Eaton Hamilton

early sketch: Jane Eaton Hamilton

Here’s what I think, FB. You need no other short fiction or novel counsel other than that delivered in the collected wisdom of Douglas Glover and (sorry, Tess) the did-he-go-too-far Gordon Lish. As ably presented here by Jason Lucarelli.  Do I think Lish went too far, in particular with Carver’s work?  Yes, without question, as is easily apparent by comparing, as Tess Gallagher asks us, “A Small Good Thing” in its two forms.  But does that obviate the benefit of the work he did? Certainly it does not.

The Consecution of Gordon Lish

Here’s a new interview (Dec 2015)  from the Guardian by Christian Lorentzen with Lish:

Gordon Lish: ‘Had I not revised Carver, would he be paid the attention given him? Baloney!’