The Cutting of Raymond Carver

8/12/2019 The Cutting of Raymond Carver

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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 eo!ure 'efore hi! friend!, who had read many of the !torie! in their earlier

ver!ion!% f 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% (+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* magaine! while !tudying at /um'oldt tate, at Chi)o tate College:with John "ardner;, and, until hi! money ran out, in the writing rogram at the


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and )ourtroom!%*

n 19=>, while working for the tet'ook u'li!her )ien)e Re!ear)h $!!o)iate!, in

?alo $lto, Carver met #i!h, who wa! al!o working at a tet'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 eoti)i!m of hi!

)hara)ter!--(hill'illie! of the !hoing mall,* #i!h later )alled them% #et go from

%R%$%, Carver lived on !everan)e and unemloyment in!uran)e, and wa! a'le to write

!torie! with greater )on)entration% (omething haened during that time in the writing,

to the writing,* he !aid% (t went underground and then it )ame u again, and it wa!

'athed in a new light for me%* #i!h wa! etremely 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%

n 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 doen! of letter! in #i!h+! aer! at the #illy #i'rary, at

ndiana


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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!% t in)lude! the di!)overy of talent in a relatively o'!)ure

literary magaine or in a (!lu!h ile* of un!oli)ited manu!)rit!% t )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% n 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

Fra ?ound )utting T% % Fliot+! (The a!te #and* in half when the oem wa! !till

)alled (/e 3o the ?oli)e in 3ifferent Ioi)e!*. 6awell ?erkin! finding a !tru)ture in

Thoma! olfe+! (#ook /omeward, $ngel* and )utting it 'y !ity5five thou!and word!%

n the year! after the u'li)ation of (ill You ?lea!e 4e Buiet, ?lea!e,* 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 hene Talk $'out #ove%* $))ording to the rofe!!or! illiam #% tull and 6aureen ?%

Carroll, who, with the )oeration of Te!! "allagher, have 'een doing !)holarly work on

Carver, #i!h mailed Carver an edited manu!)rit in the !ring of 1980 )ontaining

!iteen 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 yra)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%

n 1998, ten year! after Carver+! death, the 7ournali!t 3% T% 6a went to the ar)hive!

at the #illy #i'rary to eamine the Carver5#i!h letter!% The re!ult wa! an arti)le in the

Times Magazinethat '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 e)et the very world, a! ord!worth !aid, whi)h i! the world of all of u!%* ood

al!o wrote, (n 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%


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$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!% n 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 elain to the u'li) that it had 'een )rammed down your

throat* "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%*

n 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 may a! well !ay it out now,* he wrote in $ugu!t, 198G, a'out hi! late!t

!torie!% ( )an+t undergo the kind of !urgi)al amutation and tran!lant that might makethem !omeway fit into the )arton !o the lid will )lo!e%*

Carver+! net !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 rving /owe, who wrote that in Carver+! more ean!ive later work one !aw (a

gifted writer !truggling for a larger !)oe of referen)e, a finer tou)h of nuan)e%* n an

interview with The Paris Review that year, Carver made )lear that he referred the new

ean!ivene!!D ( knew +d gone a! far the other way a! )ould or wanted to go, )utting

everything down to the marrow, not 7u!t to the 'one% $ny farther in that dire)tion and +d

'e at a dead end--writing !tuff and u'li!hing !tuff wouldn+t want to read my!elf, and

that+! the truth% n a review of the la!t 'ook, !ome'ody )alled me a Kminimali!t+ writer%

The reviewer meant it a! a )omliment% 4ut 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

eemlar of an a!tringent and original ae!theti)@the ae!theti) that heled win Carverhi! initial following% ( !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 +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 +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


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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 +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%

6a, ( 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!%

n 198>, Carver wrote (Frrand,* a !tory a'out the death of Chekhov, hi! literary idol%

t 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 trait of Juan de Hu)a, and they married onJune 1>, 1988% ome morning!, Carver tried to write, de!ite hi! illne!!% (4ut 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


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PRIMARY SOURCES

LETTERS TO AN EDITOR'y Raymond CarverDECEMBER 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! do have a few !torie! on hand, and +m !ending them along

within the net day or two% 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 wa! 18, mean it% /igh time think, too% Heel the !torie! are fir!t )la!! now, 'ut

whatever the out)ome there, are)iate the fine eye you turned on them% /ang tough%

/anuary (), ()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!% ! true, in the end% +m not 'othered% +ve alway! 'een the !lowe!t kid in

)la!! anyway, right down there% 4ut kee trying, even at thi! advan)ed age% o lean on

it, if you !ee thing!% f don+t agree, +ll !ay !omething, never fear%

ovem-er ((, ()13

ell, li!ten, )an+t ea)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 +m )on)erned a'out and

thrilled a'out i! having out a 'ook of !torie!, E from there on intend, 'rother, to !et the

glo'e afire, 'elieve me% % % % +ll tell you thi!, you+ve not 'a)ked a 'ad hor!e% % % % $'out
http://www.newyorker.com/search/query?query=authorName:%22Raymond%20Carver%22http://www.newyorker.com/search/query?query=authorName:%22Raymond%20Carver%22


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the editing ne)e!!ary in !ome of the !torie!% Tell me whi)h one! and +ll go after it, or

them% Tell me whi)h one!% Or 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 +ve got

!o'er and intend to !tay that way% +ve never done anything in my life +ve felt !o good

a'out a! getting and !taying !o'er% hat )an !ay L#i!h had left

Esquire%M You+ve made a !ingle5handed imre!!ion on $meri)an letter! that ha! heled

fi the )our!e of $meri)an letter!% $nd, of )our!e, you know, old 'ean, 7u!t what an

influen)e you+ve eer)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 mean that% You, my friend, are my idea ofan ideal reader, alway! have 'een, alway!, that i!, forever, will 'e% o 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 ri!h la!!, like to have fallen in love with her% he left, went to

Tu)!on on 'u!ine!!@!he+ll 'e tea)hing there net year, !he+! on a "uggy thi! year@

then returned and we !ent a fine week together, ut her on a lane to eattle

ye!terday, today get a doen red ro!e! from her%

"e-ruary (, ()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 6ei)o 'y train for a week% % % % +m hay, and +m!o'er% t+! a)e! right now, "ordon% know 'etter than anyone a fellow i! never out of the

wood!, 'ut right now it+! a)e!, and +m en7oying it%

May (2, ()+2


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$! 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% delight in your )omany, !imle a! that% You know, feel

)lo!er to you than 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 know you+re there and it+!

imortant to me% 4e!ide!, you+re my hero@don+t you know 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, love you% 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% want them to 'e the 'e!t o!!i'le !torie!, and want them to 'e

around for a while% % % % never figured 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% o oen the throttle% Ramming !eed%

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

3eare!t "ordon,

+ve got to ull out of thi! one% ?lea!e hear me% +ve 'een u all night thinking on

thi!, and nothing 'ut thi!, !o hel me% +ve looked at it from every !ide, +ve )omared

'oth ver!ion! of the edited m!!@the fir!t one i! 'etter, 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 6a

?erkin!, et)%, et)% $nd +m not unmindful of the fa)t of my immen!e de't to you, a de't

)an !imly never, never reay% Thi! whole new life have, !o many of the friend! now

have, thi! 7o' u here, everything, 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 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! had !ent, may'e )ould get into thi! and go with it% 4utTe!! 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 elain to the!e fellow! when !ee them, a! will !ee them, what haened

to the !tory in the meantime, after it! 'ook u'li)ation 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!


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too new% % % % "ordon, the )hange! are 'rilliant and for the 'etter in mo!t )a!e!@ look at

(hat e Talk $'out % % %* :4eginner!; and !ee what it i! that you+ve done, what

you+ve ulled out of it, and +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, !ee; mental health and well5'eing% +ll tell you the

truth, my very !anity i! on the line here% don+t want to !ound melodramati) here, 'ut

+ve )ome 'a)k from the grave here to !tart writing !torie! on)e more% $! think you

may know, +d given u entirely, thrown it in and wa! looking forward to dying, that

relea!e% 4ut ket thinking, +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, +m in)omara'ly 'etter,

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 haven+t written a word !in)e gave you the )olle)tion,

waiting for your rea)tion, that rea)tion mean! !o mu)h to me% Now, +m afraid, mortallyafraid, feel it, that if the 'ook were to 'e u'li!hed a! it i! in it! re!ent edited form,

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% feel a! if thi! i! the mo!t imortant de)i!ion +ve

ever 'een fa)ed with, no !hit% a!k for your under!tanding% Net to my wife, and now

Te!!, you have 'een and are the mo!t imortant individual in my life, and that+! the

truth% don+t want to lo!e your love or regard over thi!, oh "od no% t would 'e like

having a art of my!elf die, a !iritual art% Je!u!, +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, +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 )an+t feel the kind of ride and

lea!ure in it that want, if feel +ve !omehow too far !teed out of 'ound!, )ro!!ed

that line a little too far, why then )an+t feel good a'out my!elf, or may'e even write

again. right now feel it+! that !eriou!, and if )an+t feel a'!olutely good a'out it, feel

+d 'e done for% do% #ord "od 7u!t don+t know what el!e to !ay% +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% +ll !ayit again, if have any !tanding or reutation or )redi'ility in the world, owe it to you%

owe you thi! more5or5le!! retty intere!ting life have% 4ut if 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 elanation% % % % know that the di!)omfort of thi!

de)i!ion of mine i! at it! highe!t now, it+! ramant, feel nearly wild with it% 4ut know

it will )au!e you grief a! well, elanation!, more work, !toing everything in it! tra)k!


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and )oming u with valid rea!on! for why% 4ut, eventually, my di!)omfort and your!,

will go away, there+ll 'e a grieving, +m grieving right now, 'ut it will go away% 4ut if

don+t !eak now, and !eak from the heart, and halt thing! now, fore!ee a terri'le time

ahead for me% The demon! have to deal with every day, or night, nearly, might, +m

afraid, !imly ri!e u and take me over%

Of )our!e know !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% o

what !hould we do now, lea!e advi!e Can you lay it all on me and get me out of the

)ontra)t !omeway Can you ut the 'ook off until inter or ring of 198G and let them

know want to have the !torie! in the )olle)tion u'li!hed in magaine! fir!t :and that+!

the truth, !everal of them are )ommitted to la)e! with u'li)ation way off net year;

Tell them want the magaine u'li)ation! fir!t, and then the 'ook out when +m u for

tenure here that !ring of 198G $nd then de)ide net year what, for !ure, to do Or el!e

)an or !hould everything 7u!t 'e !toed now, !end 'a)k the &nof )he)k, if it+! on theway, or el!e you !to it there $nd meanwhile ay you for the hour!, day! and night!,

+m !ure, you+ve !ent on thi!% "oddamn it, +m 7u!t nearly )ray with thi!% +m getting

into a !tate over it% @No, don+t think it !hd% 'e ut off% think it had 'e!t 'e !toed%

thought the editing, e!e)ially in the fir!t ver!ion, wa! 'rilliant, a! !aid% The

!torie! )an+t let go of in their entirety are the!e% (Community Center* :f t ?lea!e You;

and (The 4ath* :$ mall "ood Thing; and +d want !ome more of the old )oule, $nna

and /enry "ate!, in (hat e Talk $'out hen e Talk $'out #ove* :4eginner!;%

would not want (6r% Hiit* :here ! Fveryone; in the 'ook in it! re!ent !tate% The

!tory (3i!tan)e* !hould not have it! title )hanged to (Fverything tu)k to /im%* Nor the

little ie)e (6ine* to (?oular 6e)hani)!%* (3ummy* !hould kee it! title% ($ eriou!

Talk* i! fine for (?ie%* think (ant to ee omething* i! fine, i! 'etter than ( Could

ee the malle!t Thing!%* % % %

+m 7u!t mu)h too )lo!e to all of thi! right now% t+! even hard for me to think right

now% think, in all, may'e it+! 7u!t too !oon for me for another )olle)tion% know that

net !ring i! too !oon in any )a!e% $'!olutely too !oon% think had 'e!t ull out,

"ordon, 'efore it goe! any further% realie !tand every )han)e of lo!ing your love and

friend!hi over thi!% 4ut !trongly feel !tand every )han)e of lo!ing my !oul and mymental health over it, if don+t take that ri!k% +m !till in the ro)e!! of re)overy and

trying to get well from the al)oholi!m, and 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, gue!!, +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


11/14

eole 'e reading them 0 year! from now, they+re !till at to )au!e my demi!e, +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%

know you mu!t feel angry and 'etrayed and i!!ed off% "od+! !ake, +m !orry% )an

ay you for the time you+ve ut in on thi!, 'ut )an+t 'egin to hel or do anything a'out

the trou'le and grief 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 +m 7u!t going to have to wait

a while yet for another 'ook, 18 month!, two year!, it+! okay now, a! long a! +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 )an ever !ay%

)ould never 'egin to reay you, a! you mu!t know% honor and re!e)t you, and love

you more than my 'rother% 4ut you will have to get me off the hook here "ordon, it+!

true% 7u!t )an+t go another !te forward with thi! endeavor% o lea!e advi!e what to do

now% % % % $! !ay, +m )onfu!ed, tired, aranoid, and afraid, ye!, of the )on!eAuen)e! forme if the )olle)tion )ame out in it! re!ent form% o hel me, lea!e, yet again% 3on+t,

lea!e, make thi! too hard for me, for +m 7u!t likely to !tart )oming unraveled knowing

how +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! !ugge!t are !mall enough, 'ut

think they+re !ignifi)ant and they all )an 'e found in the fir!t edited m! ver!ion you !ent

me% t+! 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 feel !trongly !ome of tho!e thing! taken out !hould 'e

'a)k in the fini!hed !torie!% ("ae'o,* for in!tan)e% (n thi!, too, !he wa! right%* That

ending i! far !uerior and give! the !tory the right, the 7u!t ending, the narrator+! !en!eof 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, wonder%

/u#y (3, ()+2


12/14

+m thrilled a'out the 'ook and it! imending u'li)ation% +m !toked a'out it, and

+m already !tarting to think a'out the net one% 6ore than thinking a'out it, in fa)t% Ha)t

i!, +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 am 7u!t

generally e)ited, !e)ifi)ally too% know you have my 'e!t intere!t! at heart, and you+ll

do everything and more to further tho!e intere!t!% % % % won+t har or dog, for know the

'ook i! going to a!toni!h and give lea!ure% o 7u!t the!e la!t word! on the matterD

lea!e look at the !ugge!tion! +ve en)iled in and entertain tho!e !ugge!tion! !eriou!ly,

even if finally you de)ide otherwi!e. if you think +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 +m thinking of (Community Center* and (The 4ath* 'oth of whi)h lo!t !everal

age! ea)h in the !e)ond editing% want that !en!e of 'eauty and my!tery they have now,'ut don+t want to lo!e tra)k, lo!e tou)h with the little human )onne)tion! !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 am wrong in thi!, may'e you are 100 )orre)t, 7u!t lea!e

give them another hard look% That+! all% That and what !aid a'out (here !

Fveryone*@6r% Coffee, 6r% Hiit%

5ugust ((, ()+

Now 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! +ve written and am writing thi! very

minute% $nd +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 may not 'e in

agreement with you, and thi! i! what+! worrying me right thi! minute% % % %

Horgive me% 4ut hear me out% +m !aying that de!ite all and fu)k all, +ve 'een

writing !hort !torie! ever !in)e landed out here in thi! wood!y )ranny% +ve got fivenew one!, no !i, )ounting the one 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% +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, )an+t

get off the )igarette! either%; % % % 4ut one thing i! )ertain@the !torie! in thi! new

)olle)tion are going to 'e fu##erthan the one! in the earlier 'ook!% $nd thi!, for Chri!t+!


13/14

!ake, i! to the good% +m not the !ame writer u!ed to 'e% 4ut know there are going to

'e !torie! in the!e 1P or 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 +m not them, +m not u!, +m me% ome of the!e

!torie! may not fit !moothly or neatly, inevita'ly, along!ide the re!t% 4ut, "ordon, "od+!

truth, and may a! well !ay it out now, )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% t will !imly 'ur!t, and mean that% 3eare!t friend of all, 'rother, you know

what +m !aying, and know you under!tand% Fven if you think +m dead wrong% % % %

love your heart, you mu!t know that% 4ut )an+t write the!e !torie! and have to feel

inhi'ited@if feel inhi'ited +m not going to write them at all@and feel that if you, the

reader want to lea!e more than any, don+t like them, you+re going to re5write them

from to to 'ottom% hy, if think that the en will fall right out of my finger!, and may not 'e a'le to i)k it u% % % %

You under!tand +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

gue!! +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, +ve fini!hed work on the new &nof 'ook of !torie!% #a!t week got them

all 'a)k from the tyi!t and !ent all day today reading them through% t+! going to 'e

!omething, that 'ook% thought would try and ut them in order, the order +d like to

!ee them in the 'ook, 'ut 7u!t a few minute! ago gave u on that% +ll leave that u toyou% 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 ($ mall "ood Thing,* another long !tory% 4ut will leave the

arrangement of the !torie! u to you% You know 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% +m of )our!e not !aying we )an+t )hange word! or hra!e! or a line here


14/14

and there, and un)tuation, !ure% 4ut after you+ve read the 'ook, +ll )ome down and

we+ll talk a'out title!, the ordering, or any !ugge!tion! you might have%

6cto-er ), ()+

$! !aid 'efore, would 'e hay with either title, (Cathedral* or (here +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 +m !aying% ?lea!e hel me with thi! 'ook a! a

good editor, the 'e!t % % % 'ut not a! my gho!t% tell you, may 'e reading it all wrong@

and if am, don+t )are, in a very rofound way@'ut 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!, +m eager to havethat arti!t you were talking a'out do !omething for the )over, if !he )an% Ye!, for !ure%

hoe that work! out% :4ut that, finally, will 'e yourfinal de)i!ion. the matter of the tet,

in thi! )a!e, ha! to 'e mine%;

ovem-er (), ()+

"rom 'ish to Carver

3ear Ray@/ere+! (here +m Calling Hrom* reworked to the etent that think it

mu!t 'e@a! 'a!i) a! )an kee it% +m aware that we+ve agreed that will try to kee

my editing of the !torie! a! !light a! deem o!!i'le, that you do not want me to do the

eten!ive work did on the fir!t two )olle)tion!% o 'e it, Ray% hat you !ee in thi!

!amle i! that minimumD to do le!! than thi!, would 'e, in my 7udgment, to eo!e you

too greatly% $t all event!, lookD if thi! i! in keeing with your wi!he!, )all Aui)kly and

!ay !o@and 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 anymore never hear from you% /ave you

forgotten me already ell, +m going 'a)k to the LParis ReviewM interview and take out

all the good thing! !aid a'out you% D

The Cutting of Raymond Carver

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