Originally published in 1956, the hunters was james salter s first novel. James salter, a writers writer short on sales but long. See all books authored by james salter, including a sport and a pastime, and light years, and more on. Salter was in residence at the university of virginia, and this fact, i thought, offered an opportunity to pass my admiration along. Salter, at left, in korea in 1952, with other members of the 335th fighter squadron, the inspiration for his first novel, the hunters. With his stirring, rapturous first noveloriginally published in 1956 james salter established himself as the most electrifying prose stylist since. The hunters by james salter meet your next favorite book. James salter, the fighter pilots writer military aviation. I loved james salters beguiling, brilliant, worldly, sexy novel all that is simon sebag montefiore, books of the year, evening standard this masterpiece is a smooth, absorbing narrative studded with bright particulars. 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. James salter image from cleve arrives in korea eager to join the ranks of pilot aces. To learn more about salter, read his 1993 art of fiction interview or one of his stories from the magazine. The hunters 1957 was salters first novel and remains the most concise expression of his talents. Over the decades that followed, dinner parties at the salter home became an aspen institution.
His first novel, the hunters, about the korean war was turned into a 1958 film starring robert mitchum and robert wagner. Rather than suffer a slow and debilitating death, marit solicits the assistance of her husband, walter, in taking her life by an overdose of her prescription painkiller. James salter, the veteran american novelist and short story writer, reads a story by lydia davis, winner of the 20 man booker international prize podcast published. In tier on tier of iron bunks below deck, silent, six deep, lay hundreds of men, many faceup with their eyes still open though it was near morning. James salter in the times and elsewhere the new york times. After graduating from west point in the closing days of world war ii, salter his name then was james horowitz went into the army air forces. Not much to show for 82 years, you might think, but salters words are so carefully chosen and polished such quality raw materials that each book carries more weight. Few american writers can pour carnal jet fuel onto their fiction quite like james salter. Knopf by james salter i came to this book a little biased. May 11, 20 e ight years ago, the writer james salter received a telephone call out of the blue from an admirer. Immediately download the james salter summary, chapterbychapter analysis, book notes, essays, quotes, character descriptions, lesson plans, and more everything you need for. The novel was the basis for the 1958 film adaptation of the novel starring robert mitchum and robert wagner with a different storyline. His father was a real estate broker and businessman. James salter, the novelist whose careful prose style made him a favorite among fellow authors, died on friday in sag harbor, n.
Jul 07, 2015 after graduating from west point in the closing days of world war ii, salter his name then was james horowitz went into the army air forces. The 17 chapters of this book, each capable of standing alone, display salters ability to find essential meaning in ordinary people, events and places. Based directly on his experience as a fighter pilot in the korean war and how many novelists can claim that on their cv. The hunters another stop in my journey through james salters sparse output. James salter books list of books by author james salter. In todays piece, geoff dyer looks at salters first novel, the hunters.
The hunters is james salters debut novel and a tale of usaf fighter pilots during the korean war, first published in 1956. James salter was the celebrated author of six novels the hunters, 1957. James salters most popular book is a sport and a pastime. 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. James salters new novel cassada tells a story of fate and courage in the squadron of american fighter pilots in cold war europe. Frustrations, seeking and achieving glory, or failing to be recognized for ones accomplishments. James salter simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. James salters first novel, and the only book of his that ive read, was originally published in 1956. Hunters first edition james salter bauman rare books. Horowitz, born june 10, 1925, passaic, new jersey, u. Paragraphs resolve with a pronounced matteroffactness, often along a chain of clipped, plainly wrought details marshalled by. When salter died last month at thecontinue reading. In the hunters, james salter examines a corrupt system of promotion and achievement in a squadron of mighunting fighter pilots during the korean war.
Four decades later, it is clear that he also fashioned the most enduring fiction ever about aerial warfare. Having gotten a late start, salter wasted no time and no words. The hunters, the american writer james salters debut novel from 1956, tells the story of an aging fighter pilots unnerving first tour of duty in the korean war. James salter was born james horowitz on june 10, 1925, in passaic, n. A war story based on his experience of more than 100 sorties as a jet fighter pilot in the korean war, it. An exlibrary book and may have standard library stamps andor stickers. Books by james salter author of a sport and a pastime. James salter 1925 2015 was a novelist, short story writer, and screenwriter. Newly revised by the author, the story of cleve connells war flies straight into the heart of men s rivalries and fears. The hunters tells the tale of cleve and other korean war pilots, the small society in which they live, what they value, how they see themselves. The hunters is james salter s debut novel and a tale of usaf fighter pilots during the korean war, first published in 1956. Born in 1925 as james horowitz, he flew fighter planes in the korean war and retired from it in 1957 to write.
The lights were dimmed, the engines throbbing endlessly, the ventilators pulling in damp air, fifteen hundred men with their packs and weapons heavy enough to take them straight to. In korea he flew more than 100 combat missions, dueling russian mig15s in an f86 sabreexperiences that formed the basis of his first novel, the hunters, published in 1956. No random house intern tossing my nervous sentences into the trash. With his stirring, rapturous first noveloriginally published in 1956.
On this memorial day, elizabeth farnsworth talks with james salter, author of the hunters, a novel about fighter pilots in korea. Buy the hunters by james salter from waterstones today. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. 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, the hunters. The town, in new yorks rockland county, is picturesquely framed by the hudson river on one side and the tallman mountain state park on the other. A combat pilot, sportsman, epicure and author, he was the beloved husband of kay eldredge and the. He also worked on the 1969 movies downhill racer writing and three directing. But not many can deny that salter writes with a precision seldom seen in contemporary literature. Three books you should check out this spring from james. In all that is, just after world war ii, one of bowmans good friends is so captivated by the village of piermont, new york that he buys a house close to the water and watches the hudson river flow by from his home. Originally published in 1956, the hunters was james salters first novel. The inaugural writer to hold the post, james salter, 89, is spending the fall semester on grounds, teaching a graduate workshop on fiction. Paul harding has an mfa in fiction from the iowa writers workshop 2000 and was a 20002001 fiction fellow at the fine arts work center, in provincetown, ma.
James salters writing style reminds me of ernest hemingways. The novel was the basis for the 1958 film adaptation of the novel starring robert mitchum and robert wagner with a different storyline under his birthname james a. Salter was already in his 30s when his first novel, the hunters 1956, was published. The hunters, by james salter chris becketts fiction. Occasionally the text of a book will be put into a specialized book press and painted, often with a scene from the book or a landscape, so that the painting is invisible when the book is closed but visible when somebody bends the text and fans the pagesknown as a foreedge painting. It is tight, crisp and colorful, intense and meaningful. Newly revised by the author, the story of cleve connells war flies straight into the heart of mens rivalries and fears. A novel by salter, james and a great selection of related books. James salters prose is tight, not a word wasted, often poetic and incandescent. Salter is still best known for his short 1967 novel a sport and a pastime, about an intense love affair in provincial france. Solo faces exposes the obsession that draws climbers away from civilization to test themselves against the most intimidating and inaccessible mountains in the world james salter s novel captures the adventure of gary, a roofer of churches, who feels restrained by conventions and flat ground. May 10, 20 james salter is a far more unusual case. Salter grew up in new york city and was a career officer and air force pilot until his midthirties, when the success of his first novel the hunters, 1957 led to a fulltime writing career. I would put his 1975 book, light years, right up there with the great.
James salter 19252015 was an american writer who flew more than 100 missions as an air force pilot before publishing his first novel, the hunters 1957. The hunters 1956 if you want to set aside such caricatures of men at modern war, if you wish to know that breed of man our times have developed. Based on his own experiences as a fighter pilot in the korean war, it is a classic of wartime fiction. Salter attended west point and flew more than 100 missions as a fighter pilot during the korean war. He also had a successful hollywood career, most notably as. About a year and a half ago i began writing a fan letter to james salter. We personally assess every book s quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures. And then actually the third book had nothing to do with it.
James low, next to him, was the model for the book s. A novel by salter, james and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. James salter has 47 books on goodreads with 88293 ratings. The writers authority breaths life into every sentence and the authenticity of his story is irrefutable. Buy a cheap copy of the hunters book by james salter. He gave three public talks last month related to the art of fiction, and will read from his work nov. The arm of flesh 1961 the hunters is james salter s debut novel and a tale of usaf fighter pilots during the korean war, first published in 1956. James salter, a west pointer who went to korea as a jet fighter pilot, has written a novel of that far eastern event that has none of the hokum that for the sake of. Click and collect from your local waterstones or get free uk delivery on orders over. Explore books by james salter with our selection at. His most noted novels were the hunters 1957 and a sport and a pastime 1967. Last night is a compact story that focuses on the presumed last night of marit such, who is dying from metastasized uterine cancer.
Horowitz, salter himself was a fighter pilot with the rank of captain who saw combat from february to. The hunters by james salter overdrive rakuten overdrive. Thriftbooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. Geoff dyer on james salters first novel, the hunters. 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.
Its about american fighter pilots in the korean war, a transition point in aerial warfare, when the planes were jets with sweptback wings, but still fought each other with guns, as the fighters of ww2 had done. Salter was a previous air force pilot and officer, but even still i was surprised to find the hunters so genuine and free of unrealistic banter. His celebrated prose style sometimes described as a cross between ernest hemingway and henry miller earned him the reputation as a writers writer. A combat pilot, sportsman, epicure and author, he was the beloved husband of kay eldredge and the adored father of allan. He left the air force in 1957, a year after he published his debut novel, the hunters, and shortly before he discovered aspen.
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