A lot of people wonder, "Where am I?" It's a good question in general, but specifically, right now, you are on the doorstep of the world's premiere Charles Bukowski web site. You are probably here to see manuscripts or search for a poem or story. Maybe you are here to find spiritual enlightenment. We have that too.

It could very well be that you don't know why you're here. You heard a song or read a reference somewhere or saw a dance recital where some teenaged girls were interpreting a Bukowski work and you wondered, "Who could have inspired such a gripping work of art?"

His name was Charles Bukowski. American author, prolific poet, short story writer and novelist. He was born on August 16, 1920, and I hate to be the one to break it to you, but he died on March 9, 1994. If you wanted to write him a fan letter, you're too late.

You've heard of his novel Women, and probably Post Office. But you have some catching up to do. Read Ham on Rye, Factotum and Hollywood, then dive in to the short story collections like South of No North and Hot Water Music. If you still haven't had enough, start reading the poetry. Look at the left side of this page. See that link that says "Checklist"? That's a list of every Bukowski book. Print it out and put it under your pillow.

If you have questions you can always ask them in the forum. We love answering questions and we love you too. While you're here, look at the other links and get swept up in the glory and majesty that is bukowski.net. The comprehensive, searchable poem and short story database is the result of years of research, and the only one of its kind in the world.

You can also read the entire FBI file that was compiled on Bukowski, along with an incredible timeline of his life, dozens of examples of art that he made, photos of Mr. Bukowski, a map showing where he lived and worked so you can go bother the people who live there now.

It's ripe for exploring, this site, and if you want to know anything at all about Bukowski, this is the best place to find it. But we are not here to thump our chests and piss on the competition. No. We are here to elevate and inform, to make your life better, your teeth whiter, and your abs as hard as carbon nanotubes. We are here to make giants of mere mortals, and elevate man to the level of the gods.

Enter. Your questions will be answered, your fears allayed. You will be made to feel normal, even though all indications are that you are not normal at all. Why else would you be here?