With an introduction by John Banville. From his first published story in the Paris Review in 1968, James Salter's stories have been universally acclaimed. Including his two published collections, Dusk and Other Stories (1988) and Last Night (2005), and the previously uncollected 'Charisma', this volume contains over twenty short stories by one of the finest writers of our time. Concerning men and women in their most intimate moments, struggling with loss, desire, or the burden of memory, each indelible narrative in the Collected Stories is marked by James Salter's great literary grace, his ability to show the subtleties of a character or situation with precision, and his equally assured ability to command reversals of fortune or shocking revelations. 'It's the short stories which make him one of the greatest writers of the last century and the present one' Financial Times 'Writing that is bowstring-taut and carries considerable punch' Sunday Times 'Salter's stories are masterpieces of poise and clarity, so much so that their dazzling surface stillness often blinds you to the surprisingly bold risks' Metro