I note this wasn’t published, is there any chance he reused some of it in Wait, or is just that as you say he has certain themes he likes to explore and return to?

Not that it really matters, it really is wonderful prose. As you know, I was recommended Fante by Kevin, but he got his recommendation from you so many thanks from me too. I thought him marvellous, and definitely plan to read more.

Where to start?

Take your pick, there’s not much to choose from. With 1933 Was A Bad Year, you’ve got a one off story, all told in just over a hundred pages. The Brotherhood Of The Grape is a standalone, too.

The Bandini novels are a mess of chronology in so far as the order that my collection, titled The Bandini Quartet, was published. Fante wrote The Road To Los Angeles first, never being able to publish it. Then he wrote Wait Until Spring, Bandini, which was published, followed by Ask The Dust. Then, years later, right before he died, Dreams From Bunker Hill. The Road To Los Angeles, despite being the first one, was published posthumously.

While on the subject of Fante, let me introduce you to his son, Dan Fante, also a writer.

Kevin, it’s not really a theme here, just the old lady’s major gripe. So I wouldn’t suggest reading this if that’s a theme that interests.

Interestingly, when looking at the Wikipedia entry for John Fante, it mentions that 1933 Was A Bad Year was an incomplete novel. Knowing that Wikipedia isn’t the trustworthy source it aspires to be, I’m surprised I can’t find much else on the internet to this matter. I had made the assumption that, like Fante’s The Road To Los Angeles that it was a book that he just didn’t - or, more likely, couldn’t - publish in his lifetime. If it is unfinished, then it’s surprising, as it feels like a complete read. Saying that, Roberto Bolaño’s 2666 is supposedly incomplete in some way, but it hasn’t stopped it being reviewed very favourably almost everywhere this last week.