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John Fante ( April 8 , 1909 – May 8 , 1983 ) was a novelist, short-story and screenwriter. Born in Colorado , Fante's early years were spent in poverty. He was educated in Boulder and attended the University Of Colorado . In 1929 , he dropped out of college to write, moving to California where most of his works are set. There he was befriended by H.L. Mencken , who published his first story in "The American Mercury" Magazine. His most popular novel was ''Ask the Dust'', a semi-autobiographical novel, forming a part of the "Arturo Bandini" series. Arturo Bandini was his alter ego in a total of four novels: ''The Road to Los Angeles'' ( 1936 ); ''Wait Until Spring, Bandini'' ( 1938 ); ''Ask the Dust'' ( 1939 ), and finally ''Dreams from Bunker Hill,'' which was dictated to his wife Joyce near the end of his life because he suffered from diabetic blindness. Other novels include ''The Brotherhood of the Grape'', ''1933 Was a Bad Year'', and ''West of Rome''. "Dago Red", a short story collection, was published in 1940 . Recurring themes in Fante's work are poverty, Catholicism , what it means to be Italian-American, and dysfunctional relationships, be it between lovers, family members, or with God. His novels evoke a Los Angeles that is all but gone under the effects of urbanization. His direct, clear writing style and witty dialogue make his books readily accessible. Among Fante's screenwriting credits is Walk On The Wild Side ( 1962 ), based on the Nelson Algren novel of the same name. Other screenplays include ''Full of Life'', ''Jeanne Eagels'', ''My Man and I'', ''The Reluctant Saint'', ''Something for a Lonely Man'' and ''Six Loves''. In the early 1980's, at the suggestion of novelist and poet , followed by ''The Fante Reader'' in 2003 . Also available are several collections of short stories and a collection of letters. Dominique Deruddere directed the movie version of ''Wait Until Spring, Bandini'', which was released in 1989. And in March 2006 , Paramount Pictures released a film directed by Robert Towne that was based on ''Ask the Dust.'' EXTERNAL LINKS
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