Raymond Carver Books

I must admit, I might have a bit of bias, my Creative Writing teacher, Mark Maxwell, wrote this book, which is why I decided to read it. At first glance, I thought I would not be that interested, but I gave it a try. I learned that Mr. Maxwell is a very great writer, which I expected, but I had no idea that he was that good. I already knew he had a slightly twisted imagination and sense of humor to go along with it. His twisted imagination and sense of humor lends to this novel what makes it great. He offers in this novel what he offers in my class: inspiration, a stroke of genius, imaginative thinking, and a great sense of humor. I highly recommend this book to everyone. Forget that it has to do with a politician and a poet, it's so bizarre and out there that you wont care.

This is a beautiful book. Richard Nixon is an unlikely vehicle for beauty, but Maxwell does it somehow-- his gentle portrait of Raymond Carver no doubt has a lot to do with it. He has created a tragedy that does what tragedies should do-- simply, it makes you feel for another human being.
Also interesting in the same vein is Russell Lees' play "Nixon's Nixon"-- between the two of them these works do what history should do but can't.

buy the book, better than any "real" biography of either man...it leaves you hungry for more!.

I do not like to fish, play poker or clean the garage, but I loved Nixoncarver! Maxwell must have a vivid imagination because some of the images he created gave me a physical response--I will never look at a bluebird or my mother's arse the same way! After I finished the book, I regreted reading it so fast. Now I miss my new friends Nixon and Carver. Perhaps there is a part two in the works? Nixoncarver: Heaven or Hell? I hope so!

Real life people created as characters have always fascinated me.From "Ragtime" to James Ellroy's "American Tabloid", we bring our public knowlegde to these newly created characters and often are left shaking our heads in wonder or smiling in delight. That is certainly the case with this novel. Slowly but surely Maxwell peels back the public Richard Nixon and creates a new (albeit fictional) character with whom we must relate. Unlike Robert Coover's Nixon of "The Public Burning", this "Tricky Dick" is far more human, vulnerable and full of foibles than a monster in training. And Raymond Carver as foil - who could ask for a more perfect opposite for a fishing buddy! IT's not often we read a book and decide that we wish we could have been eavesdropping on characters' conversations in person. This is one where I wish I had, and I'm glad I got to meet these men again - for the first time.

What lies underneath Carver's powerful prose or poetry is a whole world, a reflection of humanity and its enduring power. Carver gives us slices of life like traces made with the most precise pencil, leaving what's important underneath his writing, for the heart and mind to appreciate. This is a testament to the iron will of a man who didn't give up, who could defeat the world's misery and create beauty out of his disgrace.

Do yourself a great favor and buy this book, this is one of those I could recommend to anyone, anytime.

He tells what he sees
and what he experiences
it can be Bonnard's life story
in paintings of his wife
it can be his own effort to see the sea and the sky
and not let his mind intervene
he tells and usually what he tells
is a story
and the stories are interesting stories ironic stories
of his own life
and his need to change it
to plunge into clear water
as his father did
or to write with a sharp clear pen
like Kafka
after eight hours too many looking at his watch in the office
he writes these poems and tells these stories
and we reading them become more alive to the life in us
how strange and more real.

Ultramarine by Raymond Carver, a collection of his poetry, is a gem. With each of my moves I find myself discarding all of my books except for this one. This is the one I hold and keep returning to.

While Carver is better known for his short stories, I think it's his poems that communicates his silent emotions. The sparse language of Raymond Carver that is so effective in his short stories is even more powerful in his poetry.

If there is anything I would ever recommend, this is it.

I'm very surprized that no one has reviewed this book! I thought that it was fabulous! I love the way that the plot was on the sea, and its mysteries! I was totally caught up in the book! I read this book straight through, whithout talking to anyone. I hope that there are more books like this out there, and I hope that you will be the next to buy, read, and review this book!

_Carver Country_ is a fascinating look at Raymond Carver's personal life. Warning: one feels like a snoop reading through this book. There are photos of Ray's desk, complete with ashtray and paperweights; his childhood home; various landmarks in and around Yakima, WA and Arcata, CA; and portraits of Ray's family and friends. These last are especially powerful. But aside from the photos, there are words - unpublished letters written by Ray, an excerpt from a 1983 interview for _Poetry_ magazine (which includes my favorite line - "That's the last Christmas you'll ever ruin for us!"), and a substantial introduction by Tess Gallagher. It is wonderful and strange to see the places that were turning points in Carver's life, and the accompanying text is haunting. Gallagher's introduction is especially fine, and worth reading many times. Get this book.

Carver was a wonderful, wonderful writer. It's great to see his house, his study, his wife and friends photographed so beautifully. It's great to read his stories, his poems, more than 10 years after his death and to find them as powerful as ever. This book is very moving.

This book is indispensible (see above) for anyone who appreciates Carver's work.

I cannot stess enough what a great poet (and short stories writer) Raymond Carver is. In his minimalist writing style and his hidden way of dealing with exsitential issues, he earned his way to be my favorite (and nearly only) male poet. His poetry will not intimmidate those who are not so keen on poetry, and at the same time will touch everybody deeply. The poetry in this book, isn't trying to be anything grand or anything it simply isn't, it's just the plain truth, with no masks.

It's like little pebbles that make up the beach. The short storries conbine to give you a feel of his life. Great collection of storries. Some that reflect on me so much that they often remind me of things in my childhood.

These are raw stories of the human heart in conflict. They will change your life forever.

I'll admit it is difficult to write a review of a book that has not even been published yet, but hey, it IS Raymond Carver, so you and I both know that here again is the opportunity to feel the magic of his genius. He can affect and move your interior landscapes as only a few other authors who have that gift can do. Read everything he wrote. It'll be good for you.

I've been a fan of Ray Carver for many years and ordered this book on a whim. I am very glad I did. This book is chock full of interviews with Ray about his writing at various points in his career. It's obvious he liked doing interviews and his answers are always very thoughtful; some are donwright inspiring if you're a writer. The book is a good look in the life and mind of one of America's best short story writers in the last 50 years.

New Paths to Raymond Carver: Critical Essays on His Life, Fiction, and Poetry is an anthology of essays by learned authors concerning Raymond Carver's body of prose and poetry. Among the authors are renowned Carver scholars Randolph Paul Runyon and Kirk Nesset, Carver's longtime friend and compatriot writer William Kittredge, and others from such diverse nations as France, Norway, Canada, and the United States. The first half of New Paths to Raymond Carver consists of six essays discussing Carver's poems throughout his career, while the second half interprets Carver's fiction. Rounding out New Paths to Raymond Carver is the very first English-language publication of the introduction to the Japanese edition of "Ultramarine" by Carver's widow, Tess Gallagher. A thoughtful, in-depth literary analysis that surveys themes stretching across the whole of Carver's works. Highly recommended, especially for college library collections and anyone seeking to better understand the nuances of Carver's literature.

awesome, awesome, awesome!!! this book is a must have.

So much fun! Great for a few minutes or hours.