Ray Carver Interview With Kay Bonetti

Rating:
Summary: Be prepared to turn up the volume...
Review: From the back of the cassette cover:
"This interview with the late RAYMOND CARVER 'provides a window on the interplay between the writer's life and art, throwing light on the stories' origins and revealing overlooked aspects, such as their humorous side. . . . a stimulating introduction to Carver's work' (Library Journal).
"Kay Bonetti conducted this interview with CARVER in May 1983, just after he won the Strauss Living Award from the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters."

Okay, that's what the cassette cover says, and for the most part, it's accurate. Carver does talk about the origins of some of his stories, but the "humorous" side is basically limited to two stories - "Put Yourself In My Shoes," which is identifiable as humorous without Carver or Bonetti telling you so; and "A Serious Talk," where the only direct humor comes from Burt's theft of six pumpkin pies, "one for every ten times she had ever betrayed him." Bonetti and Carver admit there's some "dark" humor in the story, but leave it at that.

Leaving the cassette cover, let's talk about content. I'd have to give this item 3 stars for content - much of the information that Carver and Bonetti discuss is available elsewhere. It's not really a secret that Carver admired Chekhov, liked to rewrite, and grew up in a white collar family. I don't think I really learned anything "new" about Carver from this interview.

I have to give this item 2 stars for sound quality, though. You will want to keep your hand by the volume knob. I can organize the difficulties with this tape for you:
*Carver tends to mumble. He often sounds uncomfortable during the interview, as if he'd rather be anywhere else.
*You can hear street noises in the background (car horns, and at one point a creaky door as someone enters or leaves the studio).
*The tape has not been digitally remastered. It was originally recorded in 1983, and it sure sounds like it.

Rounding out the scores, I'd give this item 4 stars for rarity. It's wonderful to hear Carver "in person". It's especially touching when he talks about about "Cathedral," which at the time of this recording had not been published. He discusses it in very abstract terms, describing it as an "opening up" of his work, something he'd never done before. I won't ruin the content for you, but I will say his discussion of the _Cathedral_ collection is one of my favorite sections of the interview.

Overall, I still say the item (sadly) deserves 3 stars; but if you're a real Carver fan, it's nice to have in your collection, and the price is very reasonable. Also great for teachers of AP Lit or Intro to Literary Figures.