If you enjoy reading novels by Charles Bukowski then you might also like the following authors:
John Fante wrote stories filled with raw emotion, focusing on flawed and ambitious characters. If you’re into Bukowski’s style, Fante’s work might hook you right away.
His novel “Ask the Dust” tells the story of Arturo Bandini, a struggling writer living in Los Angeles during the Great Depression. Arturo dreams of fame but faces constant rejection and poverty.
His encounters with a fiery waitress named Camilla lead to a chaotic and intense relationship, packed with passion and conflict. Fante paints a vivid picture of the city, with its dusty streets, shabby apartments, and fleeting moments of beauty.
Henry Miller was an American author known for his raw and unapologetic writing. His novel “Tropic of Cancer” paints a vivid picture of his life in Paris during the 1930s.
The story is messy and full of energy, following Miller as he navigates poverty, art, and his desire for freedom. The book doesn’t hold back in its descriptions of relationships and the struggles of living as an artist.
With its unfiltered honesty and wild spirit, it echoes the gritty and honest style that fans of Charles Bukowski might appreciate.
Jack Kerouac wrote stories that feel raw and alive, capturing the restless energy of searching for meaning in a chaotic world. His book, “On the Road,” follows Sal Paradise as he travels across America with his friend Dean Moriarty.
The story is full of wild road trips, late-night conversations, and the thrill of living without a plan. There’s a sense of freedom and rebellion, with characters chasing excitement and trying to make sense of their place in the world.
Fans of Bukowski might appreciate the untamed energy and gritty honesty in Kerouac’s writing.
Hunter S. Thompson was an author known for his wild and unapologetic style, often diving headfirst into the chaos of life.
In his book “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” he tells the story of a journalist named Raoul Duke and his attorney, Dr. Gonzo, as they set out on a bizarre road trip to Las Vegas.
Their journey is filled with heavy drug use, surreal encounters, and strange observations of American culture. The story captures the madness of excess and a sense of disillusionment with the world around them.
If you enjoy raw, unfiltered writing with unforgettable characters, this book is a wild ride worth exploring.
Allen Ginsberg was a poet who became a key figure in the Beat Generation, writing with raw honesty and a love for exploring life’s darker edges.
His book “Howl and Other Poems” is a collection that dives into themes of rebellion, loneliness, and the search for meaning in a fractured world. The title poem, “Howl,” opens with a howl of despair for society’s outcasts.
It paints pictures of wanderers in seedy bars, friends lost to madness, and cities pulsing with restless energy. Ginsberg wrote about the lives of those on the fringes with brutal clarity, offering glimpses into a world that often goes unseen.
It’s poetry that feels alive, full of unfiltered emotion and grit.
William S. Burroughs was an American writer known for his raw and unapologetic style. His book “Naked Lunch” stands out as a bold and chaotic narrative.
The story jumps through scenes without warning, following a drug-addicted narrator as he navigates strange and often disturbing worlds. There are bizarre government experiments, shadowy figures, and nightmarish landscapes full of danger and paranoia.
The book is wild and unfiltered, with a dark humor that cuts through its surreal and gritty tone. Fans of Charles Bukowski might enjoy Burroughs for his honest, no-frills approach to storytelling and his refusal to play it safe.
Ernest Hemingway wrote with a straightforward style that packs a punch, focusing on raw, human experiences. One of his novels, “The Sun Also Rises,” follows a group of expatriates in the 1920s as they drift through Europe searching for meaning in their lives.
The story introduces Jake Barnes, a man scarred by war and love, and Lady Brett Ashley, who struggles with her own desires while leaving chaos in her wake. The backdrop of bullfighting in Spain adds an undercurrent of danger and intensity to the characters’ aimless existence.
Hemingway’s writing captures the emptiness and longing of a world trying to heal itself.
Raymond Carver wrote about everyday life in a way that feels raw and honest. His stories often focus on ordinary people dealing with tough moments, leaving you with a sense of stark reality.
In his collection “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love,” he explores relationships and human connections. One story follows two couples sitting around a table, sharing drinks as they talk about the meaning of love.
The conversation reveals their flaws, secrets, and struggles without ever feeling heavy-handed. Carver’s writing shines in the way he captures small moments that carry a lot of weight. If you’re into Bukowski’s stripped-down style, Carver might be a perfect fit.
Hubert Selby Jr. wrote raw and unfiltered stories about people on the fringes of society. His book “Last Exit to Brooklyn” paints a brutal picture of life in a struggling urban neighborhood. The story follows characters dealing with addiction, violence, and poverty.
One of the most memorable parts involves Tralala, a woman who plays men for cash and attention, only to end up in a harrowing situation. Selby’s writing feels honest and cuts deep, which might remind readers of Bukowski’s work.
Charles Baudelaire was a French poet known for capturing the darker sides of human emotion and urban life. His most famous work, “The Flowers of Evil,” is a collection of poems that explores themes like love, despair, decadence, and spiritual struggle.
In these pages, Baudelaire paints vivid scenes of Paris, from its filthy streets to its beauty and chaos. One poem compares a lover’s smile to a dangerous lure, while another dives into the pull between sin and redemption.
His writing has a raw honesty that brings out the ugliness and beauty of existence in equal measure.
Jean Genet was a French writer who often explored society’s outsiders, focusing on raw, gritty themes. His book “Our Lady of the Flowers” dives into the lives of marginalized characters, including drag queens, thieves, and sex workers, set in the shadowy backstreets of Paris.
The story revolves around Divine, a transgender woman, and her relationships. There’s a mix of passion, betrayal, and crime, all told with a blunt yet poetic voice.
Fans of Charles Bukowski may appreciate how Genet doesn’t shy away from life’s brutal truths or from characters who live on the edge.
Tom Waits, known as a singer-songwriter and poet, has a way of capturing the raw, gritty side of life with his words. His book “Hard Ground” pairs his evocative poetry with stark black-and-white photographs of homelessness by Michael O’Brien.
The poems don’t shy away from the harshness of life on the streets. Instead, they dive into the loneliness, resilience, and quiet moments of humanity that come through it. Waits writes with honesty, pulling you into the reality of people often overlooked.
It’s not polished, but that’s what makes it powerful. If you enjoy stories that take you to the rougher edges of existence, this book could resonate.
Larry Brown wrote raw, unvarnished stories about people on the edge of society. His novel “Joe” focuses on a tough but broken man who forms an unexpected bond with a teenage boy.
Joe is trying to escape his own demons, while the boy is dealing with an abusive father and a hard life. The story shows their struggles, moments of harsh violence, and fleeting glimpses of hope.
Brown’s writing feels honest, showing flawed characters who don’t always make the right choices but feel real all the same.
Richard Brautigan was an American writer known for his quirky and offbeat style. Fans of Charles Bukowski might appreciate how Brautigan captures raw, everyday moments with humor and heart.
His book “Trout Fishing in America” blends strange imagery and fragmented narratives, creating a world both absurd and poetic. It’s not really about fishing—it’s more of a series of snapshots exploring American life in an unconventional way.
In one part, there’s a bizarre tale about mayonnaise jars in a trout stream, which somehow manages to be funny and a little sad at the same time. Brautigan’s ability to mix the mundane with the surreal sets him apart in a unique way.
Denis Johnson writes with a raw and direct style that feels unfiltered and deeply human, similar to the way Charles Bukowski explored the grittier sides of life.
One of his most well-known books, “Jesus’ Son,” is a collection of interconnected stories about a young man drifting through small towns, bad decisions, and fleeting moments of redemption.
The narrator, who struggles with addiction, encounters strange and broken people, from a hitchhiker covered in blood to a man who claims to hear worms. Johnson reveals beauty in the bleak, making even the smallest moments feel alive and strange.