Ask the Dust by John Fante

Set during the the Great Depression era in Los Angeles.  It is one of a sseries of novels featuring the character Arturo Bandini, a struggling writer,  much of it autobiographical in nature. Bandini falls in love with Camilla Lopez, who is in love with a bartender named Sam.  Bandini struggles with his poverty, Catholic guilt and his love for the unstable Camilla. Her mental state deteriorates and she is admitted to a mental hospital. She escapes, Bandini looks for her - finds her waiting for him in his apartment.  They move to the beach but when he returns he find that she has gone to Sam who is dying.  Before he arrives Sam throws her out and she wanders into the desert.  Bandini never finds her. 

The discussion really centred around the hand over the eyes feeling of watching someone doing what is only going to work out badly for them.  Every step he takes is wrong - and he can't see it.  The sparse and concise writing evoking the harshness of the era.  It was a good lead on from reading Grapes of Wrath and many could see the influence it had had on other later American writers.  The book has been made into a film with Colin Farrell and Salma Hayek.

Words used to describe it:  cringe-worthy, evocative, off the wall, beat classic, roller coaster, harrowing, full of angst, enjoyed it
Marks out of 10 - between 7 - 10.

Next Book 

The Coroner's Lunch by Colin Cotterill

Next Meeting

31 May at 117 Harbord St

Important Note:  

I am also going to try and get the journalist Lynne O'Donnell

 to come to one of our meetings possibly
14 June at 126 Harbord St

So buy her book 

High Tea in Mosul.