The Diary of an Old Drunk

The Diary of an Old Drunk is a book unlike any other: it is a fictional autobiography, a biography, a work of philosophy and a poem. Despite being an imaginary account of the story of a life spent on the street, it gives a very real and poignant insight into the experiences of an outcast and outsider of society. Highlights include poems about nothing, meditations on loneliness, theories of how life is a casino, and heaven is a bar, and even humorous interludes of the little victories that momentarily brighten life on the streets. There are also a number of short stories, where the ‘old drunk’ reminisces about his troubled past, giving clues as how he came to be in the position he is in, and confessing two pivotal romantic affairs – one with a tragic young girl named Chesca, and the other with a troubled prostitute named Grace. The Diary of an Old Drunk is a book of tragedy and pain, but also of great depth and sensitivity. The narrator of the work – known only as the ‘old drunk’ – is a charismatic and engaging writer whose honesty will touch your heart, and whose way of expressing will make you feel as if you are right there on the streets with him.