In 1942, Bukowski left Los Angeles to strike out on his own and see the country. In the same year, he worked at Fairmount Motors in Phillie for a time.

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Bukowski worked at this location making auto transmission parts for Borg-Warner for a brief time in 1941 after dropping out of Los Angeles City College.

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Throughout Bukowski's work, he often references the time he spent in a sun-lit library reading many classic books. That library was the Baldwin Hills branch of the Los Angeles Public Library system.

Later on he said, "A library was a good place to be when you had nothing to drink or to eat, and the landlady was looking for you and the back rent money."

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The Bukowski's family home, Charles lived here off and on from 1926 onward. While at this residence, Bukowski started at the Mount Vernon Junior High School in 1933. In 1936, he enrolled at Susan Miller Dorsey High School, and transferred to Los Angeles High School in 1937.

It was at this location that Bukowski's father threw his writings and possessions on the front lawn after reading his short stories. Charles moved to a room on Temple Street after that.

His first publications occurred while at this location.

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A young Charles Bukowski lived at this location from 1926 to 1930. He attended the Virginia Road Elementary School. While the family was at this address, Bukowski's father drove a dairy truck for L.A. Creamery.

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