John Fante was an American novelist, short story writer, and screenwriter. He is best known for his semi-autobiographical novel Ask the Dust (1939), which follows the life of Arturo Bandini, a struggling writer in Depression-era Los Angeles. This work is widely considered the great Los Angeles novel and is part of a series called "The Bandini Quartet." Ask the Dust was adapted into a 2006 film starring Colin Farrell and Salma Hayek.

Throughout his life, Fante published five novels, one novella, and a short story collection. Posthumously, two novels, two novellas, and two short story collections were published. His screenwriting credits notably include Full of Life (1956), Jeanne Eagels (1957), and the 1962 films Walk on the Wild Side and The Reluctant Saint.

Born to a humble Italian family, Fante studied at the University of Colorado before moving to California, where he set most of his novels. His works often explore themes of poverty, Catholicism in relation to the Italian-American community, and familial and romantic communication breakdowns. Although Charles Bukowski is often considered the leading figure of "dirty realism," he cited John Fante as a significant influence.