After two collections of exquisitely written, concise yet grim and unmercifully sad working-class stories, Carver takes a different approach in this 1983 collection. He allows some of the stories to expand slightly in various ways.

Almost all the stories in "Will You Please Be Quiet, Please?" (1976) and "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love" (1981) focus on working-class people on the verge of tragedy or at the end of a slow tragic decline. It's not the classic tragedy of a great man like Macbeth but rather the downfall of an ordinary factory worker due to an affair and his own drunken blunders.

The first story in this collection, "Feathers," perhaps signals the change by identifying the tale as a "low rent tragedy." Here, there's more humor, fuller descriptions, and a slower pace, allowing for more to happen and for us to get to know the characters more fully as humans. Most importantly, there's a generosity of spirit not seen to this extent in the earlier collections.

The best example of this is seen in the revised story "A Small, Good Thing," which was originally "The Bath" in "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love." In the original, an eight-year-old boy is hit by a car and in a coma on his birthday. His parents are too distracted to remember the ordered cake, and the phone keeps ringing with annoying calls. The tone is harsh and devastating. In the revised version, the parents drive to confront the baker in their grief and rage. The baker, upon learning what has happened, offers them freshly baked bread, and they share it together, restoring a small measure of grace and humanity.

There are other stories in this collection where similar grace occurs. However, perhaps one of Carver's greatest stories, and maybe one of the best stories ever, is the concluding story, "Cathedral." Narrated by a man whose wife is old friends with a blind man, the story shows the narrator's initial dislike and misunderstanding of the blind man. The blind man's richness and "insightfulness" irritate and make the narrator jealous. When a program about cathedrals is on TV, the narrator fails to describe it to the blind man. But then, the blind man asks the narrator to draw a cathedral with his hand over the narrator's hand.

During this process, a small but significant miracle happens. The narrator closes his eyes and experiences what it might be like to be blind. He realizes the power of imagination and relationship. In this story, there emerges the possibility of redemption and life change for the selfish narrator.

This collection is a departure from Carver's earlier works, showing growth and a newfound heart. It's a must-read for anyone who loves great literature.

My first encounter with Raymond Carver's work was truly an eye-opening experience.

I have always been in awe of how he manages to cram so much into each of his stories. However, I have often struggled to pick up on the symbolism and delve deeper into the meanings that lie beneath the surface. It's not that I don't feel them intuitively, but rather that I find it difficult to put those feelings into words.

One of the recurring themes in his stories is the difficulty we face in communicating with one another and understanding ourselves. This is exemplified by the repeated references to heavy drinkers and alcoholism. It seems that so many people turn to the easy escape of a glass to numb themselves from inconvenient feelings and situations.

Not all the stories in this collection revolve around booze, but miscommunication is a major theme that runs throughout. Overall, the stories are rather bleak and depressing, which is why I took my time reading them, a little bit at a time, not wanting to be completely dragged down by despair.

The title story, Cathedral, is a perfect illustration of this. The narrator's wife announces that an old blind friend is coming over for a visit after losing his wife to cancer. She and this friend have had a regular correspondence over the years, sharing many intimate details about their inner lives and marriages. As for the narrator, he can barely conceive of a blind person as a fully realized human being and seems to think that their lack of sight means they are unable to enjoy life. But as the story unfolds, it becomes clear that while most people are able to look, few actually take the time to truly see.

With his simple and pared-down language, Carver invites us to look beyond the obvious and discover the true essence of things. I believe that's what he's striving for in his work. Maybe I'll need to read more articles analyzing his stories to gain a better understanding. But then again, sometimes I think it's okay to just go with our instincts and not worry about trying to understand everything logically. After all, our inner eye can see so much more than we give it credit for.

I think, without exaggeration, that the stories in "Cathedral" are among the best short stories I have read.

The first thing that catches my attention is Carver's writing. His use of language is precise and well-cared-for. He chooses words as if life depends on it, while at the same time trying to avoid long speeches and subordination. This quality is especially evident in the presentation of the narrative conflict in his stories, which is limited to a few simple sentences. "It Seems Like a Foolishness", the best story in this collection, is the text that best highlights this issue. The main conflict ("The child stepped off the curb at a crossing, without looking, and immediately a car hit him") is told in only two conjugated verbs, but that doesn't mean the story lacks force; on the contrary, these brief lines trigger a dynamic and lively story that moves until the last page.

The characters are another aspect that catches my attention in these stories. Beyond their tragic psychology, they are subjects who inhabit an immanent thread of possibilities. They present a latent, but not entirely permanent agony. Their conflicts are not yet completely resolved, and for this reason they occupy a place in constant tension between success and failure. I think of them as characters who inhabit the interstice, the purgatory, waiting for a stability that contradicts their condition as unfinished beings.

What I clearly understand from this reading is that every decision matters. The characters in these stories would hope that their author would make them fit into the best phrase of the paradigms, in a conjugated verb that would allow them to abandon their anxiety. But there they are, waiting.

I firmly believe that this short-story is one that would be highly amenable to a plethora of interpretations.

Consequently, the understanding I have arrived at might or might not bear any resemblance to yours.

In my perception, it delves deep into the themes of prejudices and preconceived ideas that often cloud our judgment and prevent us from seeing the true essence of a person or a situation.

It also emphasizes the importance of walking a mile in another man's shoes, of trying to understand their perspective, their experiences, and their struggles.

By doing so, we can break down the barriers of prejudice and gain a more profound and empathetic understanding of the world around us.

This short-story serves as a powerful reminder that we should always be open to new ideas and perspectives and that we should strive to overcome our own biases and prejudices.

I'm not a big lover of story books, but your comments have enticed me to read it. Almost all of them appealed to me, but the last one, which gives the title to the collection, alone would be worth all four stars.

The way the author crafted this final story was truly remarkable. It had a unique charm and depth that set it apart from the others. The characters were well-developed and their emotions felt genuine. The plot was engaging and kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end.

Even though I may not typically gravitate towards story books, this collection has definitely made me a believer. It shows that there are still great stories out there waiting to be discovered. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good read.

Bayıldım!

Carver is such a masterful storyteller that he manages to transform the narrative style into the very thing he is talking about. And he does this without us even realizing it. In a sense, the form becomes indistinguishable from the content. The story titled Cathedral, which gives the book its name, is of an envious kind. "Tüyler" (Goosebumps), "Katedral" (Cathedral), and "Küçük İyi Bir şey" (A Small Good Thing) have become my favorites.

Throughout the book, for some reason, Carver always seems to convey that "the marriages and the love between childless couples have ended." There must be a reason for this or it's just a matter of his style.

If you want to break away from the world within a day and distance yourself from the atmosphere you are in, I highly recommend reading these wonderful stories where every sentence, even every word, is calculated and placed in its proper position.

10/10

Call me opinionated, but this collection truly deserves more than 5 stars.

Carver's stories have a unique charm. They begin from a certain point and then lead you precisely where he desires. And suddenly, they end, leaving you in a state of wonder.

All these slices of life offer an abundance of details about the everyday emotions in our lives. It is evident that Carver observed all these incidents with intense focus and articulated them extremely well.

Among this selection, my favorite is "Fever." It is such a warm story that has the power to bring your belief in humanity back.

I will most definitely read this collection again. And you should too. It is a literary gem that offers deep insights into the human condition and is a joy to read.

I absolutely loved Carver's ability to write stories based on the tiniest of anecdotes. Like a guy who misses a train or a man with a plugged ear. In the details of daily life, the human condition is at play. Or that's what I felt when reading this book. Favorite stories include "It's a Farce", "Where I'm Calling From", "Bride" and "Cathedral". It's a hateful selection because each story is incredibly outstanding. He nailed it, a boss. I love you, Raymond Carver.

Carver's writing is so细腻 that it can draw you into the most ordinary scenes and make you see the extraordinary in them. His characters are relatable and their struggles and emotions feel real. The way he describes the simplest of things, like a cup of coffee or a walk down the street, can make you feel as if you are right there with them.

Reading his stories is like taking a journey into the human psyche. You get to see the good, the bad, and the ugly. But through it all, there is a sense of hope and a belief that things can get better. Carver's work is a testament to the power of literature to touch our hearts and change our perspectives.

Tremenda decepción me llevé con este libro.

It generally has such good reviews that it had generated great expectations in me, but tastes are tastes... and for me it turned out to be very uninteresting.

The stories are mainly snapshots of the daily life of any middle-class American, including their miseries. However, they seemed very basic to me, lacking in depth. I didn't find in Carver that ability that I so admire in great short story writers to subtly work on that second layer or story that usually hides behind the main story. Here, the unspoken story is too basic and elementary for my taste.

On the other hand, the monotony in the themes of these twelve stories is such that it bores.

"Fiebre" and "Desde donde llamo" seemed to me the best worked and most successful stories.

I suppose this was the first and last reading of Carver, whose style, which stands out for its simplicity, I didn't like at all. Its simplicity lacked the spark that would have generated something in me.

In summary, it is a book that is read very quickly because of its simplicity, but I didn't like either the plot of the stories or the narrative style. It seemed to me a dull book.

2.5

Our Favorite Faded Fantasies

Carver masterfully weaves and unweaves the silken threads that bind us. He delves deep into our fundamental vulnerability as humans, our failures, and disappointments. What truly captivates me about this collection of stories is their tenderness and the power of silence within them. Men and women are explored with a discreet and subtle writing style that is highly effective. It implies much, leaving a great deal to the imagination, yet not in a cerebral way. Instead, the things Carver leaves unsaid are those that we understand intuitively, an essential, intersubjective knowledge of what it means to be human, something we all share and don't need to put into words. These stories are exquisitely written, with the human subject at his most wishful and perhaps, most heroic, as the central theme. For we are at our bravest when we strive for that elusive something, that thing which would solve all our problems if only we could figure out what it is and how to obtain it. But with every dream comes the inevitable moment of waking up, often miserably, feeling cut and torn apart.

We navigate through the banalities of our lives, sometimes alone, and sometimes with a kindred spirit who we may lose along the way. All of us are hoping, seeking for something better. But when we finally arrive, out of breath, there is often little to look forward to. Achieving our dreams is like being up on a wall in the middle of the ocean. The illusion of happiness fades, and the grass turns out to be the same pale green. However, one can still see the sunset and hold onto the strangers who have accompanied us on this journey, all chasing their own version of happiness. We sit in the light of the setting sun and share our stories. We are redeemed by our losses, by our collective disillusionment, and in the light of the sun. This is what this book is about. The cover art, which is also the inspiration for Damien Rice's "My Favorite Faded Fantasy," captures the essence of this book.

It's "A Small, Good Thing" to sit holding hands with a stranger, nibbling on hot rolls, sipping warm coffee, and sharing grief. It's as delicate as peacock "Feathers" to desire something more fulfilling, perhaps the laughter of a child, and to know that what we seek may be unattainable, but the dream itself is everything. Yet, there is also pain, distance, and loneliness. I find myself trapped in the "Compartment" of my mind, haunted by memories of an unpleasant past. No matter how hard we try, at the end of the day, it may be better to disappear into oblivion than to come to terms with all that has happened. This is one of the lovely aspects of this book - some characters walk away, while others reunite; some find solace in the company of others, while some are destined to be alone. But they are all dreamers, all fated to the miserable task of waking up, of losing the meaning in their lives, only to be redeemed by the warmth of strangers and a listening ear. The last and titular story is a fitting climax for this collection. Up on the wall, tired and disillusioned, when our eyes adjust to "see" the miracles that altitude offers, we can trace the very outline of God in the palm of our hand.

We all wonder, "what it all could be" if... and so on. But right here, in the present moment, where time and love have placed us, there is still warmth. There is still beauty and warmth, and enough to get us through.

Read with The Short Story Club

I had a rather vague acquaintance with the short story Cathedral. This was perhaps because I had spent an inordinate amount of time on GR. I was well aware that it was a famous piece, and I was eagerly looking forward to reading Carver's work anyway.

I decided to listen to an audiobook of the story, which I did in the company of an audience. It was the very first time I had experienced this medium, and unfortunately, I did not enjoy it. Judging from the reactions of the people around me, it was supposed to be a comedy. However, I did not manage to laugh even once.

To me, it seemed more like a drama. The story revolves around two men, one of whom is blind. They are attempting to feel and imagine what the other one is seeing or experiencing. It was indeed an interesting theme, and in some ways, I should have been touched. Nevertheless, I found myself completely unmoved. I am not entirely sure whether the reason for this was the reactions of the audience or simply that the story was not to my taste.

I will have to give it some more thought and perhaps try reading the story in its written form to see if my perception changes.

Raymond Carver's stories are completely American and modern. For understanding modern short stories, this collection is very suitable. Carver's realism is like that of Chekhov and Beckett, but without their sentimentality and darkness. It is mostly cold, impartial, without judgment, and a mere observer. This makes some of his stories not engage the reader that much. In this regard, he is similar to Hemingway, as he himself has claimed to have been influenced by him. Regarding storytelling, Hemingway uses the image of the iceberg; that is, only one-tenth of the story is on the surface. The rest is beneath the surface. This is what Carver lacks, the straightforwardness and clarity of absurd writers. Carver is also like this. Some of his stories, by the time you understand what has happened, the story is over. Some of them really gave me a strange feeling. Then I thought maybe I read them badly or didn't concentrate, so I read a few of them again and was still shocked by their endings. It's not that the structure of the ending is shocking, but not understanding the story is shocking. I have never been in a situation of "what happened" in my life. Usually, I mostly get a "well, what" feeling. It has created a new feeling in me. :))

I liked the first and third collections, but the second one really hurt me in this regard.