Finally...

[Penthesilea]

Me too, Chrissi! And (more OT) I haven't read a Stephen King novel in probably 20 years.

Now it's on me to say: me too! Well, for me it may be around 15 years, not 20.

He comes off as smart but not smug, not snooty about his wealth or success, with ordinary interests and tastes but impressive insights about writing, a very likeable guy.

That's interesting. To be honest, I never gave the author a second thought, but found him a bit unappealing just by his looks (yeah, I know 'don't judge a book by it's cover') and the fact he writes sooooo endlessly much. It's seems to me like a production-line in a car production.

Also, to get slightly more on topic, you may also remember that King wrote a nice defense of BBM after the Oscars in Entertainment Weekly. If anyone's interested:

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/commentary/0,6115,1170378_1%7C%7C1145818_0_,00.html

Thanks for this link. I read and enjoyed it. Yep, King indeed seems to be a very likable guy! And I liked his slightly humorous tone.

[serious crayons]

It's seems to me like a production-line in a car production.

That's for sure. And if his early books weren't great classics, I suspect his more recent books (though I haven't read any of them) aren't even that good. They must have suffered from that mass production.

But I think he took more care with "On Writing," or at least seemed to. As a writer myself, anyway, I enjoyed it. Great writer or not, King does have certain undeniable skills.

[Andrew]

It's good to know about On Writing, I'll have to look it up.  I have never read any King, mostly because I'm not interested in the genre he is best known for, also because I was put off by his style when I peeked into a few of his books.  I was thinking of getting Different Seasons out of the library some time, since it contains the novellas The Body, a story of boys bonding on a woodland adventure, made into the film Stand by Me; and The Shawshank Redemption.  These have been recommended as among his best stories for people who don't like his other books.

[2robots4u]

Andrew...I'm a big King fan and have every one of his books in hardback, so naturally tiese last few postings caught my attention.  Different Seasons is a good one to start with, and if you get hooked try Nightmares and Dreamscapes, Skelton Crew, Four ast Midnight, Danse Macabre or Everything's Eventual...they are all short story collections.  In case you did not know, every one of his books have been made into movies.  But, as has been referenced, his works are sometimes very deep and the subject matter grotesque.  I love him..few do.  Happy reading

Doug
 

[serious crayons]

In case you did not know, every one of his books have been made into movies.

Wow. That I didn't know.

So Doug, I'm curious: does the Brokeback obsession syndrome remind YOU of The Stand?

[2robots4u]

Hi Kathrine...I'm sorry I can't answer that because I read The Stand (it's abbreviated form) when it first came out way back when??  I never got around to getting the reissued version, but after all the talk here, I will now.  I read so many books that I get confused from one story line to another, and it wasn't until one of the posters actuall gave a brief
synopsis of the story that I  remembered.  I also think this was not one of my favorites, so it is religated to the inner recesses of my mind.  When reading Stephen King, you have to devote your entire being from brain to toe (and sometimes someone else's also)to the meanings, the dark canyons he often drifts into, symbolism (and there is a lot of it).  I could go on and on and bore the hell out of everyone, but suffice it to say I do like the man's works... ...Doug
 

[serious crayons]

The abbreviated version was the one I read, too. And yes, a long time ago -- I'd say late '70s. But it was by far my favorite. If you go back and read it, let us know what you think!

I think I also liked The Dead Zone. Was that the one about a guy who could read other people's thoughts? And he meets a presidential candidate and realizes he has some big secret evil plan? So he feels compelled to kill the guy, even though everybody else thinks the candidate is fine and so of course thinks the protagonist is a regular old insane killer? I kind of liked that idea; turning the usual scenario around and seeing things from the POV of a well-meaning assassin.

"The Well-Meaning Assassin" -- there's a good title for a novel.

[Katie77]

Well this thread has certainly had a subject change, and as i sit here in my office at home I glanced around and saw what has happened to it.....

On one wall here, is MY picture....on the other wall is a bookcase with my husbands favourite books.....

I attach a couple of photos to show you what I mean.....

[2robots4u]

Katie...a very devoted King fan, your husband.

Yes, we were moving down the path and suddenly someone took a turn while the rest continued on course.  We'll diverge again, soon, and maybe catch back up to the original group ...Doug
 

[delalluvia]

That's awesome silk.    I always wonder who's still discovering this movie...