It is the story of nedra and viri, whose favored life is centered around dinners, ingenious games with their children, enviable friends, and nearperfect days passed skating on a frozen. So much of the description is like that in a great poem, with metaphorical implications for the reader that at times are utterly stunning. In fairness it must be said that, as one reads on, the strained lyricism becomes less intrusive, certain episodes emerge with some sharpness, some poignancy. Spellbinding or silly two takes on james salters light. The lines that penetrate us are slender, like the flukes that live in river water and enter the bodies of swimmers. J ames salter is the author of a sport and a pastime. Mar 01, 2007 james salter is the author of the novels solo faces, light years, a sport and a pastime, the arm of flesh revised as cassada, and the hunters. May 11, 20 one of the great postwar american writers, james salter has, at 87, spent his working life in the shadow of his peers. It was the first of james salters books i discovered. So much for the foolishness of light years, of which there is a great deal.
Notes on james salters light years electric literature. Its characters drink their margaux and consume their brie in a large, whitepainted victorian house on the west bank of the hudson within sight of the tappan zee bridge. In aspen, salter met a writer 20 years his junior, kay eldredge. James salters light years nov 29, 2016 by gissinglover. James salters first novel in more than 30 years follows the loves and losses of a world war ii veteran. Light years by james salter the 1951st greatest fiction.
James salter died last year, june 19, 2015, at the age 90 this book, light years, is my first exposure to salter. Mar 15, 2007 light years is a book i am pressing into the hands of friends, like a mad prophet. This exquisite, resonant novel by penfaulkner winner james salter is a brilliant portrait of a marriage by a contemporary american master. He received an award from the american academy and institute of arts and letters in 1982. But will his first novel in more than 30 years raise his profile, asks rachel.
Light years the plot is of minor concern to the reader in this case. Apr 28, 20 james salters first novel in more than 30 years follows the loves and losses of a world war ii veteran. In todays piece, jhumpa lahiri writes about light years. It is filled with the prose equivalent of montage, wideshots, and jump cuts, as in the scene on pages 6066, in which alternating paragraphs depict jivan dining with the berlands andlater. Long ago it appeared here in 1967 james salter wrote one of the few genuinely erotic booksa sport and a pastimewithin memory. In radio 3s interview on night waves with the irritatingly interrupting gas bag, philip dodds salter wondered if his was a style in light years in contrast to the spare style of last night that had had its day. He had wornout hair combed back over his head, hair cut by a provincial barber. Light years by james salter book club discussion questions. Light years by james salter my friend erin recommended this book to me by saying, you do not want to read this book. Light years on apple books apple books apple apple.
To learn more about salter, read his 1993 art of fiction interview or one of his stories from the magazine. About light years this exquisite, resonant novel by penfaulkner winner james salter is a brilliant portrait of a marriage by a contemporary american master. Sign me up to get more news about literary fiction books. Light years has much of his sensuous elegance and ease, subdued by the years which also lend the primary distancing effectthere is. Buy a cheap copy of light years book by james salter. From light years 1975 some things that are plentiful in james salters writing. James salter authored numerous books, including the novels all that is, solo faces, light years, a sport and a pastime, the arm of flesh revised as cassada, and the hunters. Light years by james salter booksamillion online book store. James salters 1975 novel, light years, is the story of a marriage between two highly civilised americans, nedra the woman and viri the man.
In some circles he is venerated, but he is not famous. James salter, author of light years and the memoir burning the days, was an essential voice in the evolution of late twentiethcentury prose, a stylist on par with updike and roth who won the penfaulkner award for his collection dusk and other stories. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. James salter is the author of the novels solo faces, light years, a sport and a pastime, the arm of flesh revised as cassada, and the hunters. Light years by james salter overdrive rakuten overdrive. Light years by james salter booksamillion online book. See all books authored by james salter, including a sport and a pastime, and light years, and more on. Light years this exquisite, resonant novel is a brilliant portrait of marriage by a contemporary american master. His latest novel, light years, is a very classy book. In prose that is incomparably lyrical and poetical, james salter s novel light years 1975 tells the story of the deterioration of a marriage, of the nature of love and passion, and of the passage of time. His first novel, the hunters, about the korean war was turned into a 1958 film starring robert mitchum and robert wagner. Light years, by james salter, is a beautiful, heartbreaking book about people that, on the surface level, you may not give a damn. Pulitzer prizewinner richard ford has been quoted as saying.
Even as he lingers over the lustrous surface of viri and. Spellbinding or silly two takes on james salters light years. Anos luz light years by james salter, paperback barnes. Salter, at left, in korea in 1952, with other members of the 335th fighter squadron, the inspiration for his first novel, the hunters. James salter has written screenplays, so its no coincidence that light years is a highly cinematic book. Light years is a book i am pressing into the hands of friends, like a mad prophet. Light years by james salter, 9780141188638, download free ebooks, download free pdf epub ebook. It is the story of nedra and viri, whose favored life is centered around dinners, ingenious games with their children, enviable friends, and nearperfect days passed skating on a. Viri was born in 1928 and nedra a few years later which made me wonder if they had renamed themselves, or if two sets of american parents were giving their kids such unusual names in that era. Light years has much of his sensuous elegance and ease, subdued by the years which also lend the primary distancing effectthere is almost none of that insatiable fever of the flesh. Its protagonists, viri and nedra berland, are observed over a period of some twenty years. The book provides a feast for lovers of fine writing and mysteriously profound comments on life and love. Even as he lingers over the lustrous surface of viri and nedras marriage, james salter makes us see the cracks that are spreading through it, flaws that will in time mar it beyond repair. Light years isbn 9780679740735 pdf epub james salter.
Light years by james salter, 9780141188638, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. This exquisite, resonant novel is a brilliant portrait of marriage by a contemporary american. This exquisite, resonant novel by penfaulkner winner james salter is. Henry collections and one in the best american short stories. All that is salters final novel, published in 20, was his first in over 30 years. In prose that is incomparably lyrical and poetical, james salters novel light years 1975 tells the story of the deterioration of a marriage, of the nature of love and passion, and of the passage of time. Light years by james salter this exquisite, resonant novel by penfaulkner winner james salter is a brilliant portrait of a marriage by a contemporary american master. Light years, by james salter read 21 may 2015 this is a 1975 novel telling of viri and nedra, a couple who live in the country outside new york city, and have two daughters, frasca and danny. We see them hosting dinners at their house in the hudson river valley, shopping at the. Jan 20, 2012 james salter s 1975 novel, light years, is the story of a marriage between two highly civilised americans, nedra the woman and viri the man. James salter authored numerous books, including the novels all that is, solo faces, light years, a sport and a pastime, the arm of flesh revised as cassada. Feb 09, 2011 james salter authored numerous books, including the novels all that is, solo faces, light years, a sport and a pastime, the arm of flesh revised as cassada, and the hunters.
Light years book by james salter 7 available editions. Light years 1975 by james salter is the story of a marriage between two americans, the berlands. James salter s 1975 novel, light years, is the story of a marriage between two highly civilised americans, nedra the woman and viri the man. Light years panther by salter, james and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
He had wornout hair combed back over his head, hair cut. James arnold horowitz june 10, 1925 june 19, 2015, better known as james salter, his pen name and lateradopted legal name, was an american novelist and shortstory writer. James salters 1975 novel, light years, is the story of a marriage between two highly civilised americans, nedra the woman and viri the. James low, next to him, was the model for the book s. Long ago it appeared here in 1967 james salter wrote one of the few genuinely erotic books a sport and a pastimewithin memory. This kind of assistance is likely to make all of us far more joined. Read online light years pdf by james salter for free. Light years is not so much the story of a marriage it may not be a story at all, in the familiar sense of that word as it is a timelapse portrait of one, the kind of portrait that might have been painted by seurat. This acclaimed book by james salter is available at in several formats for your ereader. Andrew southam the 80s, though, also marked a turning point. Light years by james salter 1995, paperback at the best online prices at ebay. Originally a career officer and pilot in the united states air force, he resigned from the military in 1957 following the successful publication of his first novel.
Why is this book, which elevates the meretricious, the snobbish, the narrowly bourgeois, so moving. James salter books list of books by author james salter. The hunters 1957, the arm of flesh 1961, a sport and a pastime 1967, light years 1975, and solo faces 1979. It is the story of nedra and viri, whose favored life is centered around dinners, ingenious games with their children, enviable friends, and nearperfect days passed skating on a frozen river or sunning on the beach. This exquisite, resonant novel is a brilliant portrait of marriage by a contemporary american master.
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