Books like Living on luck by Charles Bukowski

Ernest Hemingway’s Louisiana‑born narrator takes readers through the 1920s Lost Generation—expatriates on Paris’s Left Bank, bullfights in Spain, and the era’s moral and spiritual unraveling.

Charismatic writer Henry Chinaski, an unrepentant alcoholic, reflects on a life of low-paying jobs, excess, and vices as his poetic career finally takes off, revealing the edge of survival and ambition.

Charles Bukowski chronicles his own gritty adolescence in Los Angeles, exposing harsh childhood, teenage angst, and the lure of alcohol and literature during the Great Depression.

Bukowski’s classic follows Henry Chinaski, a wartime‑deferred drifter, as he roams post‑war America in search of odd jobs, cheap booze, and fleeting encounters, painting a raw portrait of low‑life urban living.

A candid, semi‑autobiographical exploration of William S. Burroughs’ life as a heroin addict, spanning New York streets, a Kentucky rehab hospital, New Orleans bars, and Mexico, while confronting money troubles and homosexual relationships.

In "Hollywood," Bukowski’s alter‑ego Henry Chinaski navigates the film industry, turning his real‑life experience on the set of "Barfly" into a satirical, razor‑sharp look at Los Angeles’ movie world.

A collection of correspondence by Charles Bukowski, American poet and writer.

Neither entry of the 2 listed issues of this book here are accurate. Both are miscredited to Charles Bukowski as Author. In no particular order, 1) please note the publication date. It is YEARS after Bukowski died (& years after he got ill to the point where he could no longer write such books even before he died). Bukowski wrote about himself, yes, but within a character -- not as Bukowski. 2) More importantly, the accurate author is not credited at all despite the fact that he wrote this book over 25 years ago - well known - & his name is on the cover. GERALD LOCKLIN is the only author of Charles Bukowski: A Sure Bet. Gerry was Buk's favorite living LA-area writer & he stated many times he felt Gerry was the best writer in LA. They were great, longtime friends. Many people wrote bio-type books, trying to cash in, but few were as qualified to write something about Buk as Gerry.

Henry James’s annotated correspondence reveals the mind of a master novelist, offering insights into his works, literary craft, and views on sex, politics, and friendship through letters to writers, artists, and leaders.

In "Ask the Dust", John Fante’s Arturo Bandini, a struggling writer in 1930s Los Angeles, forms a precarious love‑hate bond with waitress Camilla Lopez while grappling with ambition, poverty and the quest for identity.

Louisa May Alcott's early writings, based on diary entries from the ages of eleven and thirteen, offer insights into her thoughts, feelings, and early poetic efforts.

A preserved archive of letters between Henry Miller and his devoted publisher James Laughlin, revealing their creative partnership, literary debates, and personal confidences that shaped 20th‑century American literature.