What we talk about when we talk about love by Raymond Carver

Review of the book “What we talk about when we talk about love” by Raymond Carver.

“What We Talk About When We Talk About Love” is a collection of short stories written by Raymond Carver and first published in 1981. It is a work that is considered a classic of contemporary American literature and has been acclaimed for its minimalist style and his ability to capture everyday life and human relationships.

What is love? How does it manifest? What shapes does it have? These are some of the questions that Raymond Carver asks in his book “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love”, a collection of seventeen short stories that explore the various facets of the feeling of love.

Carver is considered one of the masters of the American short story of the 20th century, and his style is characterized by the economy of words, the precision of details and the ellipsis of what is not said. His characters are ordinary people, who live on the periphery of consumer society, who suffer the consequences of poverty, alcoholism, violence and loneliness. His stories are fragments of daily life, which reveal the tensions, conflicts and hopes of their protagonists.

In “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love,” Carver shows us that love is not a single or universal concept, but rather that it adapts to the circumstances and the people who experience it. Thus, we find stories that talk about conjugal love, filial love, platonic love, obsessive love, unhealthy love, impossible love and unconditional love. Each of them offers us a different and complex vision of what it means to love and be loved.

The title of the book comes from the story of the same name, which narrates the conversation between two pairs of friends who drink gin on a rainy afternoon. Each person expresses their opinion about love, based on their own experiences and experiences. The result is a dialogue full of nuances, contradictions and ambiguities, which reflects the difficulty of defining and understanding love.

Carver does not intend to give answers or lessons about love, but rather to raise questions and provoke reflections in the reader. His prose is direct and simple, but at the same time deep and suggestive. His stories are like snapshots that capture crucial moments in the lives of his characters, moments that can change everything or change nothing.

“What we talk about when we talk about love” is an essential book for story lovers and those interested in contemporary literature. It is a work that invites us to question the meaning and value of love in our lives, and to recognize its multiple manifestations.

The stories in “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love” explore themes such as loneliness, lack of communication, and lack of love in American society in the 1980s. The characters are mostly middle and lower class workers, who struggle to find meaning and connection in their lives.

One of the standout stories in the collection is “Will You Please Shut Up?” which tells the story of a man who feels trapped in a loveless marriage and struggles to find meaning in his life. daily. Another notable story is “Neighbors,” which explores the tension between two couples who live in the same house.

Carver’s writing style is known for being minimalist, using concise, unadorned language to tell moving and emotional stories. Her prose is direct and stripped of any excess, allowing the reader to focus on the raw emotion of the characters and the situations in which they find themselves.

“What We Talk About When We Talk About Love” is a masterpiece of dirty realism, a literary genre characterized by its focus on real-life experiences and ordinary characters. The work is a chronicle of everyday life and human relationships, and is a testament to literature’s ability to capture the complexity and beauty of life.

In short, “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love” is a collection of short stories that explore loneliness, lack of communication, and heartbreak in American society in the 1980s. Carver’s minimalist style and his focus on the experiences of Real life and ordinary characters make this work a masterpiece of dirty realism. It is a work worth reading for anyone interested in contemporary literature and the exploration of human relationships.