Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned

Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned is a collection of nine short stories published in 2009 by Wells Tower. The stories take place across various American settings, from coastal Maine to the rural South. The characters inhabit difficult circumstances and strained relationships - divorced men, struggling families, and people at turning points. Tower explores masculinity and family dynamics through characters who find themselves in uncomfortable or challenging situations. The collection concludes with the title story, which stands apart by following a group of Vikings on a raid. Despite its historical setting, the story maintains the collection's focus on human nature and conflict. The stories examine themes of disillusionment and redemption, presenting raw portraits of American life through moments of crisis and transformation. Tower's work raises questions about violence, belonging, and the ways people navigate personal upheaval.

Readers note Tower's dark humor and precise prose in depicting troubled characters and dysfunctional relationships. Many highlight the title story about Viking raiders as a standout, with its modern vernacular creating an unexpected tone. Readers praised: - Sharp, vivid descriptions - Complex character development - Blend of humor with unsettling themes - Fresh take on familiar domestic situations Common criticisms: - Stories feel emotionally cold - Male characters blur together - Endings sometimes feel unresolved - Excessive focus on damaged relationships Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (5,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (80+ ratings) Several reviewers compared Tower's style to Raymond Carver and Flannery O'Connor. One Goodreads reviewer noted: "Each sentence is crafted like poetry but the overall effect is brutal." Multiple Amazon reviews mentioned the stories staying with them long after reading, despite initial uncertainty about the unconventional endings.

Jesus' Son by Denis Johnson Stories of damaged characters on society's edge unfold through spare prose and moments of unexpected grace.

Tenth of December by George Saunders Characters face moral predicaments in stories that blend dark humor with glimpses of human redemption.

The Largesse of the Sea Maiden by Denis Johnson Men grapple with mortality and past mistakes in interconnected stories set against American landscapes.

What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver Working-class characters navigate love and loss through minimal prose and unstated emotions.

Pastoralia by George Saunders Characters trapped in absurd situations reveal truths about contemporary American life through stories that mix realism with surreal elements.

🔸 Though this was Wells Tower's debut collection of short stories, he had already established himself as a celebrated journalist, writing for prestigious publications like Harper's Magazine and The New Yorker. 🔸 The title story, featuring Viking raiders speaking in modern vernacular, was first published in 2002 but took Tower seven years of revisions before he felt it was ready for the collection. 🔸 Tower wrote most of these stories while working as a carpenter and renovating houses in Brooklyn, often drawing inspiration from the manual labor environment. 🔸 The collection received extraordinary praise from literary critics, with Edmund White comparing Tower's prose style to that of Ernest Hemingway and Raymond Carver. 🔸 Several stories in the collection explore father-son relationships through different angles, influenced by Tower's own experience growing up in North Carolina with a father who was both a real estate developer and literature professor.