John Fante: The American Dostoevsky? Unraveling the Madness of ‘Ask the Dust’

Episode 56: In the late '90s, I had dinner in New York with Bret Easton Ellis, most known the controversial novel ‘American Psycho’. Not only was he completely unlike the press’s portrayal of him, but he was helpful to me as a writer, recommending John Fante's ‘Ask the Dust’ and other books in the Bandini Quartet. The protagonist, Arturo Bandini, turns out to be Fante’s literary alter ego, an aspiring writer in 1930s L.A., immersed in artistic struggle, tortured love, and abject self-doubt. Fante's storytelling, described as "furiously egocentric" by the critic Janet Maslin, reminds me of an American Dostoevsky. The Bandini Quartet stands as a legit American classic.
Books mentioned:
Less Than Zero, by Bret Easton Ellis (1985)
American Psycho, by Bret Easton Ellis (1991)
The Bandini Quartet:
Wait Until Spring Bandini, by John Fante, published by Black Sparrow Press (1936)
The Road to Los Angeles, by John Fante, published by Black Sparrow Press (1938)
Ask the Dusk, by John Fante, published by Black Sparrow Press (1939)
Dreams from Bunker Hill, by John Fante, published by Black Sparrow Press (1982)
The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck (1939)
The Day of the Locust, by Nathanael West (1939)
The Big Sleep, by Raymond Chandler (1939)
The John Fante Reader, edited by Stephen Cooper, published by Ecco Press (2002)
Notes from Underground, by Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1864)
Crime and Punishment, by Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1866)
Films mentioned:
Chinatown, directed by Roman Polanski, screenplay by Robert Towne (1974)
Ask the Dust, directed by Robert Towne (2006)
A Sad Flower in the Sand, a documentary, directed by Jan Louter (2001): • John Fante - A Sad Flo...
#johnfante #askthedust #bookreview

[@dsbau]

Nice. I read this when a friend recommended it. What I remember is the incredible, painful, honesty. It was almost confronting to read. Another thing was has portrait of LA in that era, it was so different, the way the economy worked was totally different and chronicled it in such an interesting way. Good work!

[@book_rants]

"Confronting to read." I like that!

[@DismasM]

Somehow I discovered Fante before I did Bukowski, about the same time Less Than Zero and Bright Lights were making such a splash in the early 80s. Thank goodness for old school independent bookstores that gave shelf space to such stuff. And imprints like Black Sparrow.

[@book_rants]

I'd heard of Bukowski but hadn't read him when I discovered Fante. Black Sparrow was the best.

[@words911]

Road to Los Angeles is such a gem. Funny as hell.

[@verdehue6319]

Thanks for the recommendation, you are a very captivating speaker!

[@book_rants]

You're welcome for the review. And thanks for the encouragement.

[@leafyconcern]

Currently reading "Ask The Dust." Liking it so far. I'm gonna finish it today, probably. Then I plan to make a video. This suggestion that he could be Dostoevskian will be fun to think about as I finish the book.

[@book_rants]

Once you make the video, please add it to the comments here. I would be interested in seeing it.

[@barflytom3273]

the film sucks. good job. thank you.

[@book_rants]

@@barflytom3273 I suspected that it would suck. Thanks for the comment, man.

[@MikeKnittel-ve3wd]

Nice to have discovered this review of 'Ask the Dust'. Enjoyed it very much. Usually after I've acquired 50-60 books or so I sell them to the used bookstore. As a result I've bought 'Ask the Dust' maybe 10 times now, and it feels just as fresh and spry with each read. I don't think I've ever read a book with lines that feel so bouncy and alive. Pure magic, this book. And a great review here, John. I've subscribed and I'm looking forward to more.

[@book_rants]

Bouncy and alive, that's a great way to describe his prose. Thanks for watching, man, and for your words of encouragement.

[@MikeKnittel-ve3wd]

A quick aside: I had a short email correspondence with Dan Fante, John's son (also a writer, for those that don't know) a few years before he died. Lovely guy, very supportive. He wrote gritty, first person stuff. Kind of Bukowski'ish, but better in my view. He wrote a series of books about the adventures and misadventures of his alter ego (Bruno Dante), much like his father had with Bandini. Anyway, might make for interesting book reviews here, for what it's worth.

[@book_rants]

@@MikeKnittel-ve3wd I had no idea, although I remember his son being very articulate in the documentary. His dad is a tough act to follow, for sure.

[@kurikeshgeorge]

👍🏾 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

[@book_rants]

Thanks for the response, man. Appreciate it.

[@wildweasel8564]

The relationship between Arturo and Camilla it a tragedy.

[@book_rants]

Yes, it is!

[@wildweasel8564]

It never fails to amaze me that victims of oppression become the oppressors.

[@scoon2117]

Awesome experience, do you still have your manuscript

[@book_rants]

@@scoon2117 No, but I still have the long letter that he wrote me about it. I should do a short video about that one day.

[@scoon2117]

@@book_rants absolutely.

[@scoon2117]

Also have you ever come across Kenneth Patchen?

[@book_rants]

@@scoon2117 Vaguely. What work do you recommend by him?

[@scoon2117]

@book_rants the Journal of Albion moonlight, or his collected poetry He's excellent, and invented the picture poem.

[@bjwnashe5589]

I always thought Ellis seemed like a good person in interviews, and I like his books a lot. His literary taste strikes me as impeccable. The books he talks about are always fantastic. Ask the Dust is no exception. I enjoyed your discussion here.

[@book_rants]

@@bjwnashe5589 I agree. Ellis has fantastic taste in books and films. Thanks for the comment, man!

[@frizzyrascal1493]

One of my all time favorite novels. I can‘t wait to read more from Dante and old Buk‘. The writing is off the charts, I loved the book but you‘re right about the Marijuana stuff, however it’s totally possible to smoke yourself into craziness.

[@book_rants]

I wonder if he made it marijuana because it was easier for the average reader at that time to assimilate and make sense of. Anyway, it's a very, very minor criticism. I appreciate the comment, man.

[@frizzyrascal1493]

@@book_rants You‘d be right with your assessment, the scene where they buy drugs for two dollars is also hilarious to read. It was 1940, there was all kinds of propaganda going for the war and everything.

[@keithlongley362]

I was going to go into a long spiel how much i love great books,but you summed it up for me perfectly. Dostoevsky,Cervantes, Tolstoy, Ayn Rand, Bukowski, to name but a few...and now John Fante.

[@book_rants]

That is a list of some great names. And I, too, think Fante deserves to be on it. Thanks for watching, man!

[@sojourn-gv4ue]

Your descriptions of Fante and his writings were truly enriching...Much thanks! I will most definitely review your other ¨rants¨. A good day to you. ss

[@book_rants]

Thanks for the comment, Sojourn. Love the tag name. Perfect for an inveterate reader.

[@FiestaToros]

Thanks for highlighting this sometime forgotten great writer that is John Fante and his masterpiece “Ask the dust”, for me a tough and great reading! beautiful this definition as the “American Dostoevskij”

[@book_rants]

I'm impressed by how well-read you are in American (U.S.) literature.

[@readinsteadbyjake]

Ask the Dusk sounds like a beautiful novel, but unfortunately you spoiled too much of the story for me ever to pick it up now….no biggie

[@book_rants]

Trust me, Jake. Fante is about the voice, not the story. It's how he tells the story, not what happens that makes it special.And, you could always read one of the other Arturo Bandini books. There are four, as I say in the video.

[@readinsteadbyjake]

@@book_rants Thank you for your response. Tbh, pros had always been the least of things I look for in a novel. It mattered much less than other things like plot, characters, setting. But then I read All Quiet On The Western Front. And my opinion of pros changed dramatically. Now I appreciate it much more. I know that pros, and skilled wordsmiths are things that you champion. All that to say, I’m glad I found your channel!

[@sarofeen]

Excellent.

[@book_rants]

👊

[@larrycarr4562]

Great review… need to add this to the to read list. Thanks!

[@book_rants]

You'll love it, Larry. Also, it's a short book.

[@larrycarr4562]

@@book_rants and special thanks to the link to Sad flower in the sand! No Celtics, I plan on viewing it tonight!

[@book_rants]

I thought the doc got it right,@@larrycarr4562

[@larrycarr4562]

Interesting the film was fund by a Dutch grant… very well done. I liked the interspersed dramatic narrative from Ask the Dust with the images of LA and the excellent interviews, particularly his stoic wife. Got a good sense of the angry, alienated and impassioned young Italian artist in LA … concluding with a blind, leg less man narrating his final book to his wife. Just wow!

[@book_rants]

It would be wonderful to see in HD. That was my only problem with the doc. It's poor visual quality.