Charles Bukowski was an American poet, novelist, and short story writer. He was born in Andernach, Germany in 1920 and moved to Los Angeles in his early twenties. Bukowski wrote about the depravity of urban life and the downtrodden of society. His writing style was often raw and unrefined, and he was known for his frank and often humorous depictions of alcoholism, poverty, and loneliness. He wrote over forty-five books of poetry and prose, including Post Office, Women, and Ham on Rye. Bukowski's work has been translated into more than a dozen languages and has been adapted into several films. He died in 1994, leaving behind a legacy of gritty, honest, and often humorous writing.