Raymond Carver

Raymond Carver (May 25, 1938 – August 2, 1988) was an American short story writer and poet.

Related Topics:
May 25 - 1938 - August 2 - 1988 - American - Short story - Writer - Poet

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Carver was born in Clatskanie, Oregon and grew up in Yakima, Washington. For a time, Carver studied under the author John Gardner at Chico State College in Chico, California. He published a number of short stories over his lifetime that describe blue-collar life in a number of periodicals, including The New Yorker and Esquire, which were later collected into books. His stories have been

Related Topics:
Clatskanie, Oregon - Yakima, Washington - John Gardner - Chico State College - Chico - California - Short stories - Blue-collar - The New Yorker - Esquire

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included in some of the most competitive collections in the country: Best American Short Stories and O. Henry Prize Stories.

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Carver's second wife was the poet Tess Gallagher. An alcoholic whose drinking manifested itself in his work, he was sober for the last ten years of his life. He was a close friend of Tobias Wolff and Richard Ford. In 1988, he was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

Related Topics:
Tess Gallagher - Alcoholic - Tobias Wolff - Richard Ford - American Academy of Arts and Letters

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Carver's writings are often associated with minimalism. His editor at Esquire, Gordon Lish, was instrumental in shaping Carver's prose. For example, where Gardner had advised Carver to use 15 words instead of 25, Lish instructed Carver to use 5 in place of 15. During this time, Carver also submitted poetry to James Dickey, then poetry editor of Esquire.

Related Topics:
Minimalism - Gordon Lish - James Dickey

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Carver died in Port Angeles, Washington, from lung cancer, at the age of 50.

Related Topics:
Port Angeles - Washington

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