James Salter's first novel in seven years is the story of Philip Bowman, a young naval officer, and it traces his experiences in work, life, and mostly love through the changes of the Twentieth Century. The great events of the century occur off the page, and are referred to only obliquely, whereas the details of his relationships are described in some detail. Bowman is unlucky in love. He has a varety of dalliances and relationships, but the stable richness of love that he craves always seems to elude him, although the book is not without hope and optimism, as his contentment with his lot grows as he ages. This is a thoughtful, moving and satisfying novel, a novel of a life which could be anyone's life, beautifully and tenderly written, but also muscular at times - it's the kind of novel that Richard Ford writes. I liked it a lot.