A Question about the Overall Experience

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Desert Kris

Member
Feb 23, 2017
19
96
46
Hello, I'm a new reader, having discovered that Stephen King's prose really agrees with me. The book, On Writing, inadvertently became a springboard into everything else he's written...but there's so much! I'm not panicked, just dipping my feet in here and there.

Anthologies are great, and I tend to read them differently from others (I think). I tend to read an individual story, and then go read something else, a comic or a novel, and then come back and read another story. To give each story it's due, as it were.

I know that Different Seasons is more a collection of novellas than a short story anthology. It seems cleverly organized, on the surface, connecting each story to a season. My question is, are these novellas still basically standalone? I want to jump forward and read The Body, and then maybe Apt Pupil next. And then eventually down the road, The Shawshank Redemption.

Any thoughts on that? Is there an overall effect with reading the book through from beginning to end and experience it's passage through seasons? An alternative reading approach I considered would be to read the individual novellas during their seasonal timeframe. So Shawshank Redemption while it's still springtime, and then in a couple months return to it for Apt Pupil, ect.

Or just let me know if I'm overthinking this, and have a laugh. I don't mind. I often overthink things. I'm just really enjoying my start with his books, and there are so many I'm looking forward to, but it's a little overwhelming!
 

danie

I am whatever you say I am.
Feb 26, 2008
9,760
60,662
60
Kentucky
I do the same thing! Always have, ever since a little kid in a library, whatever book.
aadfc1c8ba79468e4bc95777210dae0d.jpg
 

skimom2

Just moseyin' through...
Oct 9, 2013
15,683
92,168
USA
Hello, I'm a new reader, having discovered that Stephen King's prose really agrees with me. The book, On Writing, inadvertently became a springboard into everything else he's written...but there's so much! I'm not panicked, just dipping my feet in here and there.

Anthologies are great, and I tend to read them differently from others (I think). I tend to read an individual story, and then go read something else, a comic or a novel, and then come back and read another story. To give each story it's due, as it were.

I know that Different Seasons is more a collection of novellas than a short story anthology. It seems cleverly organized, on the surface, connecting each story to a season. My question is, are these novellas still basically standalone? I want to jump forward and read The Body, and then maybe Apt Pupil next. And then eventually down the road, The Shawshank Redemption.

Any thoughts on that? Is there an overall effect with reading the book through from beginning to end and experience it's passage through seasons? An alternative reading approach I considered would be to read the individual novellas during their seasonal timeframe. So Shawshank Redemption while it's still springtime, and then in a couple months return to it for Apt Pupil, ect.

Or just let me know if I'm overthinking this, and have a laugh. I don't mind. I often overthink things. I'm just really enjoying my start with his books, and there are so many I'm looking forward to, but it's a little overwhelming!
Stand alone. They're not linked in any way.
 

Neesy

#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side
May 24, 2012
61,289
239,271
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Hello, I'm a new reader, having discovered that Stephen King's prose really agrees with me. The book, On Writing, inadvertently became a springboard into everything else he's written...but there's so much! I'm not panicked, just dipping my feet in here and there.

Anthologies are great, and I tend to read them differently from others (I think). I tend to read an individual story, and then go read something else, a comic or a novel, and then come back and read another story. To give each story it's due, as it were.

I know that Different Seasons is more a collection of novellas than a short story anthology. It seems cleverly organized, on the surface, connecting each story to a season. My question is, are these novellas still basically standalone? I want to jump forward and read The Body, and then maybe Apt Pupil next. And then eventually down the road, The Shawshank Redemption.

Any thoughts on that? Is there an overall effect with reading the book through from beginning to end and experience it's passage through seasons? An alternative reading approach I considered would be to read the individual novellas during their seasonal timeframe. So Shawshank Redemption while it's still springtime, and then in a couple months return to it for Apt Pupil, ect.

Or just let me know if I'm overthinking this, and have a laugh. I don't mind. I often overthink things. I'm just really enjoying my start with his books, and there are so many I'm looking forward to, but it's a little overwhelming!
crow welcome with foot raised up.jpg

Read "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption" to see where that most excellent movie came from!
734436._SX540_.jpg
 

Steffen

Well-Known Member
Aug 9, 2015
2,233
12,800
View attachment 19715

Read "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption" to see where that most excellent movie came from!

Every time I see a mention of this film I'm always reminded of how a typical conversation goes between me and someone who doesn't know/like King's work.

"How can read all that Stephen King @#$%? All the movies are rubbish."

"You ever seen Shawshank Redemption?"

"Oh yeah, that was a great movie!"

"That's a Stephen King story."

"What? You lie!"

"Nope."

"Stephen King really wrote that?"

"Shut up now."
 

Desert Kris

Member
Feb 23, 2017
19
96
46
Wow, thanks everyone for the welcome and feedback! I kind of figured that Breathing Method will be last, but only because I'm going to gravitate towards the novellas that have been adapted to movies first. I'll probably go with The Body, because I'm interested in seeing Stand By Me (which I've never seen before, yet heard great things about). So I want to read the original novella before seeing the movie. The I'll probably follow up with Apt Pupil, Shawshank, and Breathing Method.

Regarding Breathing Method as the only one with supernatural elements, it's interesting given that SK became known for supernatural stories when getting started, I started with one of his non-fiction books. Normally I don't read many non-fiction, but I was surprised at how fast I read through On Writing. I gave Carrie a try, from the standpoint of starting at the beginning. Now, normally I'm an appallingly slow reader, averaging about 16-20 pages in a day. But when I lost track of time reading On Writing and found to my surprise that I had racked up 40 pages for a couple of days in a row, that got me wondering. But when I started Carrie, well I was surprise that I burned through about 60 pages in the first day, that is incredibly rare. I'm very happy to have discovered SK, a little late in the game, but better late than never!
 

doowopgirl

very avid fan
Aug 7, 2009
6,946
25,119
65
dublin ireland
Every time I see a mention of this film I'm always reminded of how a typical conversation goes between me and someone who doesn't know/like King's work.

"How can read all that Stephen King @#$%? All the movies are rubbish."

"You ever seen Shawshank Redemption?"

"Oh yeah, that was a great movie!"

"That's a Stephen King story."

"What? You lie!"

"Nope."

"Stephen King really wrote that?"

"Shut up now."
I have that conversation SO many times.
 

kingricefan

All-being, keeper of Space, Time & Dimension.
Jul 11, 2006
30,011
127,446
Spokane, WA
Wow, thanks everyone for the welcome and feedback! I kind of figured that Breathing Method will be last, but only because I'm going to gravitate towards the novellas that have been adapted to movies first. I'll probably go with The Body, because I'm interested in seeing Stand By Me (which I've never seen before, yet heard great things about). So I want to read the original novella before seeing the movie. The I'll probably follow up with Apt Pupil, Shawshank, and Breathing Method.

Regarding Breathing Method as the only one with supernatural elements, it's interesting given that SK became known for supernatural stories when getting started, I started with one of his non-fiction books. Normally I don't read many non-fiction, but I was surprised at how fast I read through On Writing. I gave Carrie a try, from the standpoint of starting at the beginning. Now, normally I'm an appallingly slow reader, averaging about 16-20 pages in a day. But when I lost track of time reading On Writing and found to my surprise that I had racked up 40 pages for a couple of days in a row, that got me wondering. But when I started Carrie, well I was surprise that I burned through about 60 pages in the first day, that is incredibly rare. I'm very happy to have discovered SK, a little late in the game, but better late than never!
Steve's writing goes down like a fine wine. You've 'sipped' 30 pages before you know it!! As for Stand By Me- it is one of the best adaptions ever made from a King story, hands down. Stellar performances by everyone in the cast. The ending is even more poignant because of River Phoenix dying in 'real' life.