John Fante books in order
1909–1983; American novelist, short story writer and screenwriter of Italian descent
- Lived
- 1909–1983
- Country
- United States
- Books
- 13
John Fante published 9 novels, 3 novellas and 1 short story collection, beginning with Wait Until Spring, Bandini (1938). 3 feature Arturo Bandini.
Updated September 2026
Where to start with John Fante
Start here
Wait Until Spring, Bandini
John Fante's most-read book.
Shortest way in
Dreams from Bunker Hill
One of the most-read, at about 144 pages.
Standalone novels in order
Full of Life (1952)
The Brotherhood of the Grape (1977)
The Wine of Youth (1984)
West of Rome (1985)
Selected Letters, 1932-1981 (1991)
The John Fante Reader (2002)
Novellas in order
Bravo, Burro! (1970)
Dreams from Bunker Hill (1982)
1933 Was a Bad Year (1985)
Short story collections in order
The Big Hunger (2000)
Film and TV adaptations
- Wait Until Spring, Bandini (1989)Film · from Wait Until Spring, Bandini
- Ask the Dust (2006)Film · from Ask the Dust
About John Fante
John Fante was an American novelist, short-story writer, and screenwriter. He is best known for his semi-autobiographical novel Ask the Dust (1939) about the life of Arturo Bandini, a struggling writer in Depression-era Los Angeles. It is widely considered the great Los Angeles novel, and is one in a series of four, published between 1938 and 1985, that are now collectively called "The Bandini Quartet." Ask the Dust was adapted into a 2006 film starring Colin Farrell and Salma Hayek. Fante's published works while he lived included five novels, one novella, and a short story collection. Additional works, including two novels, two novellas, and two short story collections, were published posthumously. His screenwriting credits include, most notably, Full of Life, Jeanne Eagels (1957), and the 1962 films Walk on the Wild Side and The Reluctant Saint.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
John Fante FAQ
- How many books has John Fante written?
- John Fante published 9 novels, 3 novellas and 1 short story collection that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read John Fante's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Wait Until Spring, Bandini.
- What is John Fante's last book?
- West of Rome (1985).
- What is John Fante's most famous book?
- Wait Until Spring, Bandini (1938) is John Fante's most widely read book.
- Which John Fante books have been adapted?
- 2 books have been adapted for film or TV, including Wait Until Spring, Bandini (film, 1989) and Ask the Dust (film, 2006).
Authors like John Fante
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.