From the beginning of his career, Raymond Carver was associated with the literary movement dubbed “minimalism,” a term which he always resisted. He was heralded as the literary descendant of Hemingway, writing in a style that reduced language and narrative to the simplest yet most effective structure. Students in creative writing programs across the nation began imitating that style, as they did a generation before. Yet, a number of critics denigrated minimalism, while others accused Carver of taking it too far. As it turns out, Carver’s editor, Gordon Lish, was the one who pushed the bare bones concept beyond what Carver himself could accept. This essay situates Carver in the context of Hemingway, minimalism, and the influence of Gordon Lish et alia.