Henry Chinaski
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Henry 'Hank' Chinaski is the protagonist of five novels by Charles Bukowski, as well as many short stories and poems. Henry Chinaski is also mentioned briefly in the beginning of Bukowski's last novel Pulp. He is a consummate anti-hero: a misanthropic alcoholic who drifts from job to job and woman to woman. He is also an autobiographical character; like Bukowski, Chinaski grows up poor; has liaisons with mostly older women and spends many years in a post office job he hates. He was portrayed by Mickey Rourke in the film Barfly, which Bukowski himself wrote. He was also portrayed by Matt Dillon in the film Factotum, released in 2005.
[edit] Books that feature Henry Chinaski
- Confessions of a Man Insane Enough to Live With the Beasts (1965)
- Post Office (1971)
- South of No North (1973)
- Factotum (1975)
- Women (1978)
- Ham on Rye (1982)
- Hot Water Music (1983)
- Hollywood (1989)
- Septuagenarian Stew (1990)
[edit] References in popular culture
[edit] Music
- Mentioned in the song "Stealing Happy Hours" by the band 311
"Don't wait one minute more to ask me You make me feel like Hank Chinaski In war all the time, war war all the time"
- The name of electronic artist Venetian Snares' cat Chinaski was used to name two songs he made: "Chinaski" and "Chinaski R.I.P."
- Mentioned in the title of the song, "Henry Chinaski Likes 'Em Thick" on the Gammera album, "Smoke and Mirrors".
- Mentioned in the song What It Takes by Dr.Ring Ding (Featuring Vic Ruggiero)
'What does it take to be like Hank Chinaski' 'All that it takes is just a little ham on rye'
