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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
Well… I’m one of those people who picked up this book because the title hooked me, sparking my curiosity. Apparently, it’s a collection of short stories that feel so random and seem to go nowhere. Such a small book with only 134 pages, yet it still took me a week to finish.
Raymond was known as the short story guy, and this collection is considered one of his greatest works. It’s amazing how he brought minimal stories to life, capturing basic conversations. Some of them felt incredibly relatable—like, yeah, that’s what life is: normal, yet basic. I also loved his sense of humor, which was subtly funny at times. However, since the stories are short and some feel too random, I struggled to connect with the characters. I guess it’s probably not my cup of tea.
Raymond was known as the short story guy, and this collection is considered one of his greatest works. It’s amazing how he brought minimal stories to life, capturing basic conversations. Some of them felt incredibly relatable—like, yeah, that’s what life is: normal, yet basic. I also loved his sense of humor, which was subtly funny at times. However, since the stories are short and some feel too random, I struggled to connect with the characters. I guess it’s probably not my cup of tea.
Relatos cortos, nada obvios, muchas veces desgarradores. Carver tiene una sensibilidad que va más allá de su tiempo o su género. Muy recomendable.
My first attempt at reading a collection of short stories and the rawness, realness and brutality this captures when exploring the different tales of love broke my heart. Love is such a beautiful thing but also such a tragedy. If you’re after a quick read and like to look deeper and really reflect on the reality of love, I can’t recommend this enough.
A review by Michael Wood on the back cover of my edition of What We Talk About When We Talk About Love does a much better job than I could at conveying the uncomfortable authenticity/realism of this collection of stories: "[Carver] has invented a country of his own, like no other except that very world... is the world to all of us."
This was not a pleasant reading experience; Carver removes any semblance of rose-colored glasses we might have for our lives and our humanity and paints a rather bleak picture of our world. There are moments of beauty; there are moments that struck me to my core as Carver deftly put into words a piece of my identity I wouldn't have been able to describe (specifically, the final paragraph of Why Don't You Dance). Most of the stories are rather disheartening. It is a side to humanity that we prefer not to acknowledge.
Raymond Carver is a masterful writer. These stories are deft daggers where others might have used broad sweeps to convey the same sentiment. If you don't expect to be comforted by this book, you will be able to fully appreciate his craft and his insight.
This was not a pleasant reading experience; Carver removes any semblance of rose-colored glasses we might have for our lives and our humanity and paints a rather bleak picture of our world. There are moments of beauty; there are moments that struck me to my core as Carver deftly put into words a piece of my identity I wouldn't have been able to describe (specifically, the final paragraph of Why Don't You Dance). Most of the stories are rather disheartening. It is a side to humanity that we prefer not to acknowledge.
Raymond Carver is a masterful writer. These stories are deft daggers where others might have used broad sweeps to convey the same sentiment. If you don't expect to be comforted by this book, you will be able to fully appreciate his craft and his insight.
"What We Talk About When We Talk About Love" doesn't convey a thought, tell a story, or share an idea. It paints a picture. A deeply personal picture of 20th century Americana told through an anthology of short stories which share little in the way of characters, themes, or plot. What they do share, and what stands out to me about this book, is tone. The author's dry, almost frank description of the characters, their settings, and interactions inspires an image so quintessentially American that it is nigh impossible to put into words. Dusty. Faded. Not quaint but similarly removed from my lived reality and my experience. Overall, I can't say that I loved the book or clicked with it, but I can appreciate Carver's authorship as so distinctly its own that it borders on stereotypical.
The best of these stories are devastating; even the lesser stories pack a wallop and impress with Carver's style. I've recently read that his editor may be credited for the famous spareness of these stories, but I'm not sure that matters to me a the moment.
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated