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Kara Jacoboni

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Kara Jacoboni is currently reading

Where I'm Calling From: New and Selected Stories

by Raymond Carver

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Kara Jacoboni said: " Although I'm only about half way through Raymond Carver's book of short stories, "Where I'm Calling From," I am very pleased with the book so far. The stories are all so different and somewhat mundane but that's what makes them entertaining. They are Although I'm only about half way through Raymond Carver's book of short stories, "Where I'm Calling From," I am very pleased with the book so far. The stories are all so different and somewhat mundane but that's what makes them entertaining. They are all about situations that are very possible in real life: situations that you may be able to relate to, some that you've probably seen happen to your friends, and some that you hope you never have to witness in your life. Carver uses very easy language in his books, nothing too complex, but you will notice a change in tone during every story. You can tell what the narrator is like just by the way Carver writes and each narrator is different in every story. I love the way that Carver finds ways to regain my interest in a story right as I'm about to fall off the band-wagon; he knows just when he's about to take a part in the story too far and makes a change right before that point. For example, in the story "What's in Alaska?" his manages to get the reader right to the point of so annoyed they almost put down the book, and changing the tone right at that time so the reader falls back into the story. As I get further into the book I'm noticing that most of the stories are becoming longer and almost a little more complex. In some of the stories deeper in the book you have to think outside the box in order to understand exactly what's going on compared to the stories in the beginning of the book that were, to me, very straight forward. All in all I am enjoying this book a lot so far!

11/9/11
I am further into Carver's book "Where I'm Calling From" and I'm still really enjoying the book! He still includes a strong narrator voice and still finds different ways to keep my interest (like changing the story line or changing the plot) but as I'm reading on, I'm beginning to become frustrated with his reoccurring, depressing themes. Some main themes I'm seeing are drinking/alcoholism and heartbreak/love gone bad. I understand reading about these topics for a few stories but when every single story starts to revolve around the same thing, my mind begins to wander. These depressing topics actually make me want to stop reading the book! I wish he could at least have one happy ending in one of his stories; I honestly believe that if he made one story happy, that would be enough to make me want to read five more of his short stories without complaining.
On a more positive note, he's an amazing author and has a gift of making you really think after one of his stories is over. He leaves the stories open ended so you can draw your own conclusion, but he also leaves gaps throughout the stories as well and it causes you to consider what Carver was thinking when he wrote this and why he wrote it in this way. I do enjoy this book a lot but I'm not sure if I'd read it again mostly because of the topics being discussed. ...more "

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(page 332 of 544)
— Nov 09, 2011 01:11PM

Nov 09, 2011 01:25PM · see review

Kara Jacoboni is currently reading

Dear Sound of Footstep: Essays

by Ashley Butler

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Kara Jacoboni said: " I am currently reading this book but so far I am not the biggest fan. Her style of lyric essay is not that of John D'Gata's and I don't enjoy it much. I feel bored during most of this book although I can see how others were be interested. The topic i ...more "

Sep 18, 2011 01:50PM · see review