I can't do justice to this collection with a review.

It is simply too remarkable to be fully captured in words.

The stories within it are like precious gems, each one shining with its own unique brilliance.

Rereading them is like embarking on a new adventure every time, uncovering hidden layers and nuances that I may have missed before.

I find myself constantly amazed by the author's ability to create such vivid characters and engaging plots.

It is as if they leap off the page and into my imagination.

I can only hope to unlock the secrets of writing perfection that this collection holds.

Perhaps through careful study and analysis, I can learn a fraction of what the author has mastered.

Until then, I will continue to lose myself in these wonderful stories, savoring every moment and every word.

This collection is truly a masterpiece, and I feel privileged to have discovered it.

My "small but good" thing: Discovering Raymond Carver's pen at this moment in my life.

Raymond Carver is a renowned American writer, and his works have had a profound impact on the literary world. His simple and profound writing style has touched the hearts of countless readers.

Discovering his pen at this time feels like a precious gift. It is not just an ordinary pen, but a tool that has witnessed the birth of many great works. Holding this pen, I seem to be able to feel the passion and inspiration that Carver poured into his writing.

This pen has become a source of motivation for me. It reminds me of the power of words and the importance of perseverance in writing. I hope to use this pen to record my own thoughts and feelings, and perhaps one day, create something that can also touch the hearts of others.

Don't read them all at once,

or you might get duly depressed.

Instead, read a few of them between novels

and savor them in small doses.

These seemingly simple stories,

the majority of them dealing with ordinary pain and failure,

tend to creep up on you

and stay on your mind for a long time.

The more recent stories at the end of the collection

seem to announce a slightly more optimistic tone

the author was taking before his untimely death.

I have my favorites,

but they are all remarkable.

Each story has its own unique charm,

drawing you in and making you feel a range of emotions.

Some may make you cry,

while others may make you think deeply about life and its meaning.

The author's writing style is engaging and accessible,

allowing you to easily connect with the characters and their experiences.

Whether you are a fan of short stories or not,

this collection is definitely worth a read.

It will leave you with a newfound appreciation for the power of storytelling

and the ability of words to touch our hearts and souls.

This was my initial encounter with Raymond Carver.

While I took pleasure in several of the stories within this collection, it's not one that I would recommend to just anyone. Perhaps only fellow writers who are seeking examples of concise prose and potentially inspiration might find it appealing.

The stories predominantly deal with unhappy marriages and friendships, with a significant emphasis on dialogue. When Carver chooses to build tension, he does so quite effectively. However, I often find myself longing for him to shock me with some unexpected scene, similar to what David Lynch would do. But alas, it never quite reaches that level.

There are numerous stories here about drinking, griping about spouses, and then more drinking. And it all concludes without leaving much to hold onto. Although I did enjoy approximately half of these stories, the other half seemed to be more of the same. More complaining, more drinking, more divorcing, more financial struggles, and more whining.

I haven't finished reading his works, but I can't envision myself reading anything by Carver that is longer than a short story. I'm afraid there wouldn't be any real payoff.

I read most of the stories in here about six years ago. However, at present, I'm rereading "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love", and perhaps some others later. This is due to an article from the New Yorker.

The link to the article is http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/20....

Moreover, the version of that story which is supposedly Carver's preferred draft is also included. The relationship between him and his editor is extremely unsettling to me. I desire to determine which version of the story I actually prefer. I just completed the longer one from the magazine. Even though I haven't read it for so many years, I already believe that I prefer the version that was so meticulously edited by the editor.

He edited out 40% of the story. Here is a link to the edits: http://www.newyorker.com/online/2007/...

I am intrigued by the differences between the two versions and look forward to further exploration.

I had the urge to reread Carver's short stories after having delved into Will You Please Be Quiet, Please?, What We Talk About When We Talk About Love, Cathedral, Fires and Elephant in the past few years.

Consequently, I made up my mind to obtain a copy of Where I'm Calling From. This is a rather substantial best-of-collection that was compiled shortly before his untimely death in 1988. It features 37 of the finest stories he had ever penned.

I would assert that the sole imperfection is the absence of the beautiful and poignant title story from his first book, 'Will You Please Be Quiet, Please?'. Aside from that, this collection is sheer genius. Carver had an uncanny ability to make it all seem so effortless. He was incredibly talented, to the point of being almost unbelievable.

His stories have a way of captivating the reader, drawing them in with their simplicity and yet revealing profound truths about the human condition. Rereading his works is like embarking on a journey of self-discovery and exploration.

I can't wait to immerse myself in the world of Carver's short stories once again and experience the magic that he so skillfully weaves within each and every one of them.

I'm not going to attempt to write about each story individually, but I simply cannot emphasize enough how deeply I adore Carver's prose and his utilization of the short story format. It's truly remarkable how he manages to pack an infinite amount of emotional background and character qualities into such concise bursts of writing. And let's not even begin to discuss the dialogue. It has the power to move me to tears on more than one occasion.

Some of my personal favorite stories by Carver include "What's In Alaska?", "Why, Honey?", "Gazebo", "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love", "Distance", "Where I'm Calling From", "Fever", "Feathers", "Cathedral", and "A Small, Good Thing" (which is my absolute favorite, deserving a rating of 6 out of 5 stars). Each of these stories offers a unique and profound exploration of the human condition, leaving a lasting impression on the reader.

Carver's ability to capture the essence of life's small moments and turn them into powerful works of art is truly a gift. His stories are not only entertaining but also thought-provoking, challenging us to look at our own lives and relationships in a new light. I highly recommend his works to anyone who appreciates the beauty and power of the written word.

What we discuss when we talk about Raymond Carver is precisely how closely attuned he is to the individuals in his stories.

I have the perception that every single person in his tales is someone he must have known or encountered in real life - that's the level of authenticity they possess.

Just like with all short story collections, there were some that I adored and others that were merely average.

Nevertheless, taken as a whole, it is an outstanding collection and one that I would highly recommend to lovers of short stories.

Raymond Carver's ability to bring his characters to life and make them feel so genuine is truly remarkable. His stories often explore the ordinary yet profound aspects of human existence, revealing the hidden emotions and struggles that lie beneath the surface.

Whether it's a story about a failed relationship, a moment of self-discovery, or a simple encounter with a stranger, Carver has a way of making the reader connect with the characters on a deep and personal level.

This collection is a testament to his talent as a writer and is sure to be enjoyed by anyone who appreciates the art of the short story.

If you find yourself relating to Raymond Carver's stories, it might be an indication that you could benefit from therapy and/or rehab. The interesting thing is that he casts such a wide net in his every-dysfunctional-man tales. In fact, most people could probably relate to at least one of them.

At his best, whether he's writing about alcoholism, crumbling marriages, irreconcilable loneliness, bad parenting, or the violence and selfishness within us, Carver's work hits like a punch to the gut. I'm not entirely sure why I reread him so often. The experience is similar to holding up a magic mirror that exposes the ugliness not only in oneself but also in everyone around us.

Moments of redemption and relief are, realistically speaking, few and far between in his stories. However, despite this, his work is highly recommended. It forces us to confront the harsh realities of life and our own flaws, which can be a powerful and transformative experience.

Carver's ability to capture the essence of the human condition in such a raw and unflinching way is truly remarkable. His stories may not always be easy to read, but they are definitely worth the effort.

This was a casual re-read. I started reading with a certain Carver mood, but unfortunately, I fell out of it mid-book, so I'm now out of the reading process. However, I still stand by what I said last time below.

Some of the stories in this collection are excellent, and some are even great. But overall, there are just too many of them, which dampens the impact and effect of each individual story.

The stories from "Cathedral" by Raymond Carver and especially those from "Elephant and Other Stories" are truly his best. They展现了Carver独特的写作风格和深刻的洞察力，让读者能够深入地感受到他所描绘的人物和情境。

Despite the slight drawback of having too many stories, Raymond Carver's works are still highly recommended for those who appreciate great literature.

When I pick up a book of short stories, I always look forward to the title story with great anticipation. I wonder how the author chose that particular story to give the book its name. In this case, the stories are taken from several previous collections, but only one was selected as the title.

Often, in a review of a short story collection like this one, the reviewer will summarize a few stories to give you a taste of the book. However, other reviewers have already done that with Where I’m Calling From, so I’ll refrain.

But I’ll say a little about the title story in case you’re interested. It’s about a drunk who meets another drunk in a place where they’re trying to get sober. I think some of the stories might be autobiographical since Raymond Carver was a drunk himself. He was also a fisher and hunter, and some of the stories include these elements. But not this one.

I try to imagine someone sharing parts of this story at an AA meeting where someone is celebrating their sobriety anniversary. It seems possible based on my experience. Drunks can often be good storytellers, as Carver shows. Where I’m Calling From includes typical aspects of a drunk’s story: tremors, a wife, a girlfriend, kids, and even kissing a chimney sweep for good luck.

Again, I won’t attempt to summarize all thirty-seven stories in this collection. Judging from the review in the New York Times, these particular stories were chosen by the author himself.

In putting together ''Where I'm Calling From,'' Mr. Carver decided against collecting all his stories. ''There are some I'm not particularly fond of and would not like to see reprinted again. I just picked up ones that I felt I could live with.''

Many of the stories involve married couples and their sometimes less-than-positive impressions and experiences with each other. I would say this book will leave you with a sense of sobriety and make you think deeply about life, perhaps even slogging through the gritty details at times. I often found myself wondering where I was when I finished reading many of the stories. What had just happened to the characters? What was going to happen next? It didn’t seem likely to have a happy ending.

I wonder why I would want to read a book like this. Well, I like getting a glimpse into my own strange inner life. It makes me feel alive in the midst of the seemingly ordinary daily routine because my mind is constantly exploring this kind of material. The beauty and intricacy of a snowflake are not easy to capture in a blizzard, but I think Raymond Carver might be trying to do just that in the midst of his portrayal of so much gloom. Or is it the opposite of beauty: the putrid smell of refuse? The promise and threat of a storm cloud are often present at the beginning, middle, and end of the story.

We’re told that the stories in the book are arranged “generally” in chronological order. I think the inclusion of the word “generally” is meant to both pique our curiosity and raise our hackles. This is something Carver did with words habitually. At least he did until he died in 1988, the year this book was published, at the young age of fifty.

Sometimes the story just ends.

He said, “I just want to say one more thing.”
And then he could not think what it could possibly be.

Carver seems to be a bit of a folk hero. The fact that he died young and sober after being a raging drunk for many years gives him a certain notoriety and mystery. I want to read more of his stories. This book contains the stories he selected. Before he died, he indicated that there were some of his stories he would not have chosen. But, despite that, his heirs collected many unpublished stories and created new books and even new collections after he was gone.

I just kept reading this book. There was no good reason, really. To be honest, it seemed as depressing as could be. But then I got into the new stories at the end of the book. Remember I said the stories were “generally in chronological order”? So the new stories are the most recent ones.

And it occurred to me that with these new stories, you can either sob and cry or you can break out into laughter. You had to stop being so serious and just laugh! So I did, and I loved the feeling. Thank you, Mr. Raymond Carver! The new stories were the best ones – maybe because they were written when he had been sober the longest. He may not have been a nice drunk; some of the people in his previously published stories certainly aren’t nice. But he seemed very familiar with them. This isn’t to say that the characters in the new stories are nice. They’re not especially. But I got more enjoyment from those stories.

I give this book five grateful stars as I realized that things couldn’t be as bad as they seemed. There’s drama, pessimism, and riveting writing.

You should read the NYT’s article about Carver by Stephen King:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/22/boo...

The 1993 Robert Altman film Short Cuts is based on Carver short stories and is available on DVD.

As you delve deeper into the life and writing career of Mr. Carver, the roles of both his editor/agent, Gordon Lish, and his biographer, Carol Sklenicka, become more complex and intertwined with his life. Both are people I’d like to know more about as I try to understand Mr. Carver.

Raymond Carver is widely regarded as the master of the contemporary American short story.

Although I initially balk at such high praise for his work, I must admit that no one else immediately comes to mind who is more deserving of this epithet.

Make no mistake, I do love Carver. He is a very good, talented, subtle, and perceptive writer.

However, I do not believe he is a very good storyteller. His works are not exactly page-turners.

I have read stories that are difficult to describe due to the complexity of events within them, but Carver's stories, stereotypically, are difficult to describe because not much happens.

Especially in his early work, which is why I am so stingy with the stars when rating "Where I'm Calling From."

This volume is more of an anthology of Carver's career than a greatest hits collection. All of his collections are represented, and the stories are presented in chronological order.

A few unpublished tales round out the selection. Early on, the stories feel half-baked, lazy, and unrealized. Everything seems like a sloppy first draft.

One wonders how they ever got published, let alone collected. At best, these stories, like "Fat," are intriguing character sketches that might one day develop into good stories.

Carver doesn't seem to understand the difference between a story and an anecdote or scene, as seen in "What's in Alaska?" and "Neighbors."

Or perhaps he is challenging the notion that there is a difference.

But then, a little less than halfway through the collection and, effectively, Carver's career, we encounter disturbingly brilliant gems like "Why Don't You Dance?" and "So Much Water So Close to Home."

Finally, towards the end, are the real classics, concluding with "Vitamins" (my all-time favorite Carver story), "Where I'm Calling From," "Fever," "Feathers," "Cathedral," and "A Small, Good Thing."

I once read and liked the statement that pitchers lose their arms and construction workers lose their backs, but writers just get better as they age.

While I can think of several counterexamples, in the case of Raymond Carver, it is quite true.

This collection is not recommended for anyone but the most devoted Carver supporters. For everyone else, a "Greatest Hits" collection would suffice. Otherwise, pick up "Cathedrals" and "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love" and be satisfied.