Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #174110 in Books
• Published on: 1997-09-18
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 416 pages

Synopsis
Raymond Carver, who became a master-storyteller of his generation and was hailed in Europe as 'the American Chekhov', wrote of himself: "I began as a poet. My first publication was a poem. So I suppose on my tombstone I'd be very pleased if they put 'Poet and short-story writer - and occasional essayist', in that order." This complete edition allows readers to experience the range and overwhelming power of Carver's poetry for the first time. It brings together in the order of their American publication the poems of Fires (1985), Where Water Comes Together with Other Water (1986), Ultramarine (1988), A New Path to the Waterfall (1989) and No Heroics, Please (1991). For readers who know Carver's middle period only through his selected poems, In a Marine Light (1988), it includes the windfall of 51 poems not previously published in Britain. All of Us is edited by Professor William L. Stull of the University of Hartford, and introduced with an essay on Raymond Carver's methods of composition by his widow, the poet Tess Gallagher.

About the Author
Raymond Carver was born in Clatskanie, Oregon, in 1938. His father was a saw-mill worker and his mother was a waitress and clerk. He married early and for years writing had to come second to earning a living for his young family. Despite, small-press publication, it was not until Will You Please Be Quiet Please? appeared in 1976 that his work began to reach a wider audience. This was the year in which he gave up alcohol, which had contributed to the collapse of his marriage. In 1977 he met the writer Tess Gallagher, with whom he shared the last eleven years of his life. During this prolific period he wrote three collections of stories, What We Talk About When We Talk About Love, Cathedral and Elephant. Fires, a collection of essays, poems and stories, appeared in 1985, followed by three further collections of poetry. In 1988 he completed the poetry collection A New Path to the Waterfall.

Customer Reviews

As good as it gets
This is a truly lovely book. In fact it is so good that it only occurs to you just how special it is after a few readings, because the poetry is so easy and flows so beautifully that you take it for granted at first. His style is conversational, like a buddy, but his depth of feeling and human warmth shine through each one. Highlights are too many to mention, but extra special are "My Boat", the tragic "Lemonade" and the conversions into poetry of Chekhov's prose. Amazing.

for all of us.
these poems are accessable to anyone.there are no tricks here.yes,he has his style but he wants to take us with him.not all of them work but thats ok too - he`s not frightened to show himself,his failures and delights at living.these poems cover the subjects of life and living,the dying too.they tell of the beauty and sometimes horror of life , sometimes the downright boredom and how distructive this can be.there should be a half dozen copies on each school library shelf - to show our children what can and does happen in life and how this can affect us from an early age.raymond carver allows us to look at ourselves without bitterness,shows us we are human and we can learn and grow.

Heart-strengthening
Words of wisdom for all of us. Raymond Carver shows us how to see our shattered selves. Focussing often on banal moments of tragedy, he shows us that there's something in them still, some sort of beauty. You don't have to agree with each character's apparent absolute identification with this life to appreciate these brief descriptions of how we do identify, sometimes amazed at what is happening to us. What he seems to be saying is "See, it is like this! Step back and see!" These poems are compassionate reality checks, that helps us to see the mess we're often in. What are we going to do about it? What can we do? At least look and see, then you may be able to act a little more wisely, and feel a little more love - for all of us.