Look, I like Bukowski and bought this book... on the recommendations...but so what? It has the reality and Tom Waits style urban edge to it, but too much is off or missing. From his simply wrong attitude towards soft drugs to the unsatisfying gotta-kill-em-off end, I was taken less by the atmosphere of LA in the 30's than the annoyances. Perhaps I should read it again...there is some honest writing here, but by no means five-star stuff. And I like this period and setting, and Chandler for that matter....