LIFE AND LETTERS

ROUGH CROSSINGS
The cutting of Raymond Carver.
DECEMBER 24, 2007
The New Yorker
On the morning of July 8, 1980, Raymond Carver wrote an ima!!ioned letter to "ordon
#i!h, hi! friend and editor at $lfred $% &nof, 'egging hi! forgivene!! 'ut in!i!ting that
#i!h (!to rodu)tion* of Carver+! forth)oming )olle)tion of !torie!, (,hat ,e Talk
$'out ,hen ,e Talk $'out #ove%* Carver had 'een u all night reviewing #i!h+!
!evere editorial )ut!--two !torie! had 'een !la!hed 'y nearly !eventy er )ent, many 'y
almo!t half. many de!)rition! and digre!!ion! were gone. ending! had 'een trun)ated
or rewritten--and he wa! unnerved to the oint of de!eration% $ re)overing al)oholi)
and a fragile !irit, Carver wrote that he wa! ()onfu!ed, tired, aranoid, and afraid%* /e
feared e0o!ure 'efore hi! friend!, who had read many of the !torie! in their earlier
ver!ion!% 1f the 'ook went forward, he !aid, he feared he might never write again. if he
!toed it, he feared lo!ing #i!h+! love and friend!hi% $nd he feared, a'ove all, a return
to (tho!e dark day!,* not long 'efore, when he wa! 'roken, defeated% (1+ll tell you the
truth, my very !anity i! on the line here,* he wrote to #i!h%
Con!idering the dreary fa)t! of Raymond Carver+! origin!, he wa! lu)ky to have
!urvived and u'li!hed at all% /e wa! 'orn in the logging town of Clat!kanie, Oregon, in
1928, and grew u in Yakima, ,a!hington% /i! mother worked a! a retail )lerk and a
waitre!!, and hi! father, who had ridden the rail! during the 3u!t 4owl day!, wa! a !aw
filer in a lum'er mill, a !toryteller, a dere!!ive, and a 'la)kout drunk, who died at
fifty5three% 4efore Carver wa! twenty, he wa! the father of two )hildren, and he and hi!
fir!t wife, 6aryann 4urk, 'egan a life of working ()ra 7o'!* and dodging 'ill
)olle)tor!% Over the year!, Carver !wet floor! in a ho!ital, umed ga!, )leaned toilet!,
and i)ked tuli!% /e wanted de!erately to write oem! and !torie! a'out the
land!)ae! he+d !een and the eole he+d known, and he had even u'li!hed a few
!torie! in (little* maga8ine! while !tudying at /um'oldt 9tate, at Chi)o 9tate College
:with John "ardner;, and, until hi! money ran out, in the writing rogram at the
<niver!ity of 1owa% 4ut he )ould write only fitfully% (1 !)ar)ely had time to turn around
or draw a 'reath,* he !aid% $l)ohol !oon 'e)ame an even greater o'!ta)le to writing than
the need to ay the 'ill!% Over time, there were 'ankrut)ie!, 'la)kout!, and
'reakdown!, hy!i)al and mental% (1 made a wa!teland of everything 1 tou)hed,* he on)e
remarked% (#et+! 7u!t !ay, on o))a!ion, the oli)e were involved and emergen)y room!
and )ourtroom!%*
1n 19=>, while working for the te0t'ook u'li!her 9)ien)e Re!ear)h $!!o)iate!, in
?alo $lto, Carver met #i!h, who wa! al!o working at a te0t'ook u'li!hing hou!e% #i!h,
a volu'le, e))entri), and literary man, 'egan inviting Carver to hi! la)e for lun)h and to
talk a'out 'ook!% #i!h wa! imre!!ed 'y Carver, in arti)ular 'y the e0oti)i!m of hi!
)hara)ter!--(hill'illie! of the !hoing mall,* #i!h later )alled them% #et go from
9%R%$%, Carver lived on !everan)e and unemloyment in!uran)e, and wa! a'le to write
!torie! with greater )on)entration% (9omething haened during that time in the writing,
to the writing,* he !aid% (1t went underground and then it )ame u again, and it wa!
'athed in a new light for me%* #i!h wa! e0tremely en)ouraging to Carver, and when, in
19=9, he moved to New York to 'e the fi)tion editor at Esquire, he 'e)ame Carver+!
lifeline%
1n 19>1, #i!h a))eted Carver+! !tory (Neigh'or!,* and throughout the !eventie! he
)ontinued to u'li!h Carver+! work@!torie! of marriage, !truggle, and the working oor
@or guided him to other u'li)ation!% /e al!o )on!i!tently )ut the !torie! to the
lingui!ti) 'one, develoing a uniAuely !are, la)oni), almo!t threatening ae!theti) that
wa! eventually du''ed (minimali!m* or (&mart reali!m%*
Carver !eemed only to en)ourage and a))et #i!h+! mini!tration!@at lea!t, until the
!ummer of 1980% There are do8en! of letter! in #i!h+! aer! at the #illy #i'rary, at
1ndiana <niver!ity, that atte!t to Carver+! gratitude to #i!h for hi! friend!hi, !uort,
and editing% $fter hearing the new! that, at #i!h+! urging, 6)"raw5/ill had a))eted hi!
fir!t )olle)tion, (,ill You ?lea!e 4e Buiet, ?lea!eC,* Carver gleefully wrote #i!h that he
intended to (!et the glo'e afire* and follow hi! lead on reworking the !torie!D (Tell me
whi)h one! and 1+ll go after it, or them% % % % Or 1 will leave it u to you E you tell me
what you think need! done or doing%*
The year 19>> wa!, for Carver, a new and mira)ulou! 'eginning% /i! )olle)tion wa!
nominated for a National 4ook $ward% Fven more !urri!ing, on June Gnd, after a !erie!
of ho!itali8ation!, he Auit drinking, and !tayed !o'er for the re!t of hi! life% (1 gue!! 1
7u!t wanted to live,* he re)alled% $round the !ame time, #i!h left
Esquire, 'ut he !oon a))eted an invitation to 7oin &nof% #i!h had 'uilt hi! reutation at
Esquire 'y u'li!hing !u)h writer! a! Carver, 3on 3e#illo, 4arry /annah, and Ri)hard
Hord, and Carver rea)ted to the new! of #i!h+! dearture from the maga8ine with a
tri'ute% (Ju!t knowing you were there, at your de!k, wa! an in!iration for me to write,*
he wrote #i!h% (You, my friend, are my idea of an ideal reader, alway! have 'een,
alway!, that i!, forever, will 'e%*
$t &nof, #i!h !igned Carver to a five5thou!and5dollar )ontra)t for hi! ne0t
)olle)tion of !torie!% Carver and 6aryann 4urk had !earated, and he wa! living, hay
and !o'er, with the oet Te!! "allagher% Tea)hing 7o'! and grant! were al!o )oming hi!
way% Carver+! (!e)ond life,* a! he )alled it, had 'egun%
Fditing take! a variety of form!% 1t in)lude! the di!)overy of talent in a relatively o'!)ure
literary maga8ine or in a (!lu!h ile* of un!oli)ited manu!)rit!% 1t )an 'e a matter of
finan)ial and emotional !uort in diffi)ult time!% $nd, on)e fa)ed with a manu!)rit, an
editor ordinarily trie! to fa)ilitate a writer+! vi!ion, to re)ommend )hange!@deletion!,
addition!, tran!o!ition!@that 'e!t !erve the work% 1n the normal )our!e of thing!,
editorial work i! relatively !u'tle, 'ut there are famou! in!tan)e! of heroi) a!!i!tan)eD
F8ra ?ound )utting T% 9% Fliot+! (The ,a!te #and* in half when the oem wa! !till
)alled (/e 3o the ?oli)e in 3ifferent Ioi)e!*. 6a0well ?erkin! finding a !tru)ture in
Thoma! ,olfe+! (#ook /omeward, $ngel* and )utting it 'y !i0ty5five thou!and word!%
1n the year! after the u'li)ation of (,ill You ?lea!e 4e Buiet, ?lea!eC,* Carver
wrote a !erie! of !torie! dwelling on al)oholi!m and wre)ked marriage!% They were
eventually u'li!hed under a title re)ommended 'y #i!hD (,hat ,e Talk $'out ,hen
,e Talk $'out #ove%* $))ording to the rofe!!or! ,illiam #% 9tull and 6aureen ?%
Carroll, who, with the )oJeration of Te!! "allagher, have 'een doing !)holarly work on
Carver, #i!h mailed Carver an edited manu!)rit in the !ring of 1980 )ontaining
!i0teen of the !eventeen !torie! that eventually aeared in the 'ook% #i!h had )ut the
original manu!)rit 'y forty er )ent, eliminating what he !aw a! fal!e lyri)i!m and
!entiment% Then, while Carver and "allagher were attending a writer!+ )onferen)e, #i!h
edited the manu!)rit yet again, had it retyed, and !ent the age! 'a)k to 9yra)u!e,
where Carver wa! now living and tea)hing% ,hen Carver returned home and read the
manu!)rit, he wrote hi! forlorn letter to #i!h%
1n 1998, ten year! after Carver+! death, the 7ournali!t 3% T% 6a0 went to the ar)hive!
at the #illy #i'rary to e0amine the Carver5#i!h letter!% The re!ult wa! an arti)le in the
Times Magazine that 'rought that !trange and !hifting editorial relation!hi to u'li)
light% 4ut it remain! a my!tery why, 7u!t two day! after leading with #i!h to withdraw
the 'ook, Carver wrote another letter to him, in a far different mood, )almly di!)u!!ing
relatively minor editorial oint!, and !igning off (with my love%* #i!h, aarently, had
!oken to Carver 'y telehone and managed to avoid a rolonged )ri!i!%
,hen (,hat ,e Talk $'out* wa! u'li!hed, in $ril, 1981, it en7oyed enormou!
)riti)al !u))e!!, )aed off 'y a front5age review in the Times Book Review, a rarity for
a )olle)tion of !hort !torie!% The )riti) 6i)hael ,ood wrote that Carver had (done what
many of the mo!t gifted writer! fail to doD /e ha! invented a )ountry of hi! own, like no
other e0)et the very world, a! ,ord!worth !aid, whi)h i! the world of all of u!%* ,ood
al!o wrote, (1n 6r% Carver+! !ilen)e!, a good deal of the un!aya'le get! !aid%* 6any of
tho!e !ilen)e! were the re!ult of #i!h+! editing%
$fter year! of failure, illne!!, work, and o'!)urity, Carver naturally reli!hed the
re)etion% The u'li) rai!e al!o in!ured that he ket to him!elf hi! am'ivalen)e a'out
the way #i!h had edited !ome of the !torie!% 1n Te!! "allagher+! view, #i!h+! work
en)roa)hed uon Carver+! arti!ti) integrity% (,hat would you do if your 'ook wa! a
!u))e!! 'ut you didn+t want to e0lain to the u'li) that it had 'een )rammed down your
throatC* "allagher !aid re)ently% (/e had to )arry on% There wa! no way for him to
reudiate the 'ook% To do !o would have meant that it would all have to )ome out in
u'li) with "ordon and he wa! not a'out to do that% Ray wa! not a fighter% /e would
avoid )onfli)t 'e)au!e )onfli)t would drive him to drink%*
1n the year! following the 'ook+! u'li)ation, Carver !eemed determined to kee
#i!h a! a friend and ('rother,* even a! an editor, 'ut he now !et !tri)ter editorial
'oundarie!% There wa! a !hift in ower% Carver demanded hi! autonomy% ("ordon, "od+!
truth, and 1 may a! well !ay it out now,* he wrote in $ugu!t, 198G, a'out hi! late!t
!torie!% (1 )an+t undergo the kind of !urgi)al amutation and tran!lant that might make
them !omeway fit into the )arton !o the lid will )lo!e%*
Carver+! ne0t !tory )olle)tion, (Cathedral,* wa! u'li!hed in 1982, and wa! an even
greater !u))e!!, winning rai!e again on the )over of the Times Book Review, thi! time
from 1rving /owe, who wrote that in Carver+! more e0an!ive later work one !aw (a
gifted writer !truggling for a larger !)oe of referen)e, a finer tou)h of nuan)e%* 1n an
interview with The Paris Review that year, Carver made )lear that he referred the new
e0an!ivene!!D (1 knew 1+d gone a! far the other way a! 1 )ould or wanted to go, )utting
everything down to the marrow, not 7u!t to the 'one% $ny farther in that dire)tion and 1+d
'e at a dead end--writing !tuff and u'li!hing !tuff 1 wouldn+t want to read my!elf, and
that+! the truth% 1n a review of the la!t 'ook, !ome'ody )alled me a Kminimali!t+ writer%
The reviewer meant it a! a )omliment% 4ut 1 didn+t like it%*
Now Te!! "allagher i! hoing to re5u'li!h all the !torie! in Carver+! !e)ond 'ook in
what !he 'elieve! i! their (true, original* form% The !tory u'li!hed here, (4eginner!,*
wa! the !u'mitted draft of a !tory that #i!h )ut 'y more than a third and retitled (,hat
,e Talk $'out ,hen ,e Talk $'out #ove%* "allagher i! eager for eole to read
(4eginner!%* $nd yet #i!h+! work heled tran!form a more )onventional !tory into an
e0emlar of an a!tringent and original ae!theti)@the ae!theti) that heled win Carver
hi! initial following% (1 !ee what it i! that you+ve done, what you+ve ulled out of it,*
Carver wrote to #i!h a'out (4eginner!* in hi! long, aggrieved letter, (and 1+m awed and
a!toni!hed, !tartled even, with your in!ight!%* Carver may well have regretted, to !ome
degree, the way a num'er of hi! !torie! aeared in (,hat ,e Talk $'out,* and, in the
)omendium (,here 1+m Calling Hrom,* whi)h aeared a few month! 'efore he died,
he reu'li!hed three !torie! in their (original* form% 4ut mo!t of the !torie!, in)luding
thi! one, he reu'li!hed a! #i!h had edited them%
($n editorial relation!hi i! a rivate one, and no'ody )an !ee it fully and
)omletely,* "ary Hi!ket7on, an editor who heled Carver make the !ele)tion! for
(,here 1+m Calling Hrom,* !aid re)ently% (Clearly, there wa! a )ata!trohi) 'reakdown
here that+! intere!ting 'ut ultimately unknowa'le%* ,hat )an 'e known i! that, 'y the
mid5nineteen5eightie!, Carver+! relation!hi with #i!h wa! at an end% #i!h told 3% T%
6a0, (1 don+t like talking a'out the Carver eriod, 'e)au!e of my !u!tained !en!e of hi!
'etrayal, and 'e)au!e it !eem! 'ad form to di!)u!! thi!%* "allagher, for her art, thought
that #i!h had 'een )laiming too mu)h )redit for Carver+! a)hievement!%
1n 198>, Carver wrote (Frrand,* a !tory a'out the death of Chekhov, hi! literary idol%
1t wa! u'li!hed in The ew !orker% The !ame year, Carver, like Chekhov, 'egan
!itting u 'lood% Carver had alway! 'een, he on)e !aid, (a )igarette with a 'ody
atta)hed to it,* and he wa! found to have lung )an)er% /e and "allagher 'ought a hou!e
on the Olymia ?enin!ula overlooking the 9trait of Juan de Hu)a, and they married on
June 1>, 1988% 9ome morning!, Carver tried to write, de!ite hi! illne!!% (4ut 1 get !o
awful tired,* he !aid% /e died on $ugu!t Gnd% /e wa! fifty year! old, and (Frrand* wa!
hi! la!t !tory% D
PRIMARY SOURCES
LETTERS TO AN EDITOR
'y Raymond Carver
DECEMBER 24, 2007
The New Yorker
"o##owing are e$cer%ts from Carver&s corres%ondence with 'ish, from ()*) to ()+,.

ovem-er (., ()*)

,ell, a! it haen! 1 do have a few !torie! on hand, and 1+m !ending them along
within the ne0t day or two% 1 hoe you )an find !omething you like%


/u#y (0, ()12
/om're, thank! for the !uer' a!!i!t on the !torie!% No one ha! done that for me
!in)e 1 wa! 18, 1 mean it% /igh time 1 think, too% Heel the !torie! are fir!t )la!! now, 'ut
whatever the out)ome there, 1 are)iate the fine eye you turned on them% /ang tough%


/anuary (), ()1(

1 think it+! a fine !tory% Took a'out all yr )hange!, added a few thing! here and there%
/oe to get it retyed 'y thi! evening and 'a)k off to you% No later than tomorrow, !ure%
Thank! for going over it%@#i!ten, !omething you !aid a long time ago, the thing it!elf i!
what matter!% 1! true, in the end% 1+m not 'othered% 1+ve alway! 'een the !lowe!t kid in
)la!! anyway, right down there% 4ut 1 kee trying, even at thi! advan)ed age% 9o lean on
it, if you !ee thing!% 1f 1 don+t agree, 1+ll !ay !omething, never fear%


ovem-er ((, ()13

,ell, li!ten, )an+t e0a)tly tell you how lea!ed and !o on a'out the ro!e)t! of
having a )olle)tion out under your aegi! % % % along with 6)"raw5/ill, of )our!e% Hir!t
rea)tion wa! to run out and 'uy two 'ottle! of )hamagne for a )hamagne
'reakfa!t% % % % 4ut all that i! neither here nor there% ,hat 1+m )on)erned a'out and
thrilled a'out i! having out a 'ook of !torie!, E from there on 1 intend, 'rother, to !et the
glo'e afire, 'elieve me% % % % 1+ll tell you thi!, you+ve not 'a)ked a 'ad hor!e% % % % $'out
the editing ne)e!!ary in !ome of the !torie!% Tell me whi)h one! and 1+ll go after it, or
them% Tell me whi)h one!% Or 1 will leave it u to you E you tell me what you think
need! done or doing%


4e%tem-er .1, ()11

The mo!t wonderful thing a'out thi! !tay in 6)&inleyville, though, i! that 1+ve got
!o'er and intend to !tay that way% 1+ve never done anything in my life 1+ve felt !o good
a'out a! getting and !taying !o'er% ,hat )an 1 !ayC L#i!h had left
Esquire%M You+ve made a !ingle5handed imre!!ion on $meri)an letter! that ha! heled
fi0 the )our!e of $meri)an letter!% $nd, of )our!e, you know, old 'ean, 7u!t what an
influen)e you+ve e0er)i!ed on my life% Ju!t knowing you were there, at your de!k, wa!
an in!iration for me to write, and you know 1 mean that% You, my friend, are my idea of
an ideal reader, alway! have 'een, alway!, that i!, forever, will 'e% 9o you loomed large
on the literary !)ene, and that i! a fa)t, a! well a! a truth, 'ut you loomed large in my
)on!)iou! and un)on!)iou! life a! well%


4e%tem-er +, ()1+

Te!! "allagher, that 1ri!h la!!, 1 like to have fallen in love with her% 9he left, went to
Tu)!on on 'u!ine!!@!he+ll 'e tea)hing there ne0t year, !he+! on a "uggy thi! year@
then returned and we !ent a fine week together, 1 ut her on a lane to 9eattle
ye!terday, today 1 get a do8en red ro!e! from her%


"e-ruary (, ()1)

1+m going to 6ardi "ra! with Te!!. and the Hord! are )oming down in 6ar)h for
!ring 'reak and we+re going into 6e0i)o 'y train for a week% % % % 1+m hay, and 1+m
!o'er% 1t+! a)e! right now, "ordon% 1 know 'etter than anyone a fellow i! never out of the
wood!, 'ut right now it+! a)e!, and 1+m en7oying it%


May (2, ()+2

$! for lun)h, lord, it wa! the high oint of my vi!it to NYC, nothing mindle!! or
!illy, at lea!t not on your art% 1 delight in your )omany, !imle a! that% You know, 1 feel
)lo!er to you than 1 do to my own 'rother% /ave for a long time, year!% ,e don+t !ee
ea)h other that often, or talk on the hone weekly, et)%, 'ut 1 know you+re there and it+!
imortant to me% 4e!ide!, you+re my hero@don+t you knowC Fver !in)e you left ?$
L?alo $ltoM and went out into the "reat ,orld and 'egan !ending me me!!age! 'a)k
from time to time what it wa! like out there% Your friend!hi and your )on)ern have
enri)hed my life% There+! no Aue!tion of your imortan)e to me% You+re my main!tay%
6an, 1 love you% 1 don+t make that de)laration lightly either% % % % Hor Chri!t+! !weet !ake,
not to worry a'out taking a en)il to the !torie! if you )an make them 'etter. and if
anyone )an you )an% 1 want them to 'e the 'e!t o!!i'le !torie!, and 1 want them to 'e
around for a while% % % % 1 never figured 1 wa! going to get ri)h or even earn a living
writing !torie! and oem!% 4e enough, you know, to have &nof do a 'ook of mine and
have you a! my editor% 9o oen the throttle% Ramming !eed%


/u#y +, ()+2, 8 $%6.

3eare!t "ordon,
1+ve got to ull out of thi! one% ?lea!e hear me% 1+ve 'een u all night thinking on
thi!, and nothing 'ut thi!, !o hel me% 1+ve looked at it from every !ide, 1+ve )omared
'oth ver!ion! of the edited m!!@the fir!t one i! 'etter, 1 truly 'elieve, if !ome thing! are
)arried over from the !e)ond to the fir!t@until my eye! are nearly to fall out of my head%
You are a wonder, a geniu!, and there+! no dou't of that, 'etter than any two of 6a0
?erkin!, et)%, et)% $nd 1+m not unmindful of the fa)t of my immen!e de't to you, a de't 1
)an !imly never, never reay% Thi! whole new life 1 have, !o many of the friend! 1 now
have, thi! 7o' u here, everything, 1 owe to you for (,ill You ?lea!e%* You+ve given me
!ome degree of immortality already% You+ve made !o many of the !torie! in thi!
)olle)tion 'etter, far 'etter than they were 'efore% $nd may'e if 1 were alone, 'y my!elf,
and no one had ever !een the!e !torie!, may'e then, knowing that your ver!ion! are
'etter than !ome of the one! 1 had !ent, may'e 1 )ould get into thi! and go with it% 4ut
Te!! ha! !een all of the!e and gone over them )lo!ely% 3onald /all ha! !een many of the
new one! :and di!)u!!ed them at length with me and offered hi! !ervi)e! in reviewing
the )olle)tion; and Ri)hard Hord, To'y ,olff, "eoffrey ,olff, too, !ome of them% % % %
/ow )an 1 e0lain to the!e fellow! when 1 !ee them, a! 1 will !ee them, what haened
to the !tory in the meantime, after it! 'ook u'li)ationC 6ay'e if the 'ook were not to
)ome out for 18 month! or two year!, it would 'e different% 4ut right now, everything i!
too new% % % % "ordon, the )hange! are 'rilliant and for the 'etter in mo!t )a!e!@1 look at
(,hat ,e Talk $'out % % %* :4eginner!; and 1 !ee what it i! that you+ve done, what
you+ve ulled out of it, and 1+m awed and a!toni!hed, !tartled even, with your in!ight!%
4ut it+! too )lo!e right now, that !tory% Now mu)h of thi! ha! to do with my !o'riety and
with my new5found :and fragile, 1 !ee; mental health and well5'eing% 1+ll tell you the
truth, my very !anity i! on the line here% 1 don+t want to !ound melodramati) here, 'ut
1+ve )ome 'a)k from the grave here to !tart writing !torie! on)e more% $! 1 think you
may know, 1+d given u entirely, thrown it in and wa! looking forward to dying, that
relea!e% 4ut 1 ket thinking, 1+ll wait until after the ele)tion to kill my!elf, or wait until
after thi! or that haened, u!ually !omething down the road a way!, 'ut it wa! never far
from my mind in tho!e dark day!, not all that long ago% Now, 1+m in)omara'ly 'etter, 1
have my health 'a)k, money in the 'ank, the right woman for thi! time of my life, a
de)ent 7o', 'lah 'lah% 4ut 1 haven+t written a word !in)e 1 gave you the )olle)tion,
waiting for your rea)tion, that rea)tion mean! !o mu)h to me% Now, 1+m afraid, mortally
afraid, 1 feel it, that if the 'ook were to 'e u'li!hed a! it i! in it! re!ent edited form, 1
may never write another !tory, that+! how )lo!ely, "od Hor'id, !ome of tho!e !torie! are
to my !en!e of regaining my health and mental well5'eing% % % %
?lea!e hel me with thi!, "ordon% 1 feel a! if thi! i! the mo!t imortant de)i!ion 1+ve
ever 'een fa)ed with, no !hit% 1 a!k for your under!tanding% Ne0t to my wife, and now
Te!!, you have 'een and are the mo!t imortant individual in my life, and that+! the
truth% 1 don+t want to lo!e your love or regard over thi!, oh "od no% 1t would 'e like
having a art of my!elf die, a !iritual art% Je!u!, 1+m 7a''ering now% 4ut if thi! )au!e!
you undue )omli)ation and grief and you erha! under!tanda'ly 'e)ome i!!ed and
di!)ouraged with me, well, 1+m the oorer for it, and my life will not 'e the !ame again%
True% On the other hand, if the 'ook )ome! out and 1 )an+t feel the kind of ride and
lea!ure in it that 1 want, if 1 feel 1+ve !omehow too far !teed out of 'ound!, )ro!!ed
that line a little too far, why then 1 )an+t feel good a'out my!elf, or may'e even write
again. right now 1 feel it+! that !eriou!, and if 1 )an+t feel a'!olutely good a'out it, 1 feel
1+d 'e done for% 1 do% #ord "od 1 7u!t don+t know what el!e to !ay% 1+m awa!h with
)onfu!ion and aranoia% Hatigue too, that too%
?lea!e, "ordon, for "od+! !ake hel me in thi! and try to under!tand% #i!ten% 1+ll !ay
it again, if 1 have any !tanding or reutation or )redi'ility in the world, 1 owe it to you% 1
owe you thi! more5or5le!! retty intere!ting life 1 have% 4ut if 1 go ahead with thi! a! it
i!, it will not 'e good for me% The 'ook will not 'e, a! it !hould, a )au!e for 7oyou!
)ele'ration, 'ut one of defen!e and e0lanation% % % % 1 know that the di!)omfort of thi!
de)i!ion of mine i! at it! highe!t now, it+! ramant, 1 feel nearly wild with it% 4ut 1 know
it will )au!e you grief a! well, e0lanation!, more work, !toing everything in it! tra)k!
and )oming u with valid rea!on! for why% 4ut, eventually, my di!)omfort and your!,
will go away, there+ll 'e a grieving, 1+m grieving right now, 'ut it will go away% 4ut if 1
don+t !eak now, and !eak from the heart, and halt thing! now, 1 fore!ee a terri'le time
ahead for me% The demon! 1 have to deal with every day, or night, nearly, might, 1+m
afraid, !imly ri!e u and take me over%
Of )our!e 1 know 1 !houldn+t have !igned the )ontra)t without fir!t reading the
)olle)tion and making my fear!, if any, known to you 'eforehand, 'efore !igning% 9o
what !hould we do now, lea!e advi!eC Can you lay it all on me and get me out of the
)ontra)t !omewayC Can you ut the 'ook off until ,inter or 9ring of 198G and let them
know 1 want to have the !torie! in the )olle)tion u'li!hed in maga8ine! fir!t :and that+!
the truth, !everal of them are )ommitted to la)e! with u'li)ation way off ne0t year;C
Tell them 1 want the maga8ine u'li)ation! fir!t, and then the 'ook out when 1+m u for
tenure here that !ring of 198GC $nd then de)ide ne0t year what, for !ure, to doC Or el!e
)an or !hould everything 7u!t 'e !toed now, 1 !end 'a)k the &nof )he)k, if it+! on the
way, or el!e you !to it thereC $nd meanwhile 1 ay you for the hour!, day! and night!,
1+m !ure, you+ve !ent on thi!% "oddamn it, 1+m 7u!t nearly )ra8y with thi!% 1+m getting
into a !tate over it% @No, 1 don+t think it !hd% 'e ut off% 1 think it had 'e!t 'e !toed%
1 thought the editing, e!e)ially in the fir!t ver!ion, wa! 'rilliant, a! 1 !aid% The
!torie! 1 )an+t let go of in their entirety are the!e% (Community Center* :1f 1t ?lea!e You;
and (The 4ath* :$ 9mall "ood Thing; and 1+d want !ome more of the old )oule, $nna
and /enry "ate!, in (,hat ,e Talk $'out ,hen ,e Talk $'out #ove* :4eginner!;% 1
would not want (6r% Hi0it* :,here 1! Fveryone; in the 'ook in it! re!ent !tate% The
!tory (3i!tan)e* !hould not have it! title )hanged to (Fverything 9tu)k to /im%* Nor the
little ie)e (6ine* to (?oular 6e)hani)!%* (3ummy* !hould kee it! title% ($ 9eriou!
Talk* i! fine for (?ie%* 1 think (,ant to 9ee 9omething* i! fine, i! 'etter than (1 Could
9ee the 9malle!t Thing!%* % % %
1+m 7u!t mu)h too )lo!e to all of thi! right now% 1t+! even hard for me to think right
now% 1 think, in all, may'e it+! 7u!t too !oon for me for another )olle)tion% 1 know that
ne0t !ring i! too !oon in any )a!e% $'!olutely too !oon% 1 think 1 had 'e!t ull out,
"ordon, 'efore it goe! any further% 1 reali8e 1 !tand every )han)e of lo!ing your love and
friend!hi over thi!% 4ut 1 !trongly feel 1 !tand every )han)e of lo!ing my !oul and my
mental health over it, if 1 don+t take that ri!k% 1+m !till in the ro)e!! of re)overy and
trying to get well from the al)oholi!m, and 1 7u!t )an+t take any )han)e!, !omething a!
momentou! and ermanent a! thi!, that would ut my head in !ome 7eoardy% That+! it,
it+! in my head% You have made !o many of the!e !torie! 'etter, my "od, with the lighter
editing and trimming% 4ut tho!e other!, tho!e three, 1 gue!!, 1+m lia'le to )roak if they
)ame out that way% Fven though they may 'e )lo!er to work! of art than the original and
eole 'e reading them N0 year! from now, they+re !till at to )au!e my demi!e, 1+m
!eriou!, they+re !o intimately hooked u with my getting well, re)overing, gaining 'a)k
!ome little !elf5e!teem and feeling of worth a! a writer and a human 'eing%
1 know you mu!t feel angry and 'etrayed and i!!ed off% "od+! !ake, 1+m !orry% 1 )an
ay you for the time you+ve ut in on thi!, 'ut 1 )an+t 'egin to hel or do anything a'out
the trou'le and grief 1 may 'e )au!ing there in the editorial and 'u!ine!! offi)e! that
you+ll have to go through% Horgive me for thi!, lea!e% 4ut 1+m 7u!t going to have to wait
a while yet for another 'ook, 18 month!, two year!, it+! okay now, a! long a! 1+m writing
and have !ome !en!e of worth in the ro)e!!% Your friend!hi and your )on)ern and
general )hamioning of me have meant, and mean !till, more to me than 1 )an ever !ay% 1
)ould never 'egin to reay you, a! you mu!t know% 1 honor and re!e)t you, and 1 love
you more than my 'rother% 4ut you will have to get me off the hook here "ordon, it+!
true% 1 7u!t )an+t go another !te forward with thi! endeavor% 9o lea!e advi!e what to do
now% % % % $! 1 !ay, 1+m )onfu!ed, tired, aranoid, and afraid, ye!, of the )on!eAuen)e! for
me if the )olle)tion )ame out in it! re!ent form% 9o hel me, lea!e, yet again% 3on+t,
lea!e, make thi! too hard for me, for 1+m 7u!t likely to !tart )oming unraveled knowing
how 1+ve di!lea!ed and di!aointed you% "od almighty, "ordon%
Ray
?lea!e do the ne)e!!ary thing! to !to rodu)tion of the 'ook% ?lea!e try and forgive
me, thi! 'rea)h%


/u#y (2, ()+2

?lea!e look through the en)lo!ed )oy of (,hat ,e Talk $'out,* the entire
)olle)tion% You+ll !ee that nearly all of the )hange! 1 !ugge!t are !mall enough, 'ut 1
think they+re !ignifi)ant and they all )an 'e found in the fir!t edited m! ver!ion you !ent
me% 1t+! 7u!t, not 7u!t, 'ut it+! a Aue!tion of rein!tating !ome of the thing! that were taken
out in the !e)ond ver!ion% 4ut 1 feel !trongly !ome of tho!e thing! taken out !hould 'e
'a)k in the fini!hed !torie!% ("a8e'o,* for in!tan)e% (1n thi!, too, !he wa! right%* That
ending i! far !uerior and give! the !tory the right, the 7u!t ending, the narrator+! !en!e
of lo!!, and a !har, erfe)t ending for the !tory% Otherwi!e, the narrator i! a lout, a !on
of a 'it)h, and totally in!en!itive to everything he+! 'een telling u!% Otherwi!e, why even
i! he telling the !tory, 1 wonder%


/u#y (3, ()+2

1+m thrilled a'out the 'ook and it! imending u'li)ation% 1+m !toked a'out it, and
1+m already !tarting to think a'out the ne0t one% 6ore than thinking a'out it, in fa)t% Ha)t
i!, 1+m giving !ome thought to taking the !e)ond !eme!ter off to do nothing 'ut write
and write through the !ummer a! well% % % % Thing! are in full !wing, and 1 am 7u!t
generally e0)ited, !e)ifi)ally too% 1 know you have my 'e!t intere!t! at heart, and you+ll
do everything and more to further tho!e intere!t!% % % % 1 won+t har or dog, for 1 know the
'ook i! going to a!toni!h and give lea!ure% 9o 7u!t the!e la!t word! on the matterD
lea!e look at the !ugge!tion! 1+ve en)iled in and entertain tho!e !ugge!tion! !eriou!ly,
even if finally you de)ide otherwi!e. if you think 1+m 'eing my own wor!t enemy, you
know, well then, !ti)k to the final ver!ion of the !e)ond edited ver!ion% 4ut do give tho!e
thing! a hard third or fourth look% 6y greate!t fear i!, or wa!, having them too ared,
and 1+m thinking of (Community Center* and (The 4ath* 'oth of whi)h lo!t !everal
age! ea)h in the !e)ond editing% 1 want that !en!e of 'eauty and my!tery they have now,
'ut 1 don+t want to lo!e tra)k, lo!e tou)h with the little human )onne)tion! 1 !aw in the
fir!t ver!ion you !ent me% They !eemed !omehow to 'e fuller in the 'e!t !en!e, in that
fir!t ed% ver!ion% 6ay'e 1 am wrong in thi!, may'e you are 100O )orre)t, 7u!t lea!e
give them another hard look% That+! all% That and what 1 !aid a'out (,here 1!
FveryoneC*@6r% Coffee, 6r% Hi0it%


5ugust ((, ()+.

Now 1 don+t know for !ure how we+re going to work out !ome of the di!agreement!
we+re 'ound to have over !ome of the!e !torie! 1+ve written and am writing thi! very
minute% $nd 1+m going to give you the 'ook L(Cathedral*M on !)hedule, in
Novem'er% % % % $nyway, you+re the 'e!t editor there i!, and a writer your!elf, you 'et,
and you have to )all them the way you !ee them% Hair enough% 4ut 1 may not 'e in
agreement with you, and thi! i! what+! worrying me right thi! minute% % % %
Horgive me% 4ut hear me out% 1+m !aying that de!ite all and fu)k all, 1+ve 'een
writing !hort !torie! ever !in)e 1 landed out here in thi! wood!y )ranny% 1+ve got five
new one!, no !i0, )ounting the one 1 7u!t tyed out a !e)ond draft of earlier tonight and
hoe to fini!h, at lea!t have !ome more draft! of, 'efore the week i! out% 1+ve 'een
writing a! if my life deended on it and like there+! no tomorrow% $nd we 'oth know
that fir!t may 'e true, and there+! alway! likelihood of the !e)ond% :$nd fu)k no, 1 )an+t
get off the )igarette! either%; % % % 4ut one thing i! )ertain@the !torie! in thi! new
)olle)tion are going to 'e fu##er than the one! in the earlier 'ook!% $nd thi!, for Chri!t+!
!ake, i! to the good% 1+m not the !ame writer 1 u!ed to 'e% 4ut 1 know there are going to
'e !torie! in the!e 1P or 1N 1 give you that you+re going to draw 'a)k from, that aren+t
going to fit anyone+! notion of what a Carver !hort !tory ought to 'e@your!, mine, the
reading u'li) at large, the )riti)!% 4ut 1+m not them, 1+m not u!, 1+m me% 9ome of the!e
!torie! may not fit !moothly or neatly, inevita'ly, along!ide the re!t% 4ut, "ordon, "od+!
truth, and 1 may a! well !ay it out now, 1 )an+t undergo the kind of !urgi)al amutation
and tran!lant that might make them !omeway fit into the )arton !o the lid will )lo!e%
There may have to 'e lim'! and head! of hair !ti)king out% 6y heart won+t take it
otherwi!e% 1t will !imly 'ur!t, and 1 mean that% 3eare!t friend of all, 'rother, you know
what 1+m !aying, and 1 know you under!tand% Fven if you think 1+m dead wrong% % % %
1 love your heart, you mu!t know that% 4ut 1 )an+t write the!e !torie! and have to feel
inhi'ited@if 1 feel inhi'ited 1+m not going to write them at all@and feel that if you, the
reader 1 want to lea!e more than any, don+t like them, you+re going to re5write them
from to to 'ottom% ,hy, if 1 think that the en will fall right out of my finger!, and 1
may not 'e a'le to i)k it u% % % %
You under!tand 1+m not !aying, or even remotely thinking, that the!e new and
year5old !torie! are 'eyond )riti)i!m, or that they won+t need editing% Not true% Not true
in either )a!e% You+re a! )lo!e to me, and my work, you )ouldn+t 'e )lo!er, if you were
my 'lood 'rother% You+re the left !ide of me% Or the right !ide, take your i)k% 4ut 1
gue!! 1+m trying to !ay here that we+re going to have to work very )lo!ely together on
thi! 'ook@the mo!t imortant 'ook of them all for me, at every !tage, and 'e )areful
and under!tanding with ea)h other% "ordon, the la!t 'ook a!!ed a! if in a dream for me%
Thi! one )an+t go that way, and we 'oth know it%


6cto-er ,, ()+.

#i!ten, 1+ve fini!hed work on the new &nof 'ook of !torie!% #a!t week 1 got them
all 'a)k from the tyi!t and 1 !ent all day today reading them through% 1t+! going to 'e
!omething, that 'ook% 1 thought 1 would try and ut them in order, the order 1+d like to
!ee them in the 'ook, 'ut 7u!t a few minute! ago gave u on that% 1+ll leave that u to
you% 1 don+t have a title, either% ,e talked, a year ago, a'out )alling the 'ook
(Cathedral%* That+! fine with me and may'e lead off with that !tory and fini!h with
(Hever,* a long !tory, or ($ 9mall "ood Thing,* another long !tory% 4ut 1 will leave the
arrangement of the !torie! u to you% You know 1 want and have to have autonomy on
thi! 'ook and that the !torie! have to )ome out looking very e!!entially the way they
look right now% 1+m of )our!e not !aying we )an+t )hange word! or hra!e! or a line here
and there, and un)tuation, !ure% 4ut after you+ve read the 'ook, 1+ll )ome down and
we+ll talk a'out title!, the ordering, or any !ugge!tion! you might have%

6cto-er .), ()+.

$! 1 !aid 'efore, 1 would 'e hay with either title, (Cathedral* or (,here 1+m
Calling Hrom%* % % % 6y 'igge!t )on)ern, a! you know, i! that the !torie! remain inta)t%
Oh, Chri!t, !ure, you know, if you !ee !ome word! or !enten)e! that )an 'e trimmed,
that+! fine, trim them% You know what 1+m !aying% ?lea!e hel me with thi! 'ook a! a
good editor, the 'e!t % % % 'ut not a! my gho!t% 1 tell you, 1 may 'e reading it all wrong@
and if 1 am, 1 don+t )are, in a very rofound way@'ut 1 think there i! a great deal of
good will e!ta'li!hed toward me, or for me. and thi! 'ook, the !torie!, are going to 'e !o
different, in !o many regard!, from !o many of the earlier !torie!, that the 'ook i! going
to 'e met with a good !how of enthu!ia!m, even )ele'ration% $nd, ye!, 1+m eager to have
that arti!t you were talking a'out do !omething for the )over, if !he )an% Ye!, for !ure% 1
hoe that work! out% :4ut that, finally, will 'e your final de)i!ion. the matter of the te0t,
in thi! )a!e, ha! to 'e mine%;


ovem-er (), ()+.

"rom 'ish to Carver
3ear Ray@/ere+! (,here 1+m Calling Hrom* reworked to the e0tent that 1 think it
mu!t 'e@a! 'a!i) a! 1 )an kee it% 1+m aware that we+ve agreed that 1 will try to kee
my editing of the !torie! a! !light a! 1 deem o!!i'le, that you do not want me to do the
e0ten!ive work 1 did on the fir!t two )olle)tion!% 9o 'e it, Ray% ,hat you !ee in thi!
!amle i! that minimumD to do le!! than thi!, would 'e, in my 7udgment, to e0o!e you
too greatly% $t all event!, lookD if thi! i! in keeing with your wi!he!, )all Aui)kly and
!ay !o@and 1 will then 'e guided there'y in my handling of the re!t of the !torie!% #ove,
"%
/anuary .(, ()+,
"rom Carver to 'ish
,hat+! the matter, don+t you love me anymoreC 1 never hear from you% /ave you
forgotten me alreadyC ,ell, 1+m going 'a)k to the L Paris ReviewM interview and take out
all the good thing! 1 !aid a'out you% D