I’ve been reading this guy’s books since Carrie, all of them, and I knew he had a drinking problem early on (he talked about it in Danse Macabre), but didn’t know that he’d done drugs and cough syrup and after shave too. He said he came to grips with it when writing The Dark Half.
(This probably explains Insomnia – what the hell was that anyway?)
I liked what he said about his feelings for Maine too – he could live anywhere he wants, but chooses the place and people he knows.
Anyway, I have a deeper respect for this guy and his books after watching the bio. I’ve been defending his books to people for years – don’t feel like I have to do this anymore. And I think people will still be reading him 50, 100 years from now.
I missed the show, Auntie. Aftershave? What did he do, drink it?
Ewww.
Funny that you mention defending SK. I recently had to do that for the first time. My book club (all female) was trying to decide on a book for January and The Green Mile was nominated. I was shocked at the reaction: “No way, I’m not reading Stephen King! I want to sleep at night!” Then a couple of us told them that he’s the one who wrote The Body (see the movie Stand By Me) and Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption… Being a long time SK fan I’d read The Green Mile when it came out, so I knew it was one of his least scary books. Happily, the book club decided to read it for January. I’m sure we’ll have some new SK fans.
As far as his literary merit goes, I believe that is the eye of the beholder. I read to immerse myself in another world and escape the everyday. SK does that for me.
Stephen King is scary not because he writes “ghost stories” (most of his books, really, have little to do with the supernatural); it’s his insightful delving into the horror inherent in our hearts. Even The Shining, which was on the surface about a haunted hotel, was really about the demons within the common man. That’s why it’s scary-those demons are inside each one of us. We fight them every day.
It’s easy to be condescending and discount him as a “popular” writer, but he’s a master as seeing into the human soul.
I’m kindof a so-so Stephen King fan. Admittedly, I haven’t read The Stand, which I understand is supposed to be his best work, but I’ve never really been able to get into his full-length novels. Gerald’s Game completely sucked, if you ask me. For novels of that genre, I much prefer Dean Koontz.
On the other hand, I really love his short stories. As mentioned above, Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption was awesome. I also thoroughly enjoyed The Mist and The Raft. I tell ya, The Raft so completely freaked me out though (and I read it at least 18 years ago), that I still can’t sit on a wooden dock without getting the heebie-jeebies. {shiver}
“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” - Anne Frank
Shayna, I’m with you as to Gerald’s Game.The Mist scared the crap out of me. I could not put Misery down.
The Stand, IMHO, is one of the finest pieces of fiction ever, by anyone. That is just my opinion, though. I’ve read that book several times, and never get tired of it. The TV movie was okay. One of Rob Lowe’s better acting jobs.
I’m a HUGE Stephen King fan! I have to agree that the Stand was one of his finest works, but I have to tell you, the Dark Tower series has got to be, IMHO, the BEST!! Now if I could just have the patience to wait for him to write the last 3 books!
Except for ‘Carrie’, I’ve never read much of Stephen King’s work. But, I did watch an interview about the accident he was in, he was with his wife. I was touched by their obvious love for one another and their humor. So, while I missed the TLC program, I was heartened to see that I’ll get another chance on A& E the week of the 17th. They are having on ‘Biography’, “Pulp Fiction” with Truman Capote, Jacqueline Susann, and Stephen King (I forget the other two, sorry 'bout that!) being featured. With that, and ya’ll’s enthusiastic responses to what you’ve read, I’m really looking forward to reading some of his books this year.
For Cristi and any other fans of The Stand may I suggest checking out AfterAge by Yvonne Navarro. As I read this book, I kept thinking how much it reminded me of The Stand. A very similar plot with almost the entire human race wiped out, a handful of people trying to simultaneously survive and rebuild, and elements of divine intervention.
You need to convince me. I used to be a HUGE SK fan. I LOVED the The Dark Tower, and the second of that series… what was it, The Drawing of the Three? or something like that? I think the character Roland is really great, kind of a mix of Cowboy, and Knight in Shining Armor. I just got bored with the story around the time he was pushing Odetta(?) across the sand in the wheel chair, and it started to get EXTRA wierd after that. Should I have hung with the book longer?
I think, hope I’ve read all of SK in print and read on even if I’m not too particularly pleased with the particular book.
Most of his books are on “Books on Tape” and available from the library - they are great for car trips and when I’m painting, brushing the dogs, raking leaves, exercising.
Oh, I’m gonna keep using these #%@&* codes 'til I get 'em right.
I think you should have hung on a bit. If you haven’t read them already, the next two books in the series are The Waste Lands and Wizard and Glass. I can’t remember how long the lag was between these last two books, but it was pure torture the way the Waste Lands ended…just in a cliff-hanger sorta way.
I guess what I love about this series is all the connections throughout the SK universe that tie in (or will by the time the series is finished). There are references to Randall Flagg. Yeah, the same guy from the Stand, and a few other SK novels. This topic could be it’s own thread, provided there is enough interest. I can’t find the link right now, but there is a good Dark Tower BB. I’ll post it here when I can find it. I must warn you that there are alot of spoilers in there though. Check out the books first.
Sorry AuntiePam! I didn’t mean to hi-jack the thread. But you know how things go off on a tangent sometimes! To answer you original question, No, I missed the SK bio. Does anyone know if they might show it again?
Canthearya, most aftershaves contain ethyl alcohol (drinking alcohol). It’s usually denatured with isopropyl alcohol or something else, but that doesn’t stop a great many alcoholics when their supply of normal booze is exhausted. I always kind of figured King had a problem with alcohol or at least knew someone who did because his portrayal of the alcoholic in his books was always dead on.
Holly, I read The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon but I didn’t like it much. The kid did so many stupid things… I did like the end when she was hallucinating.
Shayna, read The Stand!! I liked Dean Koontz until my husband read one chapter of one of his books and started calling him “Mr. Metaphor”. Check it out, you’ll see he’s right. The moon was a giant balloon and I was a stalking tiger and she was a lithe otter… Okay, that’s an exaggeration.
My favorites are The Talisman, The Stand, and The Dead Zone. The scariest SK book, IMHO, is It. I remember reading it in broad daylight with hundreds of people around and still being scared out of my mind.
Hey Squee – don’t worry about hijacking. Now if you were trying to turn this into a Koontz thread, I’d be upset.
I’m all for discussion of the Dark Tower books, esp. since the King boards (at least the ones I’ve found) seem to have been taken over by amateur writers and folks looking to, ahem, connect.
I preferred the first book of the DT series – The Gunslinger – it’s the only one I’ve read more than once, and it just gets better. There’s a part toward the end that was simply heartbreaking, it was so painful to read. After watching the bio, I’m wondering if King was thinking about his father’s desertion when he wrote that.
Do you know the part I mean? (Trying not to spoil it for anyone.)
Thanks for the recommendation, Cant. I’ll definitely put The Stand on my must read list. It, however, I will never read. I should actually post this in the thread about unfouded fears, but I hate, hate, hate clowns!
AuntiePam, perhaps if I saw the biography to which you’re referring I’d have a stronger interest in SK. Like I said though, I do like his short stories very much.
For those who’ve read The Green Mile and have seen the movie - would you recommend reading the book first? Or is the movie as good a representation of the book as The Shawshank Redemption was?
“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” - Anne Frank
Lissa – he has macular degeneration. He described it in the bio as a “thinning” of the retina. Retina? A thinning of something – he likened it to a “hole in your sock.” Sounds like a long term process, but it’s not a good thing when it starts at such a young age.
(I was going to e-mail you privately on this, but there was no address.)
Shayna, I always read the book before seeing the movie. The reason is that I’m usually disappointed with whichever I do second. I’d rather be disappointed with the book than the movie. Movies last 2 hours; books can last as long as I want them to.
I read The Green Mile and saw the movie. I thought the movie was an excellent representation of the book. Unfortunately, I’d read the book so recently that I knew exactly what was going to happen, from moment to moment, throughout the movie. That made the 3 hours D R A G.
Pam I think I know what you’re talking about… SK has a gift for making me feel the way his characters feel.
Looks like A&E is doing biographies of several authors next week. SK is scheduled for Monday, January 17th!
