Does age reflect interest in Stephen King?
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As I've gotten older I have become a more active reader of Mr. King. He didn't hold my interest when I was seventeen, but thirty years later I like most of his works.
Neesy
#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side
I love his books even more now than years ago.
By the way Shoesalesman - have you seen the film (more like a documentary) called Super Duper Alice Cooper? it is quite good
I'm 42 and if I recall correctly I read Creepshow at the age of 9. Scared the bejesus out of me and didn't pick up another until I hit my teens. Been reading him ever since.
For a man categorized in the horror genre I don't see myself tearing up at anyone else's books. I can barely cry when watching a supposedly sad movie(unless a dog dies. Cue the waterworks)but I find myself very emotionally invested in his stories. Maybe that's changed a bit with age. Probably didn't cry while reading him as a teenager, god forbid wouldn't have wanted the friends to see it!
For a man categorized in the horror genre I don't see myself tearing up at anyone else's books. I can barely cry when watching a supposedly sad movie(unless a dog dies. Cue the waterworks)but I find myself very emotionally invested in his stories. Maybe that's changed a bit with age. Probably didn't cry while reading him as a teenager, god forbid wouldn't have wanted the friends to see it!
I love his books even more now than years ago.
By the way Shoesalesman - have you seen the film (more like a documentary) called Super Duper Alice Cooper? it is quite good
Indeed, I have. Loved it to death!!!
There is another thread on here that asks a similar question about how long people here have been enjoying King's work.
The results of that poll, and what I'm seeing here suggest to me less that King's (or any writer's) appeal diminishes over time, but that young people as a demographic are reading less.
The results of that poll, and what I'm seeing here suggest to me less that King's (or any writer's) appeal diminishes over time, but that young people as a demographic are reading less.
That is very insightful. I didn't see the other poll.. but I can see how that is happening with this generation.
Do your kids read? I have three sons... two of them enjoy reading as much as I do. I read to all three from the day we came home from the hospital... and that was 'always' our special time together before they went to sleep each night. Nowadays I see little kids with electronics... not books. A sign of the times I suppose.
I wonder sometimes if maybe it's because reading is such a physically passive endeavor.
For whatever reason (well . . . I know the reason, but I don't want to offend anyone), it seems younger folks need more varied and diverse stimulus than I ever did.
I'll tell you something funny:
When I was young my family used to go on vacation every summer to visit my mom's family in Delaware. I had two older brothers who weren't much interested in me beyond the occasional torment, so I had to find ways to amuse myself in a place where I didn't know anybody. Well, one day when we were visiting one of my mom's aunts who lived near the university, I was taking a walk and happened upon a library.
Lucky me.
Well, I was from very far away, so I had to have them call my mom's aunt to vouch for me so I could borrow some books just for a couple days. When I got back to Aunt Helen's house, she and my mom thought it was the funniest thing in the world. They were actually laughing at the idea that I would want to use the library on my vacation.
That happened about 40 years ago, give or take.
I'm not even really sure if it makes the point I'm trying to make.
Either way, I think illiteracy is the devil.
For whatever reason (well . . . I know the reason, but I don't want to offend anyone), it seems younger folks need more varied and diverse stimulus than I ever did.
I'll tell you something funny:
When I was young my family used to go on vacation every summer to visit my mom's family in Delaware. I had two older brothers who weren't much interested in me beyond the occasional torment, so I had to find ways to amuse myself in a place where I didn't know anybody. Well, one day when we were visiting one of my mom's aunts who lived near the university, I was taking a walk and happened upon a library.
Lucky me.
Well, I was from very far away, so I had to have them call my mom's aunt to vouch for me so I could borrow some books just for a couple days. When I got back to Aunt Helen's house, she and my mom thought it was the funniest thing in the world. They were actually laughing at the idea that I would want to use the library on my vacation.
That happened about 40 years ago, give or take.
I'm not even really sure if it makes the point I'm trying to make.
Either way, I think illiteracy is the devil.
I don't think so.
When I read my first SK novel in 1992, I was expecting a horror story, and wasn't disapointed. Soon, I just had to read everything he ever wrote to that date, and I wasn't disapointed.
Now, 23 years later, I still have to read every new Stephen King novel or short story collection. And when I take a look back, I realize that, when I was young, I liked his early works not only for supernatural horror stories they were, but also for the stories they were. Now, I still like the old horror stories, but I've become to appreciate also his non-supernatural stories. It's the story that counts, not your age.
When I read my first SK novel in 1992, I was expecting a horror story, and wasn't disapointed. Soon, I just had to read everything he ever wrote to that date, and I wasn't disapointed.
Now, 23 years later, I still have to read every new Stephen King novel or short story collection. And when I take a look back, I realize that, when I was young, I liked his early works not only for supernatural horror stories they were, but also for the stories they were. Now, I still like the old horror stories, but I've become to appreciate also his non-supernatural stories. It's the story that counts, not your age.
I did a quick look around at the Bridgton event. Most people were over 40. Almost all were white. Most collectors from outside the local area were white males. I saw very few folks under the age of 30 who weren't dragged there by a parent to get an extra copy. There was about a 60-40 split in male/females. Those demographics might be skewed a bit given the location in Maine where it is mostly white and older folks. But it was consistent with what I've seen at other events including on college campuses where there are very few college age folks in attendence. King was most popular in the late 70's and 80's. The earliest readers for his books would have been in their teens. So most of those fans are over 40 now.
I'm 40 but I started reading King when I was 12.
My daughter is 18 and has been a fan for a couple years.
My daughter is 18 and has been a fan for a couple years.
Some of his latest stuff deals with aging and more 'matured' concerns, which, I doubt, would be of much interest to the younger crowd. But you got all the others, all the 'hits', do ya--IT, SEMETARY, LOT, etc.--and the only thing the little punks could have to gripe about those classics would be that most are a trifle 'dated'. But if that's the sort of the thing you gripe about, yer not a real reader.