Last year I borrowed The Green Mile by Stephen King, which Lex and Loki sadly destroyed once we were home in Worcester preventing me from finishing it. We had left behind a Brad Meltzer for someone else to find on the shelf when they were bored or finished their last book.
With Mad Dog (Under the Dome)and I ('Salem's Lot)both reading (or listening to) Stephen King, Gabrielle wanted to join our kick. I know she doesn't have an idea of what she is getting herself into with picking up one of his books. I can't say how old I was when I read my first King book, but I know it was young. Mad Dog remembers being her age and possibly reading Different Seasons, a collection of short works which include: The Body (Stand by Me), Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption (Shawshake Redemption), Apt Pupil (movie by the same name) , and The Breathing Method (the lesser known of the four). This request sent us to the library, only to find nothing left by Mister King (something I will have to correct).
This request then prompted the question, what to give her of King's to read? Different Season went to the top of the list. Mad Dog added Carrie, Christine (which I haven't read) and Cujo. I though Misery. Which made Mad Dog flinch. I explained that my main concern was any (thought I don't recall a lot) sex scenes that should appear in his books, also some of the harsher language (Bag of Bones being the most recent King I have read - "Whore Master hows your whore").
We went back and forth naming books, stories and stopping the other with reasons why that wasn't a good idea. Talking about which ones we have read and ones we have wanted to read. For me, a person who has read a decent amount of King, I haven't read The Stand. I know completely shocking. If you even mention King the first thing another King reader will ask is "Have you read The Stand?" This is the reason why I haven't. The more people ask me that, the more I walk away from it. I'm sure I would love it, but the more people push it down my throat the more I fight it. Mad Dog is amazed by this and we now make it a joke when I say I need something to read.
If you read this post and you are a King fan, post your favorite King Novel, short story, what have you. If you have a recommendation for a first King work to read (for anyone or for Gabrielle (age 10)) feel free to post it as well.
As for my King reading (listening) in Maine, I am enjoying 'Salem's Lot. Falling asleep to it and having the kids make me jump when they wake me has had my heart racing a few times. As long as it keeps racing I'm good with it.
3 comments:
interested to hear what Mad Dog thinks of Under the Dome. The book is so big, maybe if the audio is good, I'll get that!
i'd recommend Eyes of the Dragon as a first King novel. it's fantasy-styled, and if i remember correctly, has no sex-scenes. it also has the added bonus of the occasional piece of artwork illustrating key scenes here and there.
my first King novel was Carrie, and i was twelve when i read it. my favorite King novels are The Stand and Eyes of the Dragon. But the books I remember and think of most are the short story collections -- Skeleton Crew, Night Shift, Four Past Midnight.
(ps: ...this is Ann, by the by. i was nervous about commenting but i figured it wouldn't hurt.)
All comments are welcome! Four Past Midnight happens to be one of my favorites, in fact I have a copy out from the library now.
We're ripping Under the Dome right now for me. I think it took everything in Mad Dog to read that book (with it's size) with the kids around this vacation, but he finished it. I'll have him give you an update.
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