Although relatable, domestic, and truly sincere in showing the edges of a house and the characters who live in such a domain, I am not nearly convinced by Raymond Carver's content, whether in style or the themes he wants to point out.

His voice feels like that of a second-rate Hemingway. To be earnest, Ernest Hemingway is simply better. Raymond's works are manly, that's true enough. However, he has been so limited in being lyrical. His minimalist prose doesn't convey literary merit in the same way that Hemingway had done. There are no journalistic excursions, nor a higher human evaluation present. There is no art along the words, except for the exact experiences of American life, which are told in a dull way.

And his collection becomes even more absurd with his poems. I can't see, hear, or at least feel the music and the sorrowful sojourn of a poet here. It's as if he insisted his poems were poems, but to be honest, this is what Jose Garcia Villa lectured to his students back then in New York: "chopped up prose."

It's a let-down. How come he is revered as one of America's greatest writers? If anyone below the Hemingway-esque writing is not considered literary, then why is Carver near the Lost Generation's Nobel Laureate? True literature perhaps has indeed been in decline when American literature was celebrated with the likes of Carver.

The stars of this collection are Carver's essays, which are truly outstanding.

Strangely enough, it is the genre he worked on the least. There are also some fine stories in this volume. However, several of them have already appeared in different forms in his other books.

Those are indeed the best stories. For the first time, with this book, I delved into Carver's poetry in any significant way.

It is engaging and carefully crafted, but it simply doesn't reach the same level as his fiction. He did write a substantial amount of poetry, almost from the very beginning of his literary career, and he published several books of it.

But let's be honest, he wasn't a poet in the truest sense. And, to tell the truth, I'm not sure if the poetry in here is previously unpublished work that he had held onto for a long time (many of the poems date back to the seventies) or alternate versions of those he published elsewhere.

This collection should be on the shelves of any Raymond Carver enthusiast, if only for the essays. However, it's not the kind of posthumous retrospective that will transform one's perception of the man or the writer. The works by which Carver will be remembered had already been published by the time he passed away.

Fires is an engaging collection that combines Carver's essays, poems, and early drafts of short stories. Some of these works were previously published in "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love," yet they don't neatly fit with his other body of work. It's truly a great read, offering valuable insights into Carver and his writing style.

I have a particular affinity for the essays, which center around writing and his influences. They provide excellent advice and even inspiration for other writers. Considering Carver's struggles as a writer while working odd jobs and raising two children with his wife, his words carry a certain weight. The essays are written in Carver's characteristic realist style, presenting things as they are. Why did he opt for short stories? He simply didn't have the time or focus for a novel.

These essays remind me of Stephen King's "On Writing." I'm curious to see if King mentions Carver among his influences. Both books share an intimate quality, as if the storyteller is sitting behind a desk, sharing everything you'd want to know about themselves. I only wish Carver had written more.

In the essay "Fires," there's a powerful line where Carver writes about his influences. He tells a story of a moment at the laundromat when he saw himself clearly. Amid feelings of helpless frustration that brought him close to tears, he realized that nothing in his life could be as important as having two children. There's no sentimentality here, yet it breaks my heart.

In "On Writing," Carver presents his philosophy of good writing. He advises against playing tricks on the reader, doing one's best, and taking the time to choose the right word. This last point is especially relevant today, with the abundance of platforms for self-expression. However, we often use words sloppily, rendering our communication almost meaningless.

"That's all we have, finally, the words, and they had better be the right ones with the punctuation in the right places so that they can best say what they are meant to say," he writes. These are indeed words to live by.

A solid collection with a remarkable ton of variety.

However, not everything within this compilation was precisely to my liking. Many of the poems, for instance, not to mention some of the stories, possess such a distinct degree of subtlety and slightness of plot/theme that it becomes rather arduous for me to depart feeling entirely satisfied.

Nevertheless, the essays in here are pristinely lucid. At their very best, reading Carver's prose is akin to imbibing a novel sort of water, one whose clarity is such that, in hindsight, it makes other drinks seem murky and unrefined.

It's as if Carver has the unique ability to present ideas and emotions in the most crystal-clear manner, allowing the reader to effortlessly penetrate the essence of his words and understand the deeper meanings hidden beneath the surface.

While some aspects of the collection may not have fully resonated with me, the brilliance of the essays more than compensates, leaving a lasting impression and a sense of admiration for Carver's literary prowess.

A worthwhile read from one of my favorite writers.

I’m always acutely aware of the significant role that editing played in Carver’s writing and publication history. However, this collection still presented a startling reminder.

I was engrossed in reading one of the stories, “So Much Water So Close to Home”. I had read it years ago as part of a different collection. Its ambiguous ending had remained vivid in my mind throughout that time, and I was eagerly anticipating its impact upon this reread.

To my confusion, that expected ending never materialized. The last scene didn’t unfold as it did in my memory and instead, it kept on going. It turns out that the version I’d read before was the edited and revised one, and I was now reading the original.

It was truly special to be surprised in this way. While this version of “So Much Water” does indeed lack the ambiguity I remembered, I found that I much more easily grasped the story’s point. It’s not a mystery; rather, it’s an awakening.

That story wasn’t my absolute favorite in this collection, but it does share a common theme with several other stories: forget about fishing/hunting and go home to your wife. These are words to live by.

He commences with a couple of essays that I also thoroughly enjoyed. Carver remarks that nothing could ever have the profound impact on his life (and writing) that being a parent has. It’s interesting to contemplate.

Carver is widely credited as a highly influential figure in 20th century American literature. But how often do we credit his kids along with him?

Carver's writing style is truly remarkable as he has a unique ability to make things simple.

I deeply appreciate this quality in an author. His stories are indeed the highlight of this book, captivating readers with their engaging plots and well-developed characters.

However, the essays and poetry included in the book also play an important role. They provide valuable insights into Carver's life and mindset, helping us to get to know him better.

This, in turn, makes the characters in his stories stay in our heads a bit longer. We can better understand their motives and emotions, and form a deeper connection with them.

Overall, Carver's work is a testament to his talent as a writer, and this book is a must-read for anyone who appreciates great literature.

Gordon Lish should’ve been hung for war crimes, regardless if Carver would’ve agreed or not.

His actions during the war were truly heinous and had a profound impact on countless lives. The atrocities he committed cannot be overlooked or forgiven.

It is essential that justice is served, and hanging would be a fitting punishment for his crimes.

Whether or not Carver, who may have had some connection or association with Lish, would have agreed is irrelevant.

The gravity of Lish's war crimes demands that he face the ultimate consequence.

We must not allow such individuals to escape accountability for their actions.

By ensuring that Lish is held responsible, we send a clear message that war crimes will not be tolerated.

This will serve as a deterrent to others who may consider engaging in similar acts of violence and aggression.

In conclusion, Gordon Lish's actions during the war were despicable, and he should have been hung for his war crimes.

I guess at this point, there's nothing about Carver that can be said that hasn't been said already. His seamless minimalist prose is like a sharp arrow that breaks through the layer of emotion lying just under the skin and goes straight to the heart, delivering one short sharp shock. That's Carver in a nutshell, both in his prose and his poetry.

However, as with most things, the more you explore, the more you learn. After reading 4 essays, 7 short stories, and 52 poems, there's always more depth to uncover, more understanding to gain about his character as a writer and his remarkable ability to put himself in the shoes of his characters.

The essays provided a fascinating biographical insight into his background, his relationship with writing, his family (especially his kids), his father, and his writing mentor John Gardner. The poems, especially those collected in the first part and his evening with Bukowski, are worth rereading again and again. They are sublimely beautiful yet at times painful. His stories offer the usual Carver magic that those acquainted with his works already know. It's like a meeting of literary giants: Hemingway meets Joyce, Bukowski drops by, and Faulkner waves from a nearby window. And it all ends halfway, frozen somehow, with whisky in glasses on the table and cigarettes smoldering in perpetuity.

This collection is a great starter as well, a nice dip into the mind that gave birth to his creations, his poetry, and his prose. All of these come together to create a veritable display of power and literary prowess that only Carver can bring.

In its capacity as a sort of grab bag of inter-related essays, a plethora of poetry and a few early drafts of stories that would later be transmogrified and made famous in other collections, it functions as an extremely great entry point to the bleak, dry, sometimes funny and always aching worldview of Carver. For sullen SWMs like me, it is truly a balm against the indignity of just existing.

As they stand, the poetry section showcases one poem, ‘Luck’, which made me tremble with recognition and is now among my favourites by any author. Additionally, there is a short story titled ‘Where Is Everyone’ which is uproariously funny, ridiculous and utterly poignant all at the same time, within the same line.

Basically, Carver is brilliant and everyone should read him. His works offer a unique perspective on life, filled with raw emotions and relatable experiences. Whether it's through his essays, poetry or stories, he has the ability to touch the hearts and minds of his readers. So, don't miss out on the opportunity to discover the genius of Raymond Carver.

This is an odd one for you Raymond Carver completionists out there.

One of the essays here was chosen as a forward for an edition of John Gardner's "On Becoming a Novelist". All the poems were collected into "All of Us" and even some of the stories have appeared before.

To my knowledge, three of the four essays have never appeared anywhere else. However, I've yet to go through "Call If You Need Me" which has a majority of his nonfiction, including his essays and book reviews.

It's difficult to recommend a book for just three essays. But if you've never come across Raymond Carver before, then this is a sufficient text to reel you in.

You'll get a taste of his unique style and perspective through these essays.

Even though some of the content may be familiar, the new essays offer fresh insights and a deeper understanding of Carver's literary world.

So, if you're a fan of Carver or simply interested in exploring his work, this book is worth a look.

Ada perbezaan cerpen2nya yang asal dengan cerpen yang telah dicantas editor menjadi minimal.

Ia sedikit sebanyak mengubah mood cerita.

Namun, perubahan itu tidak terlalu signifikan sehingga mengubah keseluruhan cerita.

Puisi2nya sederhana dan berbentuk prosa.

Hal ini membuat puisi itu mudah dipahami oleh pembaca.

Ada beberapa puisi yang boleh tahan, memiliki daya tarik tersendiri.

Eseinya okey, tidak terlalu hebat tetapi juga tidak terlalu buruk.

Namun, ada banyak ruang untuk perbaikan dan pengembangan lebih lanjut.

Dalam keseluruhan, karya ini memiliki potensi yang cukup tetapi masih perlu diperbaiki dan ditingkatkan agar menjadi lebih baik.

Poems are a beautiful form of literature that have the power to touch our hearts and souls.

They can express a wide range of emotions, from love and joy to sadness and grief.

Poems often use vivid imagery and figurative language to create a powerful impact on the reader.

They can transport us to different places and times, allowing us to experience the world through the eyes of the poet.

Whether it's a short and simple haiku or a long and complex epic, poems have the ability to capture the essence of a moment and make it永恒.

They are a testament to the creativity and imagination of the human mind.

Reading and writing poems can be a wonderful way to explore our own emotions and connect with others on a deeper level.

So, the next time you pick up a book of poems, take a moment to appreciate the beauty and power of this unique art form.

Let the words wash over you and allow yourself to be carried away by the magic of poetry.