I just reread Salem's Lot after a long time and had forgotten just how scary it is. The sense for foreboding throughout the entire book is almost overwhelming.
John
John
Scariest Book!
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This was always my favourite because it was my first. I'm currently re-reading this from the library and someone circled all the names in this copy in pencil. It doesn't hamper the reading but I'm hugely curious as to why. Not just names like Susan or Ben but Christ, Jesus, etc...
School homework? Perhaps elementary school level exercise to identify proper nouns?
Salem's Lot is one of the best books of King.
The atmosphere in the small town of Lot is very good.
In German thats:
Brennen muß Salem
I think the USA Title is better
The atmosphere in the small town of Lot is very good.
In German thats:
Brennen muß Salem
I think the USA Title is better
I almost had a heart attack! My room mate brought home 'salem's Lot from the library and I thought for sure it was a first edition, but it was the book club edition and not the *holy grail* of the four first editions that missed the last minute price change by DD. Those babies goes for 40 grand+. I am re-reading it as it was my first King novel. In 1976 I was stationed at the now defunct Presidio army base in SF and the barracks had to be circa WWII. The door to my room had a transom window up top and only God knows now, a big space at the bottom of the door...like a bathroom door in a restroom. (so the ghosties could get in) There was only one other woman who stayed there as most lived off base. Nice to see the Golden Gate bridge from my window but that was the only charm this fire trap had (mental image of a sign that says: Wanna see a big fire? Throw a match on me!) There was an overpass almost on top it and the first time a truck drove by I thought for sure we were having a freakin' earthquake. Reading this book there scared the ****e out of me!!
It's only the first printing of Salem's Lot with the first state dust jacket that goes for $40k or more. The dust jacket has a $8.95 price on the unclipped flap and the Father Cody reference. There were only 5-8 of these dust jackets done, none of which ever hit the retail stores. They were "rescued" from a waste basket at Doubleday. The other states (second state has the Father Cody reference and a clipped dust jacket with the $7.95 price and the third state has the correction of Father Callahan reference and a $7.95 unclipped dust jacket) usually go in the $200-500 range in fine condition. Valuable, but not rare by any means.
'Salem's Lot - Trade HC - Palaver - A forum for Stephen King fans & Book Collectors
John
I am ready to reread this one, I think. I watched the 1979 miniseries tonight and was surprised at how spooky it was. I came out of the bathroom to check on my laundry and I jumped at my own shadow on the wall. Didn't realize I was so on edge, lol. Now I will be extra sensitive to any noises outside my bedroom window tonight. So far so good.
Does anyone have a favorite paperback cover? I liked the hefty white reissue with the neck and bite marks. I think King wrote a new foreword to this one, along with The Shining, Pet Sematary, The Green Mile and Bag Of Bones.
Does anyone have a favorite paperback cover? I liked the hefty white reissue with the neck and bite marks. I think King wrote a new foreword to this one, along with The Shining, Pet Sematary, The Green Mile and Bag Of Bones.
Haven't read pet sematary, yet. But Salem's Lot was my first Stephen King read, and I'd have to agree with GNTLGNT, that Salem's Lot was not really scary, but more along the lines of entrancing. Sure It was suspenseful at times, but not scary, at least for me.
I think when you read a book on your life timeline has a lot to do with how it affects a person.
Where that person is in their personal life and maybe their age and personal maturity growth, and even the location at the time of reading has a lot to do with how we take in information. How rational or irrational we are at any given moment in time.
If you are in a busy airport during the day with hundreds of people around you, Salem's Lot might not be that scary.
I was scared beyond words reading this. I was sitting in a quiet house that was creaking at about 3 in the morning. Dead silent. Weird noises outside. Scared sh*tless.
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So true. Pet Sematary and 'Salem's Lot for me, too. Although, PS is scary any dang time! Wendigo, anyone?
I remember reading the prologue to Rose Madder, and I almost puked. I haven't opened the cover since.
It's a tough read at times. But I keep it as one of my favorites (fantasy aside, but necessary in the character's mind - to get through.)
...the Wendigo is probably my favorite "creep" next to the Reaper...
So true. Pet Sematary and 'Salem's Lot for me, too. Although, PS is scary any dang time! Wendigo, anyone?
I love the fact that the wendigo is never really explained. Normally you'd think that would hurt a story but the mystery of it only enhances it. Anyone else think that the wendigo is what the boys in The Body encounter that night in the woods?
Totally agree. It is the one book that scared me the most.
I found about salems lot by the back cover of needfull thinks saying that in needfull thinks sk made an ending ever more epic than salems lot. So i just call my brother( i wad warking at a camping then. Staying in an old caravan. In the woods. Alone. No lights outside rge caravan. Hahahaha) and told him sent me that book! He did. I didint have no info about the story of the book so all of the events strike my like a train!!! Piss my pants!!!!!! 
This is still one of my favorite King books, regardless of how old it is. Loved the characters, the story...everything. But it's not the scariest one to me. That would be Pet Semetary. Damn that book is creepy.
Oh absolutely!! It is the only book to this very day that gave me a nightmare. And that's saying a lot bc I never have nightmares (unfortunately....I actually like having them...I know...weird huh?). I've read Salem's Lot about 8 times since I first read it in 8th or 9th grade about 30 years ago....lol. I lived in the sticks the first time I read it, so I can relate to the small town scenario. (Not the New England small town setting though so I live in the muggy south.) Stephen King has an incredible knack for making the unbelievable seem VERY believable. And I think that his style of writing is somewhat hard to covey to film. He's able to make you really understand how his characters are feeling and thinking....and that's tough to get across. At least I think so. I'd be the first in line to buy tickets to a new Salem's Lot movie done at the extremely high caliber of translation that the IT movie was done.
Have you read The Shining yet? It's pretty scary in it's own right....