Peaceable Land 25 - The lover's fighter

One last expedition

One last expedition before we all turn in for Christmas folks. James Salter, whom I’ve just written on for the NS, lived a great life for biographies. Typically with a novelist, a biography has to smuggle through two distinct books: one on the work and one on the life. But Salter’s great themes, war and sex and marriage, and the books he wrote on them, came with major and dramatic life events.

The war book came after he joined the Korean war as a fighter pilot and killed a man. The sex book came after he left the military and toured the restaurant tables, country roads and hotel beds of France. The marriage book came after his daughter was electrocuted in a freak accident and he gave her CPR until medics made him stop.

I hoped to say, and hope I have said, that he was the lover’s fighter. Lover or fighter is an old dichotomy, and he broke it into an ambiguity. I’m so pleased it’s up. The novels are very dear to me. Also, they let me be a bit cheeky with the author of a new Salter biography. Finally, the piece was shared on the homepage alongside three writers I really admire, especially Jason.

The sex book, A Sport and a Pastime, was actually one of only a few I ‘dissected’ to help write my first novel. The dissection practise I know, by the way, was from a great exercise book I found on an Oxford syllabus that teaches the writing of memoirs. I mention that with a view to christmas, because it’s a great gift for parents and grandparents who you wish you asked more questions.

I have the Christmassy Richard Curtisoing up, with luck, on Christmas Eve, so it would be great if you checked my byline page. But anyway I hope your Christmas is just what you hope.
Very best,
GM