After reading Factotum (1 Viewer)

I noticed at least 3 of the chapters relating almost entirely to short stories. So I'm left wondering if the short stories were taking from the book or if Bukowski just decided to throw them in being such good stories they were. Any knowledge on this?
 
he's been working on 'Factotum' for many years (1970-1974). he even lost interest in it at times.
my guess is, he filled it up with these anecdotes from 'notes' and 'Erections' to get it done.
have i ever mentioned, i find 'Factotum' to be his weakest novel?
 
Bukowski published sections from Post Office, Women and Factotum in the LA Free Press and in the girlie magazines. He wrote "episodically"--i.e. in linked-story form so it was easy to detach sections and submit them to periodicals. He also revised his writing after it appeared in the periodicals as he shaped it into novel form.
 
Both David and roni make good points. You'll even find some of the stories from short stories and novels showing up in poems here and there.

have i ever mentioned, i find 'Factotum' to be his weakest novel?

In terms of novel form, it may be his weakest, but I loved it. Who can forget the story about the too-small suit, the shelves of light fixtures falling down or the classic bit between him and Manny about how difficult they perceived women to be:

"Get one you like to fuck."
"Yes, but if you drink or gamble they think it's a put-down of their love."
"Get one who likes to drink, gamble and fuck."
"Who wants a woman like that?"

Brilliant stuff.
 
Factotum includes some of the best dialogues the man has written, imho.

"I'm a writer temporarily down on my inspirations."
"Oh, a writer, eh?"
"Yes."
"Are you sure?"
"No, I'm not."
"What do you write?"
"Short stories mostly. And I'm halfway through a novel."
"A novel, eh?"
"Yes."
"What's the name of it?"
"'The Leaky Faucet of My Doom.'"
"Oh, I like that. What's it about?"
"Everything."
"Everything? You mean, for instance, it's about cancer?"
"Yes."
"How about my wife?"
"She's in there too."
 

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