From the random votes so far.. it seems that people around my age spike the votes. I'm guessing it is because we grew up reading him. People 'find' him.. but we grew up with his work.
Does age reflect interest in Stephen King?
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Who are you calling a grown-up?!!!!
Neesy
#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side
The Eyes of the Dragon
11/22/63
Joyland
(in other words - I agree with you - he managed to get a reputation for horror years ago and it just stuck).
I do love his dark sense of humour as well.
Neesy
#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side
Who are you calling a grown-up?!!!!
You don't know me! You don't know me at all!!!!I guess he will be here forever.
sshhhhhhhhhhhhh...You don't know me! You don't know me at all!!!!
Who are you calling a grown-up?!!!!
Yes indeedy, Audra! (great idea for a thread, incidentally).
I'm 54 & the 1970's seem just around the corner of my memories.
And light-years away, simultaneously.
When I was a teenager, WW2 didn't seem a lifetime away.
I think it's easier to appreciate SK if you remember the world that was - maybe I should say if you remember the US that was.
Ironically, a lot of the US-specific references went over my head and far away.
Don't laugh but, back in the day, things like prom nights and student loans were so. . American.
Now they're over here.
Don't worry - I'm not going off topic.
SK meant (and means) very specific things to people:
First:believe SK readers have the one thing in common: we face up to our dark side by reading about it.
Ditto our home-girls (and boys) who like post-apocalyptic fiction and Planet Zombie.
I had to grow up and become my own person to enjoy SK - I was 29 when I read Skeleton Crew.
Yep, a late developer - blame my education ( US equivalent: Ivy League).
In the UK, there's literary fiction . . then there's the rest.
So, Audra, everyone wins.
Whether you're a younger reader and you've just found SK (mazel tov).
Or whether - like me - you grew up with him.
You don't have to be American.
You just need an imagination.
And an open mind and an open heart.
And the desire to explore.
And (for me), a need to escape from a painful reality (literally).
When I tell my lovely clinicians (the NHS does work) that reading works like a painkiller, they understand.
How cool is that?
SK - כל הכבוד ( kol hakavod means "all the honour" in Hebrew) to a writer who truly brings people together.
See? We're all here because of one man and his words.
very nice. and I continue to hope your pain eases.Yes indeedy, Audra! (great idea for a thread, incidentally).
I'm 54 & the 1970's seem just around the corner of my memories.
And light-years away, simultaneously.
When I was a teenager, WW2 didn't seem a lifetime away.
I think it's easier to appreciate SK if you remember the world that was - maybe I should say if you remember the US that was.
Ironically, a lot of the US-specific references went over my head and far away.
Don't laugh but, back in the day, things like prom nights and student loans were so. . American.
Now they're over here.
Don't worry - I'm not going off topic.
SK meant (and means) very specific things to people:
First:believe SK readers have the one thing in common: we face up to our dark side by reading about it.
Ditto our home-girls (and boys) who like post-apocalyptic fiction and Planet Zombie.
I had to grow up and become my own person to enjoy SK - I was 29 when I read Skeleton Crew.
Yep, a late developer - blame my education ( US equivalent: Ivy League).
In the UK, there's literary fiction . . then there's the rest.
So, Audra, everyone wins.
Whether you're a younger reader and you've just found SK (mazel tov).
Or whether - like me - you grew up with him.
You don't have to be American.
You just need an imagination.
And an open mind and an open heart.
And the desire to explore.
And (for me), a need to escape from a painful reality (literally).
When I tell my lovely clinicians (the NHS does work) that reading works like a painkiller, they understand.
How cool is that?
SK - כל הכבוד ( kol hakavod means "all the honour" in Hebrew) to a writer who truly brings people together.
See? We're all here because of one man and his words.
Girl, where have you been? I've missed seeing you on here. Don't be such a stranger. I am sending healing vibes and lots of happy thoughts your way.Yes indeedy, Audra! (great idea for a thread, incidentally).
I'm 54 & the 1970's seem just around the corner of my memories.
And light-years away, simultaneously.
When I was a teenager, WW2 didn't seem a lifetime away.
I think it's easier to appreciate SK if you remember the world that was - maybe I should say if you remember the US that was.
Ironically, a lot of the US-specific references went over my head and far away.
Don't laugh but, back in the day, things like prom nights and student loans were so. . American.
Now they're over here.
Don't worry - I'm not going off topic.
SK meant (and means) very specific things to people:
First:believe SK readers have the one thing in common: we face up to our dark side by reading about it.
Ditto our home-girls (and boys) who like post-apocalyptic fiction and Planet Zombie.
I had to grow up and become my own person to enjoy SK - I was 29 when I read Skeleton Crew.
Yep, a late developer - blame my education ( US equivalent: Ivy League).
In the UK, there's literary fiction . . then there's the rest.
So, Audra, everyone wins.
Whether you're a younger reader and you've just found SK (mazel tov).
Or whether - like me - you grew up with him.
You don't have to be American.
You just need an imagination.
And an open mind and an open heart.
And the desire to explore.
And (for me), a need to escape from a painful reality (literally).
When I tell my lovely clinicians (the NHS does work) that reading works like a painkiller, they understand.
How cool is that?
SK - כל הכבוד ( kol hakavod means "all the honour" in Hebrew) to a writer who truly brings people together.
See? We're all here because of one man and his words.
Aw, toda raba (thank you in Hebrew) - healing vibes and happy thoughts always gratefully received!
Thanks - it does ease when I'm asleep. .perhaps my subconscious is warming-up for The Big Sleep. .
I'm, glad it does ease... (but... don't say that!)Thanks - it does ease when I'm asleep. .perhaps my subconscious is warming-up for The Big Sleep. .
Really nice to see you again, rudiroo.
Yes indeedy, Audra! (great idea for a thread, incidentally).
I'm 54 & the 1970's seem just around the corner of my memories.
And light-years away, simultaneously.
When I was a teenager, WW2 didn't seem a lifetime away.
I think it's easier to appreciate SK if you remember the world that was - maybe I should say if you remember the US that was.
Ironically, a lot of the US-specific references went over my head and far away.
Don't laugh but, back in the day, things like prom nights and student loans were so. . American.
Now they're over here.
Don't worry - I'm not going off topic.
SK meant (and means) very specific things to people:
First:believe SK readers have the one thing in common: we face up to our dark side by reading about it.
Ditto our home-girls (and boys) who like post-apocalyptic fiction and Planet Zombie.
I had to grow up and become my own person to enjoy SK - I was 29 when I read Skeleton Crew.
Yep, a late developer - blame my education ( US equivalent: Ivy League).
In the UK, there's literary fiction . . then there's the rest.
So, Audra, everyone wins.
Whether you're a younger reader and you've just found SK (mazel tov).
Or whether - like me - you grew up with him.
You don't have to be American.
You just need an imagination.
And an open mind and an open heart.
And the desire to explore.
And (for me), a need to escape from a painful reality (literally).
When I tell my lovely clinicians (the NHS does work) that reading works like a painkiller, they understand.
How cool is that?
SK - כל הכבוד ( kol hakavod means "all the honour" in Hebrew) to a writer who truly brings people together.
See? We're all here because of one man and his words.
Awesome reply and it is VERY nice to meet you!!! I'm glad reading helps with pain... Blessings to you
Looks like the general consensus is... You never really grow out of loving SK!!! wooohoooo
I started reading SK when I was 12 in '83, mainly because of the "freak factor". The guy looked *scary*, had a berserk beard, had odd looking book covers. Then his novels started to get banned at my school. Soon, I found out the guy could write a neat story. I started to feel the same things as the characters. Started to appreciate his brand of irony, his take on "bad wins as much as good".
Many life lessons were learned with an SK book somewhere nearby. I started out thinking he was just weird. Thirty-some years later, I can confidently say that my view hasn't changed. Above all else, I like the fact that as I get older, the rickety cart he pulls me in decade after decade stays the same.
Many life lessons were learned with an SK book somewhere nearby. I started out thinking he was just weird. Thirty-some years later, I can confidently say that my view hasn't changed. Above all else, I like the fact that as I get older, the rickety cart he pulls me in decade after decade stays the same.
The best writers, well, in my opinion, all have internal diversity. In Louis L'amour's writing, he wrote a non-western about a fighter pilot who crashes in the mountains and has to use Native American survival skills he learned growing up to live until he is rescued. One Western, The Lonesome Gods, featured a Buddhist monk that actually felt, character-wise, like something out of a Stephen King story.
I, for myself, originally picked up the saying 'laughing academy' out of a book by Robert Heinlein, "The Man Who Sold The Moon"....
I, for myself, originally picked up the saying 'laughing academy' out of a book by Robert Heinlein, "The Man Who Sold The Moon"....
I'm 33 and I started reading King when I was 19 though I was aware of his work from a young age as my cousin and mother were horror aficionados. There are elements of his older stories that might put people of reading - the 70's and 80's were still a culture factor in my upbringing. But I think new readers will discover SK for a long time yet because he is a cultural phenomenon. I mean currently different film studios are preparing to pony up cash for new adaptations of The Stand and IT, not to mention the Dark Tower.
I was 15 and it was 1985. Don't remember which one of Stephen's I read first but I remember the tremendous Lord of the Rings-worthy impact The Talisman had on me then. I watched the Shining on cable in 81?-ish and tried to read my brother's copy of the Stand but it freaked me out so I stopped reading it then... of course I read it again later... the only other book to have that impact on me back then was George Orwell's 1984... the only book I ever jumped to the end of because I couldn't stand the endless brutal intensity of the 'dystopian' drive into a socio-political heart of darkness.