This course juxtaposes two realist modes in recent American fiction: minimalism (exemplified by the short stories of Raymond Carver) and “maximalism,” a term that describes ambitious, encyclopedic novels that attempt to document American life at particular historical moments. Both of these schools of writers, so different in style and scope, have been attacked by critics who sneer at their subject matter or criticize their well-crafted sentences. We’ll engage with these critiques by attending to the techniques these writers use—including the use of detail, the role of dialogue, and the importance of narrative perspective—as they attempt to capture “ordinary life” in late-twentieth-century America. We’ll also examine how these authors evoke place (the city, the suburb, the frontier) and develop a specific perspective on these fictional worlds. Students will be exposed to excellent fiction that is not often included in literature courses.