John Fante celebration April 7 and 8

Celebrate novelist John Fante's Centennial with Westwood lecture and/ordrinks on Skid Row

EVENT #1:
Tuesday, April 7, 7pm - Zócalo's Public Square Series Lecture"John Fante's 100th Birthday" at the Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90024; 310-443-7000

EVENT #2: Wednesday, April 8, 8pm ­ An informal gathering at the King Edward Saloon to raise a glass to John Fante on his 100th birthday, 131 E. Fifth St., Los Angeles, CA 90013

The late John Fante was Charles Bukowski's favorite writer, his "Ask the Dust" was the book Robert Towne wanted to film after "Chinatown" (it finally was made in 2006 starring Colin Farrell, Salma Hayek, and Donald Sutherland) and he is honored with an annual festival in Italy-- but in 21st Century Los Angeles, his name often gets a shrug. That's too bad, because Fante might be the funniest, most heartwarming, honest and appealing writer to ever take this city as his subject.

April 8 is the centennial of John Fante's Colorado birth, and two very special and very different events have been planned to celebrate this momentous occasion. Fante lovers can spend two nights honoring the author, or pick the one that best suits their sensibility: a sober lecture panel hosted by a respectable Westside art museum, or a chance to raise a glass in the last surviving Skid Row bar. Fante's work speaks to both types of crowd and both sides of town, and it's only fitting that his Centennial celebration straddles these deep Angeleno divides.

On April 7, Zócalo's Public Square Series at the Hammer Museum presents JOHN FANTE'S 100TH BIRTHDAY, a panel discussion moderated by David Kipen (Director of Literature, National Endowment for the Arts) and including John and Joyce Fante's children Vickie Fante Cohen, Jim Fante and Dan Fante, biographer Stephen Cooper, KCRW's Frances Anderton and Esotouric's Richard Schave (host of the occasional bus tour JOHN FANTE'S DREAMS FROM BUNKERHILL). Tickets are free but reservations are required for this 7 pm event. To reserve, visit http://fantepanel.notlong.com

The following evening, on John Fante's actual birthday, friends and fans are invited to gather in the author's old stomping grounds, the King Edward Saloon at 5th and Los Angeles Streets, where in "Ask the Dust" Fante's alter-ego Arturo Bandini blew his royalties on the b-girls who preyed on lonely men. This informal event begins around 8 pm and ends when the last attendee stumbles home vowing to be good tomorrow. No RSVP required.