Why "Carver Country"?

Raymond Carver's short stories, which you read in high school, left a very deep impression. His minimalist approach and subject matter painted a starkly different portrait of the American landscape. You began to wonder what people's lives were like, what their fears and aspirations were, what the atmosphere at a diner is like, where and when you would get to see a gazebo, and so on. No more relying on the mainstream media, no more fictional TV shows -- you had to see it for yourself. Bob Adelman's photo documentary book, "Carver Country: The World of Raymond Carver", heightened your curiosity even more.

You arrived in this country in August 1998. You try to visit every diner you come across, and have seen two gazebos so far. And you hope you have, even if it is little by little, begun to understand people a lot more.

Hence, the title of this blog.