A Sport and a Pastime

by James Salter
A Sport and a Pastime cover
Good Books rating 3.83
Literary Fiction
Technical:
  • ID: 1089
  • Added: 2025-09-25
  • Updated: 2025-10-03
  • ISBN: 9780330448819
  • Publisher: Pan Macmillan
  • Published: 2007-01-01
  • Formats: 13
  • Reviews: 3
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Waterstones
Paperback • £10.99

A Sport and a Pastime is a literary masterpiece that brilliantly captures the essence of a passionate love affair between a young shopgirl and an American college dropout. The novel's unique narrative style, where the narrator's cool distillation of events—real or imagined—adds a layer of intrigue and depth, making it both lyrical and dangerously compelling. The setting of provincial France serves as a rich and evocative backdrop, enhancing the novel's themes of love, illusion, and the complexities of human relationships. James Salter's prose is renowned for its precision and passion, and A Sport and a Pastime is no exception. The novel's exploration of the narrator's perspective and the blurred lines between reality and imagination make it a standout work in contemporary literature. The book's tight, suspenseful pacing and lyrical beauty have cemented its place as a classic, appealing to readers who appreciate sophisticated storytelling and richly drawn characters.

Reviews
Reading Matters · 2019-12-19
beguiling 3.00

The novel is strange and beguiling, with moments that feel voyeuristic and misogynistic. Despite its flaws, it offers a compelling exploration of its characters and their relationship.

The reviewer from Reading Matters finds 'A Sport and a Pastime' to be a strange and beguiling novel. They note that it feels voyeuristic in some places and misogynistic in others, which can be off-putting. However, they also appreciate the book's compelling exploration of its characters and their complex relationship. The reviewer acknowledges the novel's flaws but ultimately finds it to be a thought-provoking read.

Quick quotes

    It's a rather strange and beguiling novel, and not quite what I expected.

    It feels voyeuristic in some places and misogynistic in others.

    The novel offers a compelling exploration of its characters and their relationship.

The Guardian · 2017-02-17
brutal 4.50

The novel is a beautiful and brutal depiction of a relationship, with a dreamlike quality that enhances its emotional impact. The reviewer loved the book for its raw and honest portrayal of human connection.

The Guardian reviewer loved 'A Sport and a Pastime' for its beautiful and brutal depiction of a relationship. They appreciate the novel's dreamlike quality, which adds to its emotional impact. The reviewer finds the book to be a raw and honest portrayal of human connection, noting that it stays with the reader long after finishing. They also highlight the novel's poetic prose and its ability to evoke deep emotions.

Quick quotes

    I loved A Sport and a Pastime when I read it a couple of months ago.

    Salter's work certainly carries a sort of dreamlike quality that enhances its emotional impact.

    The novel is a raw and honest portrayal of human connection.

JacquiWine's Journal · JacquiWine · 2016-03-09
profound 4.00

The novel is an experience that defies easy summary, requiring readers to immerse themselves in its unique narrative style. The story's subtle and nuanced portrayal of a relationship leaves a lasting impression.

JacquiWine highlights that 'A Sport and a Pastime' is a novel that must be experienced rather than summarized. They appreciate the book's unique narrative style and the way it subtly portrays the relationship between its characters. The reviewer finds the novel to be a profound and immersive read, noting that it stays with the reader long after finishing. They also mention that the book's dreamlike quality adds to its overall impact.

Quick quotes

    A Sport and a Pastime is a difficult novel to summarise – it's a book that feels as though it needs to be experienced for itself.

    Much of its power lies in the subtle and nuanced portrayal of the relationship between the characters.

    The novel's dreamlike quality adds to its overall impact and makes it a memorable read.

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