6 Comments

1. November 21st, 2009 / 7:04 am Kyle Minor—

   Stephen King is increasingly interesting as a human being. I’m glad he wrote this review, and I’m glad to hear him think aloud about Raymond Carver. I wish the review had been more engaged with Carver’s work on its own terms, absent talk about Carver’s wives or editors or his drinking. I would have enjoyed hearing Stephen King’s close reading of Cathedral or Errand or Are These Actual Miles? I think Carver is King’s opposite in many ways (the minimal v. the maximal, the disparity in attention to the individual sentence, the quiet story v. the rip-roarer, etc.), but I also think that Carver and King are interested in a similar kind of character, often, and have a similar conversation with violence in their work which gets literal play (often metaphorized) in Carver and metaphorical play (often literalized) in King. After reading King’s writing on writing, I thought Carver would be a writer whose work might appeal to King, and I’m pleased to see how the admiration shows through in the Times review.

2. November 21st, 2009 / 3:04 am Kyle Minor—

   Stephen King is increasingly interesting as a human being. I’m glad he wrote this review, and I’m glad to hear him think aloud about Raymond Carver. I wish the review had been more engaged with Carver’s work on its own terms, absent talk about Carver’s wives or editors or his drinking. I would have enjoyed hearing Stephen King’s close reading of Cathedral or Errand or Are These Actual Miles? I think Carver is King’s opposite in many ways (the minimal v. the maximal, the disparity in attention to the individual sentence, the quiet story v. the rip-roarer, etc.), but I also think that Carver and King are interested in a similar kind of character, often, and have a similar conversation with violence in their work which gets literal play (often metaphorized) in Carver and metaphorical play (often literalized) in King. After reading King’s writing on writing, I thought Carver would be a writer whose work might appeal to King, and I’m pleased to see how the admiration shows through in the Times review.

3. November 21st, 2009 / 8:52 pm Richard—

   I just skimmed this article, but will read it later, as a long time King fan. Glad to hear your comments Kyle, as a lot of people bash King, but I think he’s a great storyteller.

4. November 21st, 2009 / 4:52 pm Richard—

   I just skimmed this article, but will read it later, as a long time King fan. Glad to hear your comments Kyle, as a lot of people bash King, but I think he’s a great storyteller.

5. May 18th, 2010 / 6:01 am Fajar—

   Great post.The best advice I can give to anyone,lucy

6. May 18th, 2010 / 10:01 am Fajar—

   Great post.The best advice I can give to anyone,lucy