What We Talk About When We Talk About Love

Written by: Raymond Carver

I picked up this book on a whim while at Powell's bookstore in Portland. I'd heard a lot of praise about Raymond Carver's writing, and after reading this, it was well deserved.

Carver's prose is stark and brutal, but also crisp and clear. He doesn't waste words, nor does he include a word unless it is absolutely necessary. (To make an annoying comparison - his writing is reminiscent of Hemingway's, but more like Hemingway-to-the-extreme.)

The stories themselves are short and too the point. They are stripped down and, in their brevity, incredibly powerful. Carver doesn't beat around the bush at any point.

I highly recommend this book.