Carver Country: The World of Raymond Carver

_Carver Country_ is a fascinating look at Raymond Carver's personal life. Warning: one feels like a snoop reading through this book. There are photos of Ray's desk, complete with ashtray and paperweights; his childhood home; various landmarks in and around Yakima, WA and Arcata, CA; and portraits of Ray's family and friends. These last are especially powerful. But aside from the photos, there are words - unpublished letters written by Ray, an excerpt from a 1983 interview for _Poetry_ magazine (which includes my favorite line - "That's the last Christmas you'll ever ruin for us!"), and a substantial introduction by Tess Gallagher. It is wonderful and strange to see the places that were turning points in Carver's life, and the accompanying text is haunting. Gallagher's introduction is especially fine, and worth reading many times. Get this book.

Carver was a wonderful, wonderful writer. It's great to see his house, his study, his wife and friends photographed so beautifully. It's great to read his stories, his poems, more than 10 years after his death and to find them as powerful as ever. This book is very moving.