books (mainly the "classics") and reading them frantically. Read more
Published on Mar 8 2004 by Takis Tz.

5.0 out of 5 stars Up Through the Darkness!
HAM ON RYE is the semi-autobiographical story of Charles Bukowski and his unhappy childhood. It's written in a very easy-to-digest style using simple language and may be his... Read more
Published on Feb 24 2004

5.0 out of 5 stars Uttlery Fantastic
I won't bore you with a full detailed explaination of the book or gush for line upon line about how great it is. This book nor the author don't need it. Read more
Published on Feb 16 2004

5.0 out of 5 stars the way writing should be
Charles Bukowski was a genius, and this book for me epitomizes great writing. Succinct and to the point, honest and thought-provoking, without any of the superfluous... Read more
Published on Feb 3 2004 by Scott Taylor

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