Ask The Dust by John Fante

I first came across John Fante while reading an article about Charles Bukowski. Fante was said to influence Bukowski significantly. So, I decided to pick up a copy of his most popular novel, Ask The Dust.
Arturo Bandini is an Italian immigrant and a struggling author living in poverty, surviving at one point on orange peels. The novel explores this poverty, along with Bandini's approach to writing. There is also an exploration of the protagonist's religious guilt. Arturo meets Camilla, a waitress in a local LA restaurant, and falls in love with her almost instantly. The relationship that develops is a strange one, involving mental abuse and drugs. Eventually, we find out that Camilla is love with Sam, a dying writer.
The novel is much more concerned with character and themes than with plot, and the approach works well because the characters are so fully rounded. Arturo (narrator of the piece) in particular is a very identifiable character, and his reactions to the various ups and downs he encounters make him seem more human. Even when he becomes a successful published writer, Bandini still can't get what he truly wants. He tries to get together with Camilla again, but it is not to be.
It is strange how closely the novel mirrors the manuscript that I am developing for my Masters. A group of young boys travel to a different country and encounter struggles with money, addiction and women. Ask The Dust was also fascinating from a technical point of view as the protagonist provides detailed accounts of his struggles with the writing process. I found the book more impressive than much of Bukowski's output and will certainly read more of Fante's work. If only I could get a copy of Arturo Bandini's The Little Dog Laughed.