Give Him Some Love

  • This message board permanently closed on June 30th, 2020 at 4PM EDT and is no longer accepting new members.

Neesy

#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side
May 24, 2012
61,289
239,271
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
A quote from the last paragraph of the article:

"My reading habits primarily are of the "literary" nature, but Stephen King's knowledge of literature, his grasp of storytelling, and the art that he creates are worth taking a stand for, because without Stephen King, the book industry would be vastly different today." o_O

Another person giving Mr. King a "backhanded compliment" as me old Mom would have called it! :facepalm_smiley:

As far as giving him some love, I will let Tabby do that - but he has earned my respect and admiration :encouragement:
 

Mr Nobody

Well-Known Member
Jul 9, 2008
3,306
9,050
Walsall, England
You know, a few years back, I was having a bit of a back-and-forth with a couple of people (a critic and a former Faber editor) about SK's true standing, following a comment I made to one of the former ed's opinion pieces.
They mentioned sales and, sometimes, content, but could get past the whole genre thing. So I did a textual analysis (I have the knowledge, education and skills to do such things, at least to a certain level), and tbh what I found surprised even me.
Taking 20 chapter at random and comparing each of them to samples from - among others - Dickens, Dostoevsky, Hardy and Austen, I found that, on a 'cline of literariness' taking into account sociocultural, cognitive and inherent word meanings and forms of creativity, SK came out generally level...and in some cases was more literary than some of the greats.
I PM'd the results across, and where previously it had been a case of 'It'll be interesting to see what you find' (in a snarky kind of way), the attitude became rather more superior and sniffy. The critic even said something along the lines of 'Ah, but what actually qualifies you to do such a thing? It proves nothing', at which point I just let it go. There was absolutely nothing I could have said or done that would have changed their minds, or even caused them real pause for thought, and I reckon that would have been the case even if I'd been a college professor.
 

Walter Oobleck

keeps coming back...or going, and going, and going
Mar 6, 2013
11,749
34,805
I read a line or two in a story not from King...I don't remember whose story it was but the line concerned a writer...of...best-selling type stuff. One character lamented best-selling stuff. The other character, one to-do w/the publishing industry, said that because so-and-so's work was made available and sold lots, they were able to offer other stories. I read that to assume that the other stories might not have sold as well though they had as much "literary" merit as other stories. A story is a story is a story. Seems like--from what I know about the self-publishing arena--that half the battle is simply getting the product to market, or making the market aware of the product. For years I didn't read King simply because he was a "best-seller" plus I'd seen the movie or two the reasoning that why bother I'd seen the movie. Dickens was a "best-seller" in his day...people waiting for that slow-boat from England to arrive in Boston or New York with the next installment of...what? Bleak House was it? And...there's still some "literary" stories published and yes one can still read them and yes there are some that are "best-sellers".
 
  • Like
Reactions: Neesy

Kurben

The Fool on the Hill
Apr 12, 2014
9,682
65,192
59
sweden
Great essay in the Huffington Post about Mr. King's literary merit. Comments are scant so go and give him some love!

Taking <i>The Stand</i> for Stephen King&nbsp;|&nbsp;Steven Petite
Nothing to argue with exactly in that essay. By the way, i saw that Donna Tartt won the pulitzer for her third novel(at least i only know of 3 books by her) The Gold Finch, so it obviosly is a bit suspicious to write more than one book a year. Personally i think that any literary critic with an open mind should have taken a stand for King long ago. When i began to read longer books a long time ago my father started me off, when he noticed i liked good stories, with Dumas, Verne, Stevenson, Doyle, Kipling, Swift, Poe and the first King books including Carrie and Salems lot. My father was a literary critic and wrote several articles where he said that King was to be taken seriosly. Nobody lissened to him but at least he was honest as a critic should be. Perhaps I am a bit biased but i am proud of my father for that stand. This was in the late 70-ties. That is a stand that needs to be taken again and again i think. And, by the way, i didn't mean that Tartt isn't worthy of a pulitzer. Her first two books were good but haven't read this one yet. Bought it yesterday but i intend to finkish Dr. Sleep first. Thanks for the article thougfh.
 

Neesy

#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side
May 24, 2012
61,289
239,271
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
I give him my cash. I think he’d much rather have that than my love. ;) (I know I would :))
Yes - I like cash as well! (who doesn't) - I guess you and me and a few million others feel the same way! (thus the mansion in Florida etc.) :thumbs_up: :tickled_pink: :tounge:
We all would not be here typing away if it was not for Stephen King's generosity!
p.s. this places blows Facebook right outta the water
 
  • Like
Reactions: FabulousJewels

booklover72

very strange person
Jan 12, 2014
731
2,995
51
Dublin
i am goning to invest in Carrie the Deluxe edition, the postage will probably be just as expensive as the book. i spend about 3 minutes on Facebook, but on this board, i TRY to leave it and then there is another interesting thread i have to read.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FlakeNoir and Neesy