Photo of John Fante
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John Fante

1 series 3 books in order 1938–1985

John Fante (1909-1983) was an American novelist, short story writer, and screenwriter of Italian descent. His most popular novel is the semi-autobiographical Ask the Dust, third in "The Bandini Quartet," whose alter-ego character Arturo Bandini also appears in Wait Until Spring, Bandini (1938), The Road to Los Angeles (written first but unpublished until 1985), and Dreams from Bunker Hill (1982).

Born
1909
Active years
1938–1985
Known for
The Bandini Quartet

Series by John Fante

The Bandini Quartet

4 books in order · 1938–1985

  1. Cover of Wait until spring, Bandini

    Wait until spring, Bandini

    1938 · John Fante

    Svevo Bandini is a man who walks through the snow, clearly upset. He lives three blocks down the street and is very cold. His shoes have holes, which…

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  2. Cover of The road to Los Angeles

    The road to Los Angeles

    1985 · John Fante

    The narrator worked many jobs in Los Angeles Harbor due to financial hardship after his father's death. His first job was ditchdigging shortly after…

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  3. Cover of Ask the dust

    Ask the dust

    1939 · Charles Bukowski

    Arturo Bandini is a struggling writer living in a run-down hotel in Los Angeles. After having a short story published in a small magazine, he meets…

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  4. Cover of Dreams from Bunker Hill

    Dreams from Bunker Hill

    1982 · John Fante

    Dreams from Bunker Hill is a first-person account beginning with the narrator's early brush with fame as a busboy at Marx's Deli in 1934, at Third…

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Frequently asked questions

How many books has John Fante written?

We list 3 books by John Fante across 1 series, published between 1938–1985 — each shown in full reading order.

What order should I read John Fante's books?

Read each series in publication order. A good place to start is “Wait until spring, Bandini.” Open any series above for its complete numbered reading order.

Where can I buy John Fante's books?

Every title links to Amazon from its series page. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.

Bibliography and reading orders compiled from verified bibliographic data. Spotted an error? We continuously correct the catalog.