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Ask the Dusk (Paperback)

by John Fante (Author) "I was a young man, starving and drinking and trying to be a writer ..." (more)
4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (66 customer reviews)

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Product Description

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This book is another sterling recommendation from the Saltzman workshop. The under-appreciated Fante's second outing details the adventures of his alterego, Arturo Bandini, as the struggling young writer tackles Los Angeles in the late 1930s. And take it from personal experience, tackling L.A. as a destitute young scribe some decades later isn't much different. In other words: Fante gets it right and sets it down in his Chianti-steak-and-potatoes style, with prose both simple and rich. This Black Sparrow edition has a bonus: Charles Bukowski's great preface on how Fante stacks up against writers that were at once more famous--and far more anemic. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description

Ask the Dust is a virtuoso performance by an influential master of the twentieth-century American novel. It is the story of Arturo Bandini, a young writer in 1930s Los Angeles who falls hard for the elusive, mocking, unstable Camilla Lopez, a Mexican waitress. Struggling to survive, he perseveres until, at last, his first novel is published. But the bright light of success is extinguished when Camilla has a nervous breakdown and disappears . . . and Bandini forever rejects the writer's life he fought so hard to attain.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
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I was a young man, starving and drinking and trying to be a writer. Read the first page
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Customer Reviews

66 Reviews
5 star:
 (51)
4 star:
 (9)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:
 (5)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.6 out of 5 stars (66 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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5.0 out of 5 stars fante at his finest, Jan 16 2008
By T. Bigney (Nova Scotia, canada) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Ask The Dust (Paperback)
the best book john fante ever wrote, and that's saying something, as all his other books were gems as well.

another book you must have if you've ever wanted to be a writer.

a poor writer, falls in love with a Mexican girl.

recommended.

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5.0 out of 5 stars A story about a transformation, Aug 20 2006
By R. Petersen (B.C. Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Ask The Dust (Paperback)
At first read this book seems to be about nothing more than an idiot who falls for a shrew. But the book continues to open up and reveal itself after you've finished it. Bandini is a struggling young writer living in poverty in Los Angeles in the 1930's, having moved from the midwest, and he gets tangled up romantically with an impetuous, unstable waitress. But this relationship, for all its squalid ups and downs, has a transformative effect on Bandini and he begins to act on compassionate impulses. He matures as a human being, and coincidentally, his writing takes off. The thing is, none of this (Bandini's changing as a man) really occurs to you while you're reading the book because the development is presented with skilled subtlety. The meaning reverberates afterwards, and to me this is a sure sign I've read a great book (read "Oracle Night" by Paul Auster, for the same effect magnified ten times). Fante writes with feeling, at times unrestrained, and his sense of humour seems unintentional, which of course makes it all the more effective. This is a book that made me think, and it also spoke to aspects of my own life. What more can you ask of any book?
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4.0 out of 5 stars Haunting Ending ... A Cult Classic ... About the Humiliations of Love, Jun 10 2006
By Mark Heywood (Montreal) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Ask The Dust (Paperback)
This book lingered on my mind for weeks. So it must good. It's the story of Arturo Bandini, a young would-be writer who comes to Los Angeles to make it as a writer, but discovers poverty and loneliness instead. That is, until he encounters Camilla Lopez, a Mexican-American waitress.

What makes this romance interesting is, like all great love stories, it is doomed.

In fact, there is quite of bit of friction and nastiness right from the beginning between these so-called lovers. And ultimately it is one-sided, with Arturo sadly learning a grand lesson in humility. (We've all been there.) We see the character arc from self-absorbed ego-driven writer (with delusions of grandeur) to self-sacrificing and responsible human being. This is a tragic tale, with Camilla's decline and Arturo's helplessness underscored. The ending is brilliant. I literally fell into a stunned silence at the end.

My only small complaint is that John Fante doesn't to know much about the main narcotic alluded to in the book: Marijuana. It's almost comical how little he knows about it ("Reefer Madness" might be his main reference and source of information); yet this aside, ASK THE DUST remains a powerful book, a haunting one. One I would recommend, especially to writers. Another novel I would recommend is THE LOSER'S CLUB by Richard Perez, which would make an excellent companion to ASK THE DUST, both books being ultimately about the loneliness of writing, both being about failure, both quite touching.
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 		 Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars This Book Saved My Life
I was in the deepest depression when I read this book. Back in my early 20's a decade ago. This book saved my life. I am not kidding. Read more
Published on Jun 11 2004 by Melvin H.

5.0 out of 5 stars Pure Genius
If you are a fan of Bukowski you will love this book, without question. One of the reason I've found Ask the Dust fascinating is that you can't help but feel that Bukowsky wanted... Read more
Published on April 14 2004 by Nat

5.0 out of 5 stars Unconventional on Every Level
I came to ASK THE DUST through Bukowski, and I must say I truly liked this book. The writing is laid-back, not like typical literary fiction. Read more
Published on Mar 19 2004

5.0 out of 5 stars The theft of American culture
Bukowski was right! This is a great work of American fiction set in the Los Angeles area during the height of the Great Depression. Read more
Published on Jan 8 2004 by Michael Everett

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best books I've ever read.
First off, I'd like to say that I'm not a huge fan of Fante, unless he's writing about Arturo Bandini. Read more
Published on Dec 28 2003 by Mike Potty

4.0 out of 5 stars one of the forgotten greats
I was introduced to this book thru the works of Charles Bukowski and before I had even finished the 1st page I was struck by just how much Fante did influence Bukowski. Read more
Published on Dec 3 2003 by Raegan Butcher

5.0 out of 5 stars The struggle of being a writer (or merging into mainstream?)
_Ask the Dust_ is about a young man who is trying to become a writer. Becoming a writer and getting his work published have a deeper meaning in this book, which is that the... Read more
Published on Nov 19 2003 by Xiao He

5.0 out of 5 stars It all started here...?
If you are Bukowski fan, which i believe most people got intoduced to the Fante's work through "him" (if you say no, you are probably lying) you will see that all... Read more
Published on Jun 29 2003 by Eldragon

5.0 out of 5 stars A True American Classic
Twelve years ago I read an article in the Los Angeles Times in which America's most successful fiction writers were asked to name their top-ten favorite works of 20th Century... Read more
Published on Mar 4 2003 by Terry A. Green

2.0 out of 5 stars Come on, guys...
Look, I like Bukowski and bought this book... on the recommendations...but so what? It has the reality and Tom Waits style urban edge to it, but too much is off or missing. Read more
Published on Feb 19 2003 by braindead

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