I received this book well packaged along with another, via UPS. Upon opening the package I found the first book in pristine condition as always. Then, I put my hands on this book... It seemed to be covered with some sort of oil, or spilled soda perhaps. It was "sticky," and some of the outer edges of the beginning pages had a brown stain to them. Enraged at first that someone could defile a work from the King himself in such a way, I immediately began the process of salvaging this wonderful collection of poems. It did not take very long and I had this book back into "almost" its original condition, before the brazen attack by some lazy, unfulfilled, warehouse worker. I sat back and examined my work briefly... "all good" I thought. And then my thoughts drifted to the lazy buffoon that was so careless with my book back at the warehouse... I imagined this person on a very long work shift, underpaid, being so careless as to stuff this stained work into a package and then send it to me. I then thought for a brief moment of how perfect the moment really was... this book had arrived to me as stained and tarnished as my entire life has been thus far... I thought of the underpaid, overworked, warehouse worker... and I laughed. Because it was at that moment that I realized... I would have likely done the same thing. Outside of that, and insofar as this purchase is concerned, it is my belief that there is no such thing as a "bad" piece of writing from Mr. Bukowski. I'm very satisfied with this purchase... and I would highly recommend it.