John Fante Selected Letters 1932-1981

Fante's captivating letters trace his emergence from poverty to life as a Hollywood screenwriter. Complemented by many photos and interesting appendices, the book is most distinguished by Fante's letters to his mother-letters in which he is just as apt to lie about church attendance as he is to describe, with peculiar candor, skinny-dipping with a girl friend.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting read for the Fante Fan

By Jim Morrison "Jimbo" - November 1, 2008

I just finished reading this book of letters, and it took me a while to slog through, as one can imagine a book of letters could be slightly boring at times. There wasn't quite as much information as I would have hoped for regarding the "Ask the Dust" period, however, a true Fante fan would enjoy giving this one a read through.

Fante's personality comes through, and he seems like a pretty decent, genuine guy. His writing seems to come from a big, sentimental heart, not a cold, detached intellect. I particularly liked the items in the Appendix, including Fante's story "The First Time I Saw Paris." It humanized Fante for me - this story supposedly about Paris - but so different from Sartre - more unashamedly ethical than the Henry Miller, who, while warm and considerate himself at times, would likely have swung his coat back over his shoulder, and continued home to Tania.

John Fante

By Alex "An American Writer" - November 24, 2008

Amazing but only if John Fante serves as a hero to you or you have a great deal of interest in details of America in the 1930's. John Fante is without a doubt one of the best American writers (THE best, for me). I would read his actual novels before purchasing this though, as with any writer biography, journal, or letters.