While there is a hope, as in I hope to win the lottery, there is no true belief that Mr. King will ever read a post I make on this site. But I come here none the less to have my say, and to thank him for many hours of enjoyment, and at time enlightenment.
I understand the literary world as I understand the art world. I can't tell you what academically is great work, but I know what I like, and generally why I like it. Mr. King's work bats in the .300's when it comes to stories that I enjoy reading. It is the brilliant development and eventual portrait of characters that hold me close while Mr. King's story wraps around me tightly that makes his works stand out among others.
Mr. King and I are diametrically opposed in the political arena. I doubt very much that he would want to by me a drink if he knew me at all in the world. Frankly, I believe from the interviews and quotes that I have read, that Mr. Kings view of the world is very noble, but extremely flawed. Not that it matters to him or his fans, but I think he has a good heart with political thought misshapen by the 60's popular movements of his youth.
Now why would I mention this in my introduction on the StephenKing.com website? It is simply to magnify that while we deeply disagree on many points of governance we can agree in humanity, love, and evil the same. It is also to laud Mr. King's ability to weave great stories that at times touch current politics never become preachy or 'high-minded'. I wish we all could write like that.
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My first King book was Misery. I had avoided reading King for a long period of time. Carrie on the screen was my first introduction to King's work, and while it was not bad at all, it failed to entice me to go out and read the book. The Shining on the screen was better than Carrie for me, but I also read that King hated that movie product. This also kept me away from King's works. After that it seemed the world fell in love with all that Mr. King wrote, and I was a young man not wanting to be part of the mainstream at the time.
After I was married my wife took me out to visit her family, and after a few days I begged her to save me from utter boredom. When she went into town she purchased a book for me which was Misery. I was riveted by the thriller and a fan ever since.
I found that, like most movies adapted from books, the movies were far inferior in the storytelling found in Mr. King's books. I also found that seeing a movie first limits the depth of one's imagination when reading the book of the same title. Mr. King mentions this in the forward found in 'The Stand'.
Mr. King's short stories are his best works I believe, and they need the greatest amount of talent to make them come alive to the reader. I never think Mr. King does a good job with the endings to his novels, but that may simply be because I am too attached to characters or stories to see them come to an end.
Being a great fan of Dystopian fiction my favorite King work is 'The Stand', but 'Doctor Sleep' may knock that book from its perch.
Thank you again Mr. King for you hard work, your time, and your insights. You have earned well your place in my life and thoughts.
Dave
I understand the literary world as I understand the art world. I can't tell you what academically is great work, but I know what I like, and generally why I like it. Mr. King's work bats in the .300's when it comes to stories that I enjoy reading. It is the brilliant development and eventual portrait of characters that hold me close while Mr. King's story wraps around me tightly that makes his works stand out among others.
Mr. King and I are diametrically opposed in the political arena. I doubt very much that he would want to by me a drink if he knew me at all in the world. Frankly, I believe from the interviews and quotes that I have read, that Mr. Kings view of the world is very noble, but extremely flawed. Not that it matters to him or his fans, but I think he has a good heart with political thought misshapen by the 60's popular movements of his youth.
Now why would I mention this in my introduction on the StephenKing.com website? It is simply to magnify that while we deeply disagree on many points of governance we can agree in humanity, love, and evil the same. It is also to laud Mr. King's ability to weave great stories that at times touch current politics never become preachy or 'high-minded'. I wish we all could write like that.
------
My first King book was Misery. I had avoided reading King for a long period of time. Carrie on the screen was my first introduction to King's work, and while it was not bad at all, it failed to entice me to go out and read the book. The Shining on the screen was better than Carrie for me, but I also read that King hated that movie product. This also kept me away from King's works. After that it seemed the world fell in love with all that Mr. King wrote, and I was a young man not wanting to be part of the mainstream at the time.
After I was married my wife took me out to visit her family, and after a few days I begged her to save me from utter boredom. When she went into town she purchased a book for me which was Misery. I was riveted by the thriller and a fan ever since.
I found that, like most movies adapted from books, the movies were far inferior in the storytelling found in Mr. King's books. I also found that seeing a movie first limits the depth of one's imagination when reading the book of the same title. Mr. King mentions this in the forward found in 'The Stand'.
Mr. King's short stories are his best works I believe, and they need the greatest amount of talent to make them come alive to the reader. I never think Mr. King does a good job with the endings to his novels, but that may simply be because I am too attached to characters or stories to see them come to an end.
Being a great fan of Dystopian fiction my favorite King work is 'The Stand', but 'Doctor Sleep' may knock that book from its perch.
Thank you again Mr. King for you hard work, your time, and your insights. You have earned well your place in my life and thoughts.
Dave
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