Meet New Books
Meet New Books
Book Cover

Where I'm Calling From

Save:
Find on Amazon

'Where I'm Calling From' by Raymond Carver is a collection of short stories that delve into the lives of ordinary people facing themes of alcoholism, dysfunctional relationships, and quiet desperation. Carver's writing style is described as spare and simple, yet powerful, capturing the realism of everyday life with stark characterizations and abrupt endings that mirror the unpredictability of life's challenges.

The stories in the book are mostly vignettes that focus on small moments and interactions, showcasing the complexities and struggles of the characters. Carver's narratives are often set in suburban settings, exploring themes of loneliness, failed relationships, and the darker aspects of human nature with a touch of hope and resilience shining through the despair.

Characters:

The characters are deeply human, often flawed, and relatable, embodying the struggles and complexities of life in their dialogues and decisions.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is minimalist and direct, emphasizing raw human emotions and relationships through carefully crafted dialogue and descriptions.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot is characterized by a focus on the harsh realities and emotional struggles of everyday people, often highlighting their interactions and challenges.

Setting:

The settings are grounded in ordinary American life, often depicting small towns and blue-collar environments that accentuate the characters' struggles.

Pacing:

The pacing is contemplative, with gradual build-up to emotional or thematic revelations, often concluding on abrupt notes that reflect real-life complexity.
I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but they were arguing. Then it got quiet and she started to cry. I elbowed George. I thought he would wake up and say something to them so they would feel guilty...

Notes:

Carver captures the struggles of working-class Americans.
His stories often explore themes of alcoholism and broken relationships.
Carver's writing style is characterized as minimalist and intense.
The collection "Where I'm Calling From" includes 37 stories, showcasing Carver's best work.
Many of Carver's characters face hopelessness but also search for glimmers of hope.
His characters often lead lives filled with mundane challenges and emotional struggles.
Carver's last story "Errand" is an elegy about Anton Chekhov's final night.
Readers describe Carver's stories as impactful, evoking deep emotions despite their simplicity.
Some stories surprise readers with unexpected turns or moments of revelation.
Carver's work is seen as essential reading for understanding 20th-century American literature.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings may include themes of alcoholism, domestic strife, emotional distress, and hints of violence or breakdowns.

From The Publisher:

The stories in Where I'm Calling From are selected from the full range of the author's work including Furious Seasons, Will You Please Be Quiet, Please?, What We Talk about When We Talk about Love, and Cathedral and include all seven stories from his last collection, Elephant.

Ratings (2)

Incredible (2)

Reader Stats (9):

Read It (2)
Want To Read (7)

About the Author:

Raymond Carver was born in Clatskanie, Oregon, in 1938. His first short stories appeared in Esquire during Gordon Lish's tenure as fiction editor in the 1970s. Carver's work began to reach a wider audience with the 1976 publication of Will You Please be Quiet, Please, but it was not until the 1981 publication of What We Talk About When We Talk About Love under Gordon Lish, then at Knopf, that he began to achieve real literary fame. This collection was edited by more than 40 per cent before publication, and Carver dedicated it to his fellow writer and future wife, Tess Gallagher, with the promise that he would one day republish his stories at full length. He went on to write two more collections of stories, Cathedral and Elephant, which moved away from the earlier minimalist style into a new expansiveness, as well as several collections of poetry. He died in 1988, aged fifty.

 
Meet New Books is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products and services on amazon.com and its subsidiaries.
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.