Bukowski spent the most of his life in Los Angeles. After a 10-year hiatus from writing and traveling around the United States as an impoverished alcoholic vagabond, he returned to Los Angeles and resumed publishing poems in 1955. He died in San Pedro, California at the age of 42 after suffering a heart attack while sitting in a bar. Bukowski published several books of poetry during his lifetime. His first book, Post Office, was released in 1953 when he was only 23 years old. It was followed by more than 20 additional volumes over the next few decades. Bukowski's work is known for its emotional intensity and raw honesty about life on the edge of poverty. He also developed a following among young people in the 1970s and 1980s due to his explicit portrayal of heroin addiction in America. After graduating from high school, Bukowski worked various jobs including truck driver, waiter, and gas station attendant to make ends meet. In 1945, he started writing regularly for a Hollywood newspaper called The Hollywood Reporter. Two years later, he moved to New York City to work as a reporter for the same paper until 1950. In 1952, he returned to Los Angeles and took a job as a mailman so he could write full time. During his lifetime, Bukowski published nearly every poem he wrote.