2 from Dan Fante this week.
Dan’s biography
at Fantastic Fiction tells us he’s
been around the block a few times……
Dan Fante was born and
raised in Los Angeles. At twenty, he quit school and hit the road, eventually
ending up as a New York City resident for twelve years. Fante has worked at
dozens of crummy jobs including: door to door salesman, taxi driver, window washer,
telemarketer, private investigator, night hotel manager, chauffeur, mailroom
clerk, deck hand, dishwasher, carnival barker, envelope stuffer, dating service
ounsellor, furniture salesman, and parking attendant. Fante is married and has
a two year old son named Michaelangelo Giovanni Fante. He hopes eventually to
learn to play the harmonica.
He has a series of 4 books with his protagonist Bruno Dante – Mooch and Spitting are
the second and third in the series. Chump
Change and 86’d open and close
the series. His most recent novel was Point
Doom in 2013, which I have but haven’t yet read (unsurprisingly) and there
a biography of his father, enigmatically titled Fante which looks interesting, but I may have to pass on it.
I did read his short story collection – Corksucker (Short Dog in
the US) a few years ago. Review here.
Bruno Dante is trying to straighten out selling printer
supplies for a company ruled by a straight, militaristic disciplinarian.
Unfortunately for Bruno, a former gangbanger, lap-dancer and crackhead called
Jimmi turns up and soon he's back in free fall.
Bruno Dante - aspirant playwright and long-time drunk - has
hitch-hiked cross country, escaping the sunshine of LA, for the more cynical
climate of New York. He should fit right in. But if there's money for beer he's
sure to fuck things up.
Another new writer and series for me, Col. I liked the way the character's name, Dante, is derived from the author's own.
ReplyDeleteI think the series of books may be semi-autobiographical in tone, or at least draw on his own life experiences, which may explain the character's name.
DeleteBoth Dante and Fante have certainly had interesting lives, Col! I think that sort of premise - the character whose had all sorts of jobs - can give the author some flexibility for writing different kinds of stories. I hope you'll like these. Oh, and those are attention-getting titles, too.
ReplyDeleteHe (they) certainly seem to have had a lot of life experiences, which definitely offers potential for writing material, though you still need the talent to translate that into entertaining books. From my experience of his short stories Fante definitely has.
DeleteNot sure these are for me, to be honest, but thanks for the info!
ReplyDeleteNo problem mate
DeleteIt is a brave lad who follows in his father’s footsteps when the old man was so talented and well known. Dan Fante should be worth reading, even if he writes only half as well as his famous father. John Fante’s LA novel, ASK THE DUST, is amazing.
ReplyDeleteElgin thanks. I hope to read some from his father also. I have ASK THE DUST as part of his Bandini Quartet. Maybe next year I'll knock the dust off it. Looking forward to it!
DeleteThe father's name sounds familiar, I must check out to see if I've read him. These books sound like the kind of thing that might tempt me if I didn't have so much else lying around....
ReplyDeleteASK THE DUST is probably his father's best known work. I think I'll enjoy both generation's work.
DeleteVery interesting author. I await your reviews. I did read the Corksucker review and those sound interesting too.
ReplyDeleteToday is my birthday. Last week was your birthday... exactly a week ago? Glen's was in early October. Glen and I are getting older faster than you though. Anyway, belated Happy Birthday. Sorry I missed it then. I am off work for a few days and thinking clearer now.
Tracy - many happy returns for your birthday. I hope you have an enjoyable day (and few days off work.) Belated regards to Glen. Yes mine was a week ago. The years seem to go by so quickly now. Maybe because we all seem to lead busier lives.
DeleteI hope I get to a couple of my Dan Fante books soon. Then you can see what you think.