A review by dleybz
What We Talk about When We Talk about Love by Raymond Carver

3.0

"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.