All That Is

A Novel

De: James Salter

Narrado por: Joe Barrett

An extraordinary literary event, a major new novel by the PEN/Faulkner winner and acclaimed master, here is a sweeping, seductive, deeply moving story set in the years after World War II.

After his experiences as a young naval officer in battles off Okinawa, Philip Bowman returns to America and finds a position as a book editor. It is a time when publishing is still largely a private affair - a scattered family of small houses here and in Europe - a time of gatherings in fabled apartments and conversations that continue long into the night. In this world of dinners, deals, and literary careers, Bowman finds he fits in perfectly. But despite his success, love eludes him. His first marriage goes bad, another fails to happen, and finally he meets a woman who enthralls him and sets him on a course he could never have imagined for himself.

Romantic and haunting, All That Is explores a life unfolding in a world on the brink of change. It is a dazzling, sometimes devastating labyrinth of love and ambition, a fiercely intimate account of the great shocks and grand pleasures of being alive.

©2013 James Salter (P)2013 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"The best novel I’ve read in years. All That Is will be treasured by its readers. Salter’s vivid, lucid prose does exquisite justice to his subject - the relentless struggle to make good on our own humanity. Once again he has delivered to us a novel of the highest artistry." (Tim O’Brien, National Book Award-winning author of The Things They Carried)

"A beautiful novel, with sufficient love, heartbreak, vengeance, identity confusion, longing, and euphoria of language to have satisfied Shakespeare." (John Irving, New York Times best-selling author)

"Enthralling.... A vividly imagined and beautifully written evocation of a postwar world." (John Banville, Man Booker Prize-winning author)

Like a Woody Allen movie, with fewer laughs

The people portrayed here are well-educated and well-to-do. The protagonist is an editor who's able to travel abroad often. The book's primarily about his relationship with the opposite sex. Various subplots cover other characters and, frankly, things are hard to follow. Not only that, but, while well-drawn, I found none of the characters compelling. They were interesting, sure, but not interesting enough for me to find the 10 hours I spent with them rewarding. Salter, of course, writes beautiful sentences; alas, that's not enough if the characters and plot fail to engage.

I had to force myself to finish this.

One of my All-time Favorite Books

Salter is just so fantastic on every level. He understands life so well and reveals it through amazing little details. This reading by Joe Barrett is also wonderful. I've listened to it now 4 or 5 times and every time I notice something new. I honestly don't understand why this book isn't more famous.

A writer's writer

Splendid, lush story telling. Beautiful thoughtful conversations with a myriad of interesting and well described characters. I love Salter's writing. It suggests a bygone appreciation of smallest details that make his characters, and the lives they lead almost jump off the page. A truly beautiful novel.

Disappointing. But I still miss him.

Read “A Sport and a Pastime.” Or any of his essays for Esquire magazine. Always elegant and efficient. This, his last novel, was not.

The rhythm of Updike without the language

A long rambling story of a guy who is good, bad and indifferent. In the end I didn't much care for or about Phillip or any of the other characters one way or another.