Over at 3:AM Magazine, Ben Pleasants has released the audio and text of a series of recordings he did with the late John Fante, author of one of my favorite books of all time, Ask The Dust.

Pleasants says he released the tapes because he’s already dealt with “gangster academics” and felt that the entire series needed to be heard.

The stuff about Bukowski is pretty classic.  Especially the exchange between Pleasants and Fante’s wife, where Pleasants has to explain about the writer who championed her husband most:

BP: I just want to read you some of the things that Bukowski said about you.

Joyce Fante: Who is Bukowski?