Exceptional stories that come pounding out of Bukowski's violent and depraved life. Horrible and holy, you cannot read them and ever come away the same again. This collection of stories was once part of the 1972 City Lights classic, Erections, Ejaculations, Exhibitions and General Tales of Ordinary Madness. That book was later split into two volumes and republished: The Most Beautiful Woman in Town and, this book, Tales of Ordinary Madness. With Bukowski, the votes are still coming in. There seems to be no middle ground—people seem either to love him or hate him. Tales of his own life and doings are as wild and weird as the very stories he writes. In a sense, Bukowski was a legend in his time, a madman, a recluse, a lover; tender, vicious; never the same. "Bukowski … a professional disturber of the peace … laureate of Los Angeles netherworld [writes with] crazy romantic insistence that losers are less phony than winners, and with an angry compassion for the lost."—Jack Kroll, Newsweek "Bukowski’s works are extraordinarily vivid and often bitterly funny observations of people living on the very edge of oblivion. His poetry, in all its glorious simplicity, was accessible the way poetry seldom is a testament to his genius."—Nick Burton, PIF Magazine

Sequel to his most famous book, "More Notes of a Dirty Old Man" features rare Bukowski columns unseen in decades.

An account of Charles Bukowski's 1978 European trip. In 1978 Europe was new territory for Bukowski holding the secrets of his own personal ancestry and origins. En route to his birthplace in Andernach, Germany, he is trailed by celebrity-hunters and paparazzi, appears drunk on French television, blows a small fortune at a Dusseldorf racetrack and stands in a Cologne Cathedral musing about life and death.

We all have problems. Every day, our lives are peppered with a little bit of madness, things that push us over the edge and away from our sanity. Take Robert. He knows those eyes are watching him. What eyes? The ones that are everywhere, lurking in every corner, outside every window. Then there's David, who one day had the irresistible urge to walk out into the middle of traffic. Or Mrs. Yogeswarren, who is so scared of dogs, she has to plan a route ahead of time whenever she wants to go anywhere, just so she can avoid canines of any kind. These are the sorts of people who have to go to the psychiatrist to learn to cope. But what happens when the good doctor begins to identify a little too closely with his patients?

"With Bukowski, the votes are still coming in. There seems to be no middle ground - people seem either to love him or hate him. Tales of his own life and doings are as wild and weird as the very stories he writes. In a sense, Bukowski was a legend in his time ... a madman, a recluse, a lover ... tender, vicious ... never the same ... these are exceptional stories that come pounding out of his violent and depraved life ... horrible and holy, you cannot read them and ever come away the same again."--Page 4 de la couverture.

What do Ken (a poised and witty Pom), Don (a foul-mouthed, fiercely Aussie bloke), and Razz (an apparent nut) have in common? Do yourself a favour and find out while they drive you through the oddest working site on earth.