At the forefront of American counter-culture, his Beat Generation writing is widely celebrated alongside authors such as Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, Richard Brautigan and William S. Burroughs. The autobiographical Ham on Rye is widely considered his finest novel. A classic of American literature, it offers powerful insight into his youth through the prism of his alter-ego Henry Chinaski, who grew up to be the legendary Hank Chinaski of Post Office and Factotum.