Meeting here at 8PM..............come join the discussion and have some fun!
Group read Wednesday December 11- The Devil On The Staircase by Joe Hill
- Thread starter Spideyman
- Start date
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Neesy
#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side
I wish I could but I have not read this one yet - is it available as a short story online by any chance?
Not that I am aware. It can be found in Full Throttle.
Neesy
#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side
....since I am headed for snoozeland around that time, I will as usual, jump in with my size 14’s early....as eerie/violent as this story is, I got a hell of a laugh out of Kid Satan.....Joe continues to prove his worth and what a landscape he painted with his prose....a GNT “attaboy!” for Mr Hill....
I many never be able to look at a set of stairs in the same way again after reading this pure genius of a story. What a cleaver idea to write it as"stairs". So many emotions were touched upon-- hate ( for his father), jealousy, lust,passion ( for his cousin). Loved the descriptive tones- throat cool as the marble alter on our church. Making the gate "red". The build to the end.........
...I liked the presentation of the stairs motif as well...just another layer of visual...
I really liked this story too! I loved the way the words made the stairs. I liked how, when he was not on the stairs but sitting and talking to the boy beyond the red gate it was regular print.
The story reminded me of Aesop's fables in a way. I expected there to be a life lesson. I guess there was...greedy, dishonest people usually have an easy time with life for some reason.
The imagery both on the pages and in my head moved right along, I could see everything perfectly. It would be a nice little piece of a Creepshow or Tales From the Darkside type anthology.
Great pick, Spidey!!
The story reminded me of Aesop's fables in a way. I expected there to be a life lesson. I guess there was...greedy, dishonest people usually have an easy time with life for some reason.
The imagery both on the pages and in my head moved right along, I could see everything perfectly. It would be a nice little piece of a Creepshow or Tales From the Darkside type anthology.
Great pick, Spidey!!
The descriptions and imagery were so good in this absorbing tale, reading it made my legs sore from climbing.
The tin bird rewards lies. I see the bird as a symbol of the spread of lies.
Fantastic story. Has a folk tale feel to it.
The tin bird rewards lies. I see the bird as a symbol of the spread of lies.
Fantastic story. Has a folk tale feel to it.
As all of you, I loved the creativity of the word stairs.
I think this was a very political story written like a parable. It takes a village to expose the truth.
Did the liar feel rewarded by the bird singing, or was he irritated that the bird shouted the alarm? As long as no one but QC knew that the bird sang when he lied, he was safe to tell his lies. The villagers didn't understand the truth behind the singing.
But, I think as evil grew, as we watch the rise of evil to power, the bird was sounding the alarm. And the bird had babies to also go out into the world to spread the word that evil was amongst us. So, one by one by one, these birds were spreading the truth because they would have babies. A lot of begatting to the truth. Warning us about our blind loyalty.
I likened the "birds" to the whistleblowers, the good news reporters, to everyday citizens -- the circle of truth tellers expanding. Eventually, hopefully, everyone starts hearing the truth.
And ultimately, he was afraid of heights because he could fall. It all could come crashing down on him. Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.
I'm not saying this very well, but hopefully you get what I'm trying to convey.
I think this was a very political story written like a parable. It takes a village to expose the truth.
Did the liar feel rewarded by the bird singing, or was he irritated that the bird shouted the alarm? As long as no one but QC knew that the bird sang when he lied, he was safe to tell his lies. The villagers didn't understand the truth behind the singing.
But, I think as evil grew, as we watch the rise of evil to power, the bird was sounding the alarm. And the bird had babies to also go out into the world to spread the word that evil was amongst us. So, one by one by one, these birds were spreading the truth because they would have babies. A lot of begatting to the truth. Warning us about our blind loyalty.
I likened the "birds" to the whistleblowers, the good news reporters, to everyday citizens -- the circle of truth tellers expanding. Eventually, hopefully, everyone starts hearing the truth.
And ultimately, he was afraid of heights because he could fall. It all could come crashing down on him. Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.
I'm not saying this very well, but hopefully you get what I'm trying to convey.
Very nice! I did not think about the bird's singing being a constant reminder of the lies he told and told, expanded on and embellished. The bird would not let his conscience start to believe his own lies.
BUMP
Tomorrow night at 8, we are discussing Dark Carousel by Joe Hill
Tomorrow night at 8, we are discussing Dark Carousel by Joe Hill
