James Salter

'One of the finest American writers of his mighty generation' - Esquire'A tour de force of erotic realism, a romantic cliffhanger' - The New York TimesThe 1960s. Philip Dean, a footloose Yale dropout, is touring provincial France and sometimes Paris in a borrowed, once elegant car. He begins a mismatched affair with a young shop girl named Anne-Marie. Together they burn in an everyday but stunningly sensual paradise. A Sport and a Pastime is a seductive classic that established James Salter’s reputation as one of the finest writers of our time. It is remarkable for its eroticism, its luminous prose and its ability to explore the boundaries between what is dreamt and what is lived, between body and soul. Part of the Picador Collection, a series showcasing the best of modern literature.

‘Enthralling’ - John Banville, Booker Prize-winning author of The Sea‘Effortlessly beautiful, funny, sexy and wise’ - Julie Myerson, Books of the Year, ObserverAll That Is explores a life unfolding in a world on the brink of change. The life is that of Philip Bowman and we see his formative experiences as a young naval officer in battles off Okinawa, his career as a book editor in New York after the Second World War, his trips to the great European cities – from publishing parties in London, to romantic holidays in Paris. But despite his success, what eludes him is love. His first marriage sours, another fails to happen. Finally, he meets a woman who enthralls him, before setting him on a course he could never imagine for himself. James Salter’s dazzling, seductive and haunting novel offers a fiercely intimate account of the great shocks and grand pleasures of being alive. ‘Full of verve and wisdom’ - Julian Barnes, Booker Prize-winning author of The Sense of an Ending Part of the Picador Collection, a series showcasing the best of modern literature.