[sinister grinner]

does anybody here in this forum like to read stephen king? or better yet, does anybody in this forum read books?

[WalrusOfPlastic]

Books cause an increase of individualized thinking and general unrest in what would be a perfectly happy system.

[Chefelf]

I read a lot of books (and some Stephen King) in high school. I have really matured over the years so now I much prefer something a little more intellectual like playing video games instead.

[Jen]

I actually read my first Stephen King novel while I was in college -- Carrie was on the syllabus for my class on American Gothic (an intriguing but oft-times bizarre examination of the role of horror in shaping the American national pysche).

Stephen's been in the news lately: http://www.cnn.com/2...lbookawards.ap/

[looktothesky]

I've read Stephen King's books since I was in Grade 7/8. Although, I really liked the stories he wrote under the alias of Richard Bachman much better (The Long Walk and Rage(?), among my favorites.)

[Bananer]

I love Stephen King books. I actually just finished reading Needful Things not too long ago. The Shining was my favorite book of his so far.

[sinister grinner]

i believe my favorite book was firestarter or dolores claiborne.
also have you seen the movie children of the corn.

[Supes]

The first Stephen King book I read was The Shining. This is still by far and away my favourite of his books. I've read most, with the exception of a couple of the most recent. I found that devoting what spare time I do have to reading just King was making me a far to well adjusted individual so I put him aside to ground myself with Gemmell, Feist and Eddings among others.

[sinister grinner]

yeah, the shining is a great book. i need to read it again.

[civilian_number_two]

I read CARRIE and MISERY, but only because I'd seen the films and had liked them. Which, in retrospect, shows that as a youth I was less critical because CARRIE the movie is hillariously goofy. Anyway, there's nothing too terrible about the books; I even liked the stuff in MISERY that never made it into the movie, about the writing process and the novel-within-the-novel. Some of the details I felt might have been a little mean-spirited, like the way the novelist's self-proclaimed "number one fan" only reads his books once they've come out on paperback. I don't think King is ready to acknowledge just how much money real *fans* have spent to put him in the life he enjoys, which frankly is ignorant and insulting.

Anyway, those novels are ok without actually being any good. Granted, he's writing thrillers, and there's not a lot of competion for a genre that's really seen as a jump-off point for a screenplay. When you read a King novel, you're really just reading a long story treatment, complete with crosscutting and an emphasis on dialogue. There's little to distinguish them from the b-movies that they become, so while I agree that it's snobbish to make a big deal about having never read a King novel (or a Grisham, or a Chrichton, or whatever), it's also ridiculous to try to elevate them to the level of serious art. They're pulp, and some pulp is pretty good. That's as much praise as they merit.

Mike.

[Heccubus]

I was the same with Carrie, read it because the movie was good. However, I've read a few others, I tried to follow the Green Mile series, but missed a few until I got the book that has all of them in one. Dreamcatcher was okay, but sort of boring. Thinner was pretty cool, but I think I was just into it because that dude got shot in the hand with a slingshot. That was funny.

[Reader]

I really wanna read "The Long Walk". Ever since you metioned it back in the old days, i've always wondered...

[barend]

the only stephen king thing i've read is 'the running man'

i can't belive that clown had someone do a mini-series remake of 'the shining'
Stanley Kubrics version is my second favorite film of all time.

[somas1]

Have none of you read the Gunslinger Series? It's got to be Kings greatest work.

[sinister grinner]

first of all, dreamcatcher was cool. and yes the gunslinger series is awesome. i've only read the first one and a few chapters of the next. whenever i have enough money to buy one, i forget all about it. gunsling was actually the first story he started writing. it took him ten years to finish it.