Charles Bukowski : locked in the arms of a crazy life

Legendary Californian writer Charles Bukowski, who died in 1994, became world famous for his semi-autobiographical books about low-life America. Classic novels like Post Office and Women made this one-time bum and lifelong alcoholic rich and famous, and culminated in the making of a major Hollywood movie, Barfly, based on his life.

In this, the first ever critical biography of Bukowski, author Howard Sounes has drawn on years of exhaustive research?including new interviews with virtually all Bukowski's friends, his family and his many lovers, as well as unprecedented access to his private letters and unpublished writing—to reveal the extraordinary true story of the Dirty Old Man of American literature.

Outrageous and often uproariously funny, the revelations in Locked in the Arms of a Crazy Life will surprise existing fans of Bukowski's work and delight those who are just discovering this great inconoclast.

The biography is illustrated with over fifty never-before-published personal photographs and features unique contributions from movie star friends of Bukowski's, like Mickey Rourke and Harry Dean Stanton, as well as many of the greatest names in American literature, including Norman Mailer and Allen Ginsberg.

Praise for Charles Bukowski:

'With no shortage of anecdotes, pictures or big names, this biography is so thorough and sharp that it may as well be the last.'

Arena

'This biography is an affectionate and thorough introduction that will not be rivalled for some time. Its effect is to revitalise rather than reduce Bukowski's work: poems and stories that help keep people alive.'

Independent

'Bukowski's story is both tragic and uplifting...His life story is about the closest to Dickens you're likely to get in the 1990s.'

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