On this Sunday, you won’t find LOL Girl, Mike Hunt or Holden McGroyne. We’re going to try and do something a little different – a little serious.
I can hear you all clicking away now – maybe not all, but a lot of you.
Come back tomorrow for more sex with animals, drug stories, boyfriend problems or penis issues. Today we are being literary.
Sue me.
When I talk to young writers about Raymond Carver, I’m amazed that most at least know who he is and a lot have read his work. He was the best short story writer around and I still read him often.
Back in August of 2005, I had a chance to write about him in CityBeat and interviewed two people who knew him well – novelist and short story writer Richard Ford and Carver’s editor Gary Fisketjon – editor-at-large at Alfred A. Knopf, who is now Richard Ford’s editor. To read that interview, click here.
For many years, Don Swaim hosted a CBS radio show called “Wired for Books.” Raymond Carver was a guest on his show twice and you can hear both interviews by clicking here. Listen closely to the first interview. You can hear Carver smoking. It’s what killed him at the age of 50.
I hope some of you enjoy this today. We’ll get back to the oyster sucking later in the week.
Larry Gross
(Photo of Raymond Carver from www.georgetown.edu)
Carver’s writings are classic and are taught in writing programs everywhere. You shouldn’t be surprised that young people know of him.
z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z.
Raymond Carver has always been one of my favorite writers. I had no idea that this radio show existed. This is a real find for me. Thanks for putting this up!
lol girl is prettier than raymond carver.
In this pic, he looks like Will Farrell, although I’m sure that’s not what he was going for. Happy Sunday. ca
Ok, I admit to big holes in my education. I hate this, but there it is…
Somebody (somebody who KNOWS! Larry?) tell me their two favorite books of short stories (paperback is my budget) from Raymond Carver and I’ll order them off Amazon today.
How dull.
Carver is my favorite writer of all time and he’s not a bad poet either.
Marilyn
“Cathedral” is really hard to beat and it’s in paperback.
Thanks Larry! You’ve educated one more person.
I just ordered Cathedral. I’ll let you know what I think.
Carver is my hero!
Larry,
QUIT SMOKING!
Don’t encourage Larry too much on writing about Raymond Carver. He’s likely to put up a blog in tribute to the guy!
Carver’s work has everything that I admire in good writing – good and quirky character development, smooth and cool atmospheres and always just the right word chosen to help create the vibe that belonged to him alone.
Thanks for the excellent links.