At the time of his death in 1988, Raymond Carver was foremost among American "minimalists," but this collection shows that there was more to Carver than trailer parks and alcoholics. His ear for dialogue and ability to capture the subtler emotions of desperation and longing put him in the company of the master storytellers. The seven later stories, including the brilliant "Errand," show that he was just breaking the surface of his greatness.

Chris Hodgdon