Ten Novels on L.A. that you should read before, during or after Duke in LA

Click the picture for the amazon link.
Novel suggestion #1 is Fante's Ask the Dust.
Any Charles Bukowski fans amongst us? Bukowski could not have existed without Fante paving the way in 1930s Los Angeles (He calls Fante his God). Salon described Fante as "The quintessential L.A. writer, a big brother to the Beats and the voice of immigrant America." Ask the Dust is the LA book that Tom, Clarence and any other writers in the group should read NOW if you haven't! Wikipedia says:
"Recurring themes in Fante's work are poverty, Catholicism, family life, Italian-American identity, sports, and the writing life. Anyone interested in the literature of Los Angeles would do well reading "Ask the Dust," as it has been referred to over the years as a monumental Southern California/Los Angeles novel by a host of reputable sources (e.g.: Carey McWilliams, Charles Bukowski, and The Los Angeles Times Book Review). More than sixty years after it was published, Ask the Dust appeared for several weeks on the New York Times' Bestseller's List. Fante's clear voice, vivid characters, shoot-from-the-hip style, and painful, emotional honesty blended with humor and scrupulous self-criticism lends his books to wide appreciation."