Short Dog: Cab Driver Stories from the L.A. Streets

Dan Fante's "Short Dog" is a collection of raw, vivid, and brutally honest stories about the streets of lowlife Los Angeles, featuring psychotic eruptions and hilarity. It is a cab ride on the wild side, for readers ready for a glimpse of the Southern California demimonde that escaped his father's attention.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 128 pages
Publication date: 29 July 2021
Publisher: David R. Godine Publisher Inc

In the captivating and evocative realm of literary exploration, we find ourselves immersed in the captivating tales of a taxi driver's adventures from the bustling streets of lowlife Los Angeles. This literary masterpiece, crafted by the talented hands of Dan Fante, emerges as a testament to the authentic literary outlawry that defines his remarkable existence.

Dan Fante's voice, like a stranger from the next barstool or a dear friend who resides on the fringes of society, possesses an immediate and captivating quality. It resonates with the authenticity of someone who has lived the stories they pen, offering a glimpse into the inner workings of the human psyche and the complexities of life.

As he reveals in his poignant work, Short Dog (a street slang term for a half-pint of alcohol), his return to the world of cab driving was driven by a combination of financial necessity and a longing for madness. Fante's unique perspective as a hack driver allows him to navigate the uncharted waters of autonomy, as he operates without the constraints of a traditional boss. This freedom, coupled with his past struggles in supervised employment, led him back to the realm of the taxi business, where he could reign in his own drinking habits and limit himself to the soothing embrace of beer.

However, it is the unexpected humor and dark-humored vignettes that truly make Dan Fante's stories stand out. Despite the often anger-fueled and disgust-inducing narratives, he possesses a remarkable ability to infuse moments of levity and unexpected wit. These comedic interludes serve as a testament to his exceptional storytelling skills, adding depth and complexity to his characters and their experiences.

Short Dog is a literary journey that beckons readers who are ready to embark on a wild ride. It is a testament to the power of storytelling, as Dan Fante takes us on a rollercoaster ride through the streets of Los Angeles, offering a glimpse into the lives of the marginalized and the overlooked. Through his raw, vivid, and brutally honest narratives, he invites us to explore the darker corners of humanity while simultaneously providing moments of laughter and introspection.

In the words of the New York Times, Dan Fante is an authentic literary outlaw, a writer who fearlessly pushes the boundaries of language and imagination. His work stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of literary greats like Charles Bukowski, who paved the way for a new generation of writers to embrace the unbridled freedom of self-expression.

So, let us immerse ourselves in the captivating world of Dan Fante, where the lines between reality and fiction blur, and where the stories he writes become a testament to the human spirit's resilience and the power of storytelling. Short Dog is a literary masterpiece that demands your attention, offering a glimpse into the lives of those who live on the fringes and a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always room for laughter and hope.

Weight: 204g
Dimension: 152 x 226 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781574232493