What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver

I think I read this collection roughly 3 or 4 weeks ago (must have been around then because I was still in Shanghai). I was impressed with the power of Carver's stories. His writing may be sparse, but they do not lack in content. Each story left a powerful emotional impact that continued to resonate after his final, pithy words. He must have been influenced by Hemingway.

The stories in this collection mostly deal with relationships among American blue collar workers (maybe from a particular area in America, I am not sure), relationships that often end in failure and disappointment. Violence also ties these stories together, violence which is sometimes expressed, sometimes below the surface.

I read afterwards that Carver's editor slashed major portions of his stories, cutting over 50% of his original writing at times. Next up my Carver for me is Cathedral, which I hear did not go through such procedures.

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