Pulp (novel)

Pulp is a 2020 crime fiction novel by American author Charles Bukowski, published posthumously. It was the last novel Bukowski completed before his death in 1994.

The novel is a metafictional work, parodying pulp fiction conventions, particularly those of detective novels and science fiction. It follows the life of private investigator Nicky Belane, who struggles to find clients and solve cases. The narrative is episodic and features outlandish plot elements, absurd situations, and encounters with bizarre characters.

Pulp is characterized by Bukowski's signature writing style, including its gritty realism, straightforward prose, and dark humor. The novel explores themes of mortality, the meaning of life, and the absurdity of existence, all filtered through a distinctly Bukowskian lens. The inclusion of figures such as Celine and an alien named Lady Death underscores the novel's self-aware and satirical nature. While ostensibly a crime novel, Pulp ultimately transcends genre, serving as a philosophical rumination on life, death, and the act of writing itself.