The Most Beautiful Woman in Town & Other Stories (1983) is a visceral collection of Charles Bukowski’s gritty, autobiographical short fiction, showcasing his trademark blend of barfly existentialism and transgressive humor. Published by City Lights Books, this compilation includes 38 tales of drunken misadventures, dead-end jobs, and bruised romantic encounters—many featuring Bukowski’s alter ego Henry Chinaski. The title story, a brutal yet poetic account of a doomed beauty’s self-destruction, encapsulates Bukowski’s fascination with society’s outcasts.
The 1983 first edition (softcover with City Lights’ iconic black-and-white design) is a cult favorite, though later Black Sparrow Press hardcovers (1990s) expanded the selection. Unflinching and darkly comic, this is Bukowski at his most raw.
