This is an unedited chapter from Post Office, published in Adam Magazine back in July 1970.
This appearance in Adam preceded the novel by six months.
The text is mostly Chapter IV, 1-6 from the novel. In Post Office, these pages were heavily edited for grammar and style. Four or five paragraphs about Bukowski’s betting system are also removed in Post Office, and a few paragraphs in Post Office were added for a scene with his superintendent (to make it better fit into with the novel).
This is a unique opportunity to experience how Bukowski wanted Post Office to read, not the edited version of the pages that appeared in the book.
This short quote from a Bukowski letter to Carl Weissner from July 11, 1970 explains the situation Bukowski was in at the time:
"By the way, I have sold 3 or 4 chapters from the novel to the dirty mags, one of them out the other day; already paid for the others. That’s before I mailed the typescript to Martin, which is like sending one of your children to the fucking tombs. Anyhow, I typed the stories right out of the typescript and I didn’t hear any complaints about dangling participles…"
This copy is in Near Fine condition with a bump to the lower spine and some light wear to the covers.
Knight Publishing Corp. launched Adam magazine in 1956 as an attempt to follow Playboy's success. The magazine had a long run, surviving until 1996. Between 1970- 1972, Bukowski appeared in six issues with six short stories.
Box 22
