Cathedral. Stories.

CARVER, Raymond.

Item Number: 142061

New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1983.

First edition of Carver’s award-winning collection of stories. Octavo, original half cloth. With an autograph letter signed by Raymond Carver addressed to fellow writer Irene Wanner, on Tess Gallaher’s stationery with Gallagher’s name scored out and Carver in holograph. In the letter Carver acknowledges the receipt of a copy of Seattle Review and pledges to nominate her piece for the Pushcart Prize. He also relates that he’s been salmon fishing with Tess Gallagher’s brother. Letter is not dated, but envelope is postmarked 18 July, 1983. The title story is generally considered the author’s masterwork. Irene Wanner is the author of the 1988 title Sailing to Corinth and several anthologized stories. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Sara Eisenman.

Cathedral was a landmark in Carver's career; shortly after its publication, he said that it was his favorite collection. Cathedral won high critical praise as summoning "remembrances of Hemingway… written with a dry intensity, and moving, at the climaxes, from the commonplace to the unnerving" (New York Times). Nominated for a national Book Critics Circle Award,, Cathedral includes "A Small, Good Thing," first-place winner in 1983 of the prestigious O. Henry Award, as well as "Where I'm Calling From" and the title story.