Memorable Days: The Selected Letters of James Salter and Robert Phelps

by James Salter, Robert Phelps, John McIntyre (Editor), Michael Dirda (Foreword by)

Overview

“[A] well–edited collection . . . More than friends and less than lovers, Salter and Phelps were literary soul mates.” —Publishers Weekly

It was James Salter’s third novel, A Sport and a Pastime—together with his film Three and a script he had written for Downhill Racer—that in 1969 prompted Robert Phelps to write a letter of admiration. Though the two writers didn’t know each other, their correspondence went on to span decades.

The letters themselves are exceptionally alive, uninhibited, gossipy, touching, and brilliant. The successes of Salter and the struggles of Phelps are fully explored by the writers themselves in the kind of honest exchange only letters can divulge. With an insightful foreword by Michael Dirda, this book gives voice to a nearly forgotten figure and his friendship with a man he admired.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781582436722
Publisher:	Catapult
Publication date:	06/21/2010
Sold by:	Penguin Random House Publisher Services
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
File size:	439 KB

About the Author

James Salter was a novelist, short story writer, screenwriter, and essayist. Born in 1925, Salter grew up in New York City and was a career officer and Air Force pilot until his mid–thirties, when the success of his first novel The Hunters led to a fulltime writing career. Salter’s potent, lyrical prose has earned him acclaim from critics, readers, and fellow novelists. He was the recipient of a PEN/Faulkner Award and the PEN/Malamud Award, among others. His novel A Sport and a Pastime was hailed by the New York Times as “nearly perfect as any American fiction.” His other books include Cassada and Light Years. He died on June 19, 2015, at ninety years old.

Table of Contents

Foreword Michael Dirda ix

Introduction John McIntyre xxi

1969-1970: Like the Year of a First Love 3

1971: We Must Catch the Train… 41

1972: Yours in Exile, Yours in Bliss 77

1973: Imagine Finding a Friend Late in Life… 105

1974: Samizdat Lives 125

1975: A Time of Uncertainty and Unease 135

1976-1977: The Reward of Courage 157

1978-1980: Over and Out 177

Index 197

Editorial Reviews

Authors Salter and Phelps reveal their undying friendship and intense connection in this well-edited collection of 20 years of their correspondence. After the release of Salter's film Three, Phelps wrote him a letter conveying his appreciation for many of his works. A relationship immediately bloomed. In letters the two men mention family matters often, but in a matter-of-fact manner; real displays of emotion were saved for addressing each another, as though each were the most important person in the other's life. They discuss hardships and challenges within their personal and professional lives (expressing concern over writing for personal vs. monetary gain, for instance). It's apparent that both men lived their lives for the thrill of art and writing, but also greatly enjoyed having a partner with whom they were able to intimately discuss their passions and dreams. More than friends and less than lovers, Salter and Phelps were literary soul mates.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Publishers Weekly

Praise for James Salter

"Salter particularly rewards those for whom reading is an intense pleasure."-Susan Sontag

"Sentence for sentence Salter is the master."-Richard Ford

"Salter inhabits the same rarefied heights as Flannery O'Connor, Paul Bowles, Tennessee Williams, and John Cheever.-The Washington Post Book World

From the Publisher