1939-fante-ask-the-dust.html

<h1><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ask-Dust-John-Fante/dp/0060822554">Ask the Dust</a> - John Fante</h1>
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<h2>tldr</h2>
<p>Tropic of Cancer, Los Angeles edition: prostitution, petty theft, bad love, writing novels</p>
<h2>indicative quotes</h2>
<blockquote>
<p>Los Angeles, give me some of you! Los Angeles come to me the way I came to you, my feet over your streets, you pretty town I loved you so much, you sad flower in the sand, you pretty town. [page 13]</p>
<p>A prayer. Sure, one prayer: for sentimental reasons. Almighty God, I am sorry I am now an atheist, but have you read Nietzsche? Ah, such a book! Almighty God, I will play fair in this. I will make You a proposition. Make a great writer out of me, and I will return to the Church. [page 22]</p>
<p>"I didn't know you had freckles." / "They don't mean anything." [page 42]</p>
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<h2>why bother?</h2>
<p>Puts you in a reckless mood.</p>
<p>The beach chapter is awesome (in the original sense of the word).</p>
<h2>themes</h2>
<ul>
<li>psychotic behavior: Bandini pours coffee on Camilla's table, then tries to give her a signed copy of his writing, then insults her in the inscription; Camilla tears up the article, then chases after Bandini to apologize, whereupon he slurs her</li>
<li>race: Bandini pines for a Mexican woman, angry at Mexican man for sleeping with white prostitute, feels targeted for being Italian</li>
<li>sex: Bandini's fear of sex rooted in Catholicism, blames earthquake on his loss of virginity</li>
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