What We Talk About When We Talk About Love

Written by Raymond Carver

Narrated by Norman Dietz

In his second collection, including the iconic and much-referenced title story featured in the Academy Award–winning film Birdman, Raymond Carver establishes his reputation as one of the most celebrated short-story writers in American literature. What We Talk About When We Talk About Love is a haunting meditation on love, loss, and companionship, and finding one's way through the dark.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Feb 21, 2017
• ISBN: 9781515984504

Raymond Carver

Raymond Carver (1938-1988), narrador y poeta, es uno de los maestros del cuento contemporáneo. En Anagrama se han publicado sus seis libros de relatos, ¿Quieres hacer el favor de callarte, por favor?, De qué hablamos cuando hablamos de amor, Catedral, Tres rosas amarillas, Si me necesitas, llámame y Principiantes, además de la antología Short Cuts (Vidas cruzadas). Asimismo se ha publicado Carver Country, que contiene textos del autor (cuentos, poemas y cartas inéditas) y fotografías de Bob Adelman, el volumen Todos los cuentos, que incluye los primeros cinco libros del autor, y Todos nosotros, que recoge su poesía completa.

[sylvester_olson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A friend gave this book to me as a gift after we watched BIRDMAN in theaters a few years ago. I hadn't read anything by Raymond Carver before (and hadn't heard of him until I saw the movie), but my friend is a huge fan. This is the second time I've read through the book, and since I knew more of what to expect, I appreciated it more. The stories are often depressing, often dealing with screwed-up people with personal and familial problems. I can't say I can relate to these characters, but I imagine that there's a large subset of American society that can. Two of the stories - "Tell the Women We're Going" and "Popular Mechanics" - had such horrific endings, my hair stood up.

Mr. Carver's writing is deceptively simple, lacking complex vocabulary. If its themes and subtexts weren't so mature, I'd almost suggest that it be a candidate for a "high-low" book, meaning that its reading level is low but it's still appropriate for older readers.

5 stars.

[alchemie_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Breathtakingly good. I found it hard to keep reading at times because the emotional impact of the stories was so intense. Technically speaking Carver is truly a master of understatement and really, really tight writing. I mainly picked this up because Murakami lists him as an inspiration, and I can definitely see the influence on his style. So glad I read this!

[Jessica Grissom · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It’s well-written, but I found it super depressing. It’s not hopeful and left me feeling a bit blah.

[Jean Wan Chen · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I really wanted to listen to this but the narration by Norman Dietz made it unbearable. The narration was so terrible I couldn’t even get past the first 5 minutes.

[Feminist Reader · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Carver is a master of the short story form. I suppose you have to be in the mood for some dirty realism (not the fun kind). Beautiful writer.

[Brandon Bowling · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I found this to be a splendid collection of short stories. From to start to finish, the book itself grows on you.

[the_unnamable · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Brutal. Short. Amazing.Clawing through these short stories was reminiscent of reading Bukowski's poetry. Carver wastes no words as he chisels his fiction bluntly from blocks of motive and description. Some of the stories are mere pages, but hold up via the weight of the undercurrent, the hidden text.

[soylentgreen23 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I came to Carver expecting a lot - I should have been less optimistic. These are minimal stories; a few work, but the majority feel like vignettes, drifting plotlessly in a vacuum. The reader is required to do all the heavy lifting of adding import and power to the little that's here.

[sriddell_8 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A wonderful collection of short stories!

Each story a stand-alone slice of life. Most of the books are about love, but also just being human. The author gets a lot done with each word - nothing extra and nothing missing.

I listened to the audio, which was wonderful.

[wvlibrarydude · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

A couple of the stories hit home for me. The writing is good minimalist fair. Unfortunately, most of the stories didn't appeal to me. The writing isn't my taste either. Does this make sense? I could see why many would love this book of stories, but for me I will pass on future Carver.

[Fersiq 77 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Never empathize with these stories. I had higher expectations from what I had read by the author, but I didn't connect with any of the stories. (Translated from Spanish)

[jostie13 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I'm ready to credit Raymond Carver's editor with his success as a short-story writer.

[Andy Diaz · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It's a light and short book of stories about love. Or something like that.

It practically shows us what could be interpreted as love in different forms. Most of the stories have an open ending and some are subject to various interpretations. Almost all of them left me feeling like "meh?" because I felt they lacked coherence, like the central idea was understandable but the story development was... odd. Or maybe it's because I don't know what love is ?

It's worth giving it a chance, especially because it's short. It's not that I disliked it, but it wouldn't be something I would keep on my shelf to reread later. (Translated from Spanish)

[Luisafcl · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of my favorite authors. He has the ability to describe the nuances of being human in everyday life. It's a portrayal of actions full of incoherence, disillusionment, and love. (Translated from Spanish)

[JavierGV · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As a whole, it's hard to say if it's better than Cathedral or Do You Mind Shutting Up, Please?, however, it has some stories that are among the best in his repertoire. The entire essence of Carver is here: characters in distress, almost surreal situations, the damned American suburbs, tragedy around the corner, and that air of imminent calamity. An essential writer. (Translated from Spanish)

[andywarhol95 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The story that gives the title to the book is the weakest, but the rest is very good. Great ability to simplify relationships that are a tangle. (Translated from Spanish)

[melrailey-412132 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Raymond Carver is a master storyteller. He writes these super short stories that are packed with intrigue and feelings. In less time that you can imagine, Carver made me connect with his characters and then he always had these twists that made me read it again just to wrap my head around what happened. The title story, What We Talk About When We Talk About Love, is one of the best short stories I've read. This collection of stories made a great last read of the night each night before I went to bed.

[b.masonjudy · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I reread this collection in conjunction with reading the base text, Beginners. In most cases the stories have been edited by almost half and the large majority are equally impressive, though in much different ways. I'd have to say that "The Bath" is the story in this collection that lost the most from the intense editing of Gordon Lish. In Beginners this story really plumbs the depths of the emotional struggle of the couple after the death of their son and the ending demonstrates a moving interaction between strangers who are both recognizing their humanity midst true tragedy. The WWTA version just ends on a bleak and somewhat "thriller-ish" note that was extremely reductive. At any rate that's an anomaly, I'd recommend reading this in tandem with Beginners or just read it if you want to read some damn good fiction.

[stevenjohntait · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Update:

I recommend everyone to watch the film Short Cuts by Robert Altman. This breathed a new life into these stories for me, allowing me to just enjoy them for what they are rather than trying to pry into them for deeper meaning.

***********************
I've given this three stars only because I know It's really good and probably deserves more, but I have to be honest, and I don't think I have the mental capacity to really appreciate it. I feel like there's something under the stories that I can't reach. I've heard that his work has biblical themes. I'd really like someone to take me by the hand and lead me through his writing.

I enjoyed reading this. It was only when a teacher of mine brought it up that I realised how similar to Hemingway Carver's writing style is.

My favourite Carver story is probably Chef's House as read on The NewYorker Podcast. In written form I like the one where the guy's wife works as a waitress in some diner - can't remember the name.

[alesanchez01 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The general idea I have gleaned from this book is that love takes the definition that each person, with their particular history, wants to give it. That there is no "love" as a unique and rigid concept, and even less is it defined by the idealization we always create of it. (Translated from Spanish)

[Jotunheimer · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The main theme of each and every one of the stories -unlike what the title suggests- is violence. That violence which sometimes hides behind the name of love, family, or friendship. Alcohol is a constant presence in all the narratives. From the beautifully enigmatic "Why Don't You Dance?" which reinforces the value of what is unsaid, to the grim and very current "Tell the Women We're Leaving" with its gender violence that the reader does not grasp until it's too late; or that we notice from the very beginning as in "A Serious Conversation," focused on the violent. Once again, the story that gives the work its title is the longest and most complex, not necessarily the best but certainly the one that includes aspects of all the others. (Translated from Spanish)

[EmilianoCanseco · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The style that Raymond Carver brings to his stories is different from what I was used to, and at least from my perspective, from that of most famous stories. As Julio Cortázar said, the story "must win by knockout"; however, this idea seemed not to be fulfilled in the book. I confess that at first, the lack of an unexpected twist or a surprising resolution made me feel somewhat uncomfortable with the endings, but as I continued reading them, I got used to it and liked them more and more. Raymond Carver's stories do not have an explicit knockout; rather, his knockout is akin to that of life itself, one that is forged so slowly that it goes unnoticed and we only realize it when we are already on the ground.

Highly recommended. (Translated from Spanish)

[PatoNotaristefano · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

To delve into Carver and let ourselves be seduced, preparing for Cathedrals, which lacks the kindness of these stories. (Translated from Spanish)

[Pamela · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A short, easy-to-read book, it contains several stories that extract experiences and/or thoughts from the lives of ordinary people at a certain moment... (Translated from Spanish)

[gonzurdon · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A collection of everyday stories, marked by human miseries and deep reflections. They are simple tales, sometimes seeming to lack a conclusion, the classical aesthetic is not respected, and the feeling is that it lets go of your hand just when it was about to tell you something important. This made me feel strange and a little disappointed at first, but after some time the stories mature in your head and take shape. Clearly recommended, simple reading but not lightweight. Short but intense stories. (Translated from Spanish)

[DanySan · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

From simplicity, wonderful things can emerge, and that is what I see in this story. Entertaining, the shapes of the characters are realistic and get to the point; the ending feels a bit lacking, but I have no regrets. (Translated from Spanish)

[Rood · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A book that shows the reality of things as they should be, a book that is simply sincere above all, it shows us how sometimes we remain silent in situations that may not seem right, a book that reveals true humanity and doesn't play games, a book that speaks of love, but not a novel's love, rather what love truly is without any pretense. A book that demonstrates cruelty, loneliness, sadness, but at the same time shows you a bit of hope amidst it all. (Translated from Spanish)

[Edd62 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Raymond Carver, acidic, direct, raw, realistic, does not analyze or dissect, he simply captures the real and everyday, which from that perspective seems absurd. The story that gives the book its name highlights that love is merely each person's illusion and absurd in the eyes of others. "I heard the beating of my heart, I heard the beating of others, I heard the human noise we were making, none of us moved, although the night darkened the room." (Translated from Spanish)

[msf59 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

“Drinking’s funny. When I look back on it, all of our important decisions have been figured out when we were drinking. Even when we talked about having to cut back on drinking, we’d be sitting at the kitchen table or out at the picnic table with a six-pack or whiskey.” 

“A man can go along obeying all the rules and then it don’t matter a damn anymore.” 

“and it ought to make us feel ashamed when we talk like we know what we're talking about when we talk about love.” 

Carver writes spare, slices of American life. Stories of love, booze, pain, infidelity and death. These tales take place, in small towns, trailer parks and on camping trips. There is just enough dry wit, to keep it keep the bleakness at bay.

I first discovered Carver, while reading Short Cuts: Selected Stories, which was a special edition collecting stories from the Robert Altman film Short Cuts. It is a truly amazing film, with a stellar cast and it perfectly captures the spirit and tone of Carver. A couple of the stories found in the film show up in What We Talk About When We Talk About Love.

I have no idea why it has taken me 20-plus years to revisit Carver, but I am back on board now and will read the rest of his work.

[antao-3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Answer: In other words, everything else: "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love" by Raymond Carver, Gordon Lish “I could hear my heart beating. I could hear everyone’s heart. I could hear the human noise we sat there making, not one of us moving, not even when the room went dark.”

in “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love” by Raymond Carver, Gordon Lish

Imagine the following sentence: “By 8 AM I wake up to go to the bathroom.”

Now imagine the following edited sentence: “By 8 AM I wake up and go to the bathroom to sit on what has to be the unlikeliest throne in Lisbon.”

Which one is better? Uhm...Food for thought...

If you're into this kind of stuff, read on.