Writers & works that Stephen particularly likes?

  • This message board permanently closed on June 30th, 2020 at 4PM EDT and is no longer accepting new members.

Rarebit

Active Member
Sep 9, 2015
27
91
59
Is there a list or thread somewhere here discussing writers and/or fiction works that King himself likes or has recommended (in interviews, his own non-fiction pieces, or through his characters)?
If not, let's start one here.

A couple I can think of are HP Lovecraft and Shirley Jackson.

I noticed he mentioned Shirley Jackson in both 11/22/63 ("The Summer People") and The Stand ("The Daemon Lover"), so I figure either he likes her or she influenced him in some way.
 

Owenk

Well-Known Member
Nov 13, 2014
351
2,060
62
I think Stephen gives a comprehensive list of recommendations at the end of "On Writing."

I am picking one of these, because by coincidence (and I like coincidences) I recommended it to my son yesterday as he is flying out to Cuba later today, so I give you Graham Greene, Our Man in Havana. Personally I also love Travels with my Aunt and The Power and the Glory.
 

blunthead

Well-Known Member
Aug 2, 2006
80,755
195,461
Atlanta GA
I think Stephen gives a comprehensive list of recommendations at the end of "On Writing."

I am picking one of these, because by coincidence (and I like coincidences) I recommended it to my son yesterday as he is flying out to Cuba later today, so I give you Graham Greene, Our Man in Havana. Personally I also love Travels with my Aunt and The Power and the Glory.
Get a copy of Danse Macabre for lists of books and movies sK recommends.
 

mal

content
Jun 23, 2007
4,714
27,243
61
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
I think Stephen gives a comprehensive list of recommendations at the end of "On Writing."

I am picking one of these, because by coincidence (and I like coincidences) I recommended it to my son yesterday as he is flying out to Cuba later today, so I give you Graham Greene, Our Man in Havana. Personally I also love Travels with my Aunt and The Power and the Glory.
I've read a lot of Greene over the years. Very good stuff!
 

Blake

Deleted User
Feb 18, 2013
4,191
17,479
3023_FRITZ_LEIBER_Conjure_Wife_1969.jpg
 

Kurben

The Fool on the Hill
Apr 12, 2014
9,682
65,192
59
sweden
Major influennces as i see it was Shirley Jackson, Richard Matheson and John D. MacDonald.
But it all depends on which book were talking about. Dark Tower for example there the two major influences are Tolkien and Sergio Leone when it comes to the creation of his saga.
 

Rarebit

Active Member
Sep 9, 2015
27
91
59
I spent the past week reading some Shirley Jackson.

My favorite was the short story called The Witch.

The Summer People
was a real hoot. Not sure I completely got the ending though.

The Lottery
's ending was a real surprised for me, but I suspect it made for an even bigger surprise when it was first published. It must have been an inspiration for a number of other works, including several films I can think of.

We Have Always Lived in The Castle was another story from Jackson that seemed to come out of left field. Two extremely eccentric sisters living with their invalid uncle after the rest of their whole large and well-off family died under mysterious circumstances.

Jackson definitely had a penchant for the macabre, and a strong sense of twisted humor that shows in her work. I can see some of her in King's stories.
 

kingricefan

All-being, keeper of Space, Time & Dimension.
Jul 11, 2006
30,011
127,446
Spokane, WA
I spent the past week reading some Shirley Jackson.

My favorite was the short story called The Witch.

The Summer People
was a real hoot. Not sure I completely got the ending though.

The Lottery
's ending was a real surprised for me, but I suspect it made for an even bigger surprise when it was first published. It must have been an inspiration for a number of other works, including several films I can think of.

We Have Always Lived in The Castle was another story from Jackson that seemed to come out of left field. Two extremely eccentric sisters living with their invalid uncle after the rest of their whole large and well-off family died under mysterious circumstances.

Jackson definitely had a penchant for the macabre, and a strong sense of twisted humor that shows in her work. I can see some of her in King's stories.
The Lottery was indeed a very controversial story when it was published in, I think, Life magazine. There were many, many letters to the editor from outraged subscribers and there were quite a lot of subscriptions cancelled because of her brilliant story.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rarebit and jchanic

jchanic

Well-Known Member
Jul 11, 2006
3,164
6,097
79
Cleveland Ohio
The Lottery was indeed a very controversial story when it was published in, I think, Life magazine. There were many, many letters to the editor from outraged subscribers and there were quite a lot of subscriptions cancelled because of her brilliant story.

According to Wikipedia, The Lottery was first published in the June 26, 1948 issue of The New Yorker but with the same outrage.

The Lottery - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

John